All Hallows Eve 2009

I remember the excitement of the night before Halloween. There was so much to do and really so very little time.

We had to finish the costumes. We had to make sure that we had the proper make-up needed. We had to make sure that our traveling strategy was correct. We had to make sure that we had the proper bags (usually pillowcases).

When I was a kid we had no boundaries for trick or treating. We never had a parent go out with us. Sure, there were rules. Like never go into the house of a stranger, and never eat any candy until we got home.

We traveled miles away from home, only returning home to empty the bag to go back out. I don't think we went out for so long or so far from home because we were greedy, although maybe we were a little. But, I think we went out the way we did because we were having so much fun. We were breaking all of the regular rules. We were scaring each other silly. We were having a grand time. We got to stay out way past curfew and up way past bedtime.

I remember my mom went through the bags before we even had a chance to eat a piece of candy. First all of the homemade treats were tossed. Then the gum was taken out, we weren't allowed to chew gum. Then the candy bars were divided up into their respective types (snickers, Kit-kat, etc). Next were suckers, smarties, and things like sweetarts they all went into a pile. We would put the sensible things into piles, things like tooth brushes, coins, small toys to be divided later. This was almost as much fun as the tick or treating, almost. When this was all finished, mom would put the candy all into the freezer. She would dole it out to us. We were still eating Halloween candy at Easter time.

When my son became old enough for trick or treating I eagerly anticipated the yearly event. It was good in the beginning. I helped home plan his costumes. Most of which were my idea. He went as a bear, a bee, and one year as Waldo. In the later years he didn't want mom's help. He wanted the help of friends he would be going out with. I told him it was OK but he was not to do any monsters or anything gruesome . He followed my rule fairly well. Except one year he and a friend went as conjoined twins.

We don't get trick or treaters where we live. I guess 22 miles from town is too far to drive just for candy. Now that my son is grown (he's 25), and I have no reason to celebrate this fun childhood custom, I am missing it.

I think tomorrow I will write about some of the most memorable Halloweens that I had as a child.