...and round the campfire we children sit...a'telling ghost stories bit by bit...IT'S A GOBLIN!!!
Hello children, mom here,
On a lighter note this time. Ahhh, Hallowe'en. That time of year when we dress up and go out begging for candy! Hallowe'en was always such fun at my house, growing up. There was so much excitement! The anticipation of 'something scary' kept us all on a high for the hours leading up to when the sun went down and we all dressed up and took to the streets.
I remember we mostly dressed as 'bums' - back in that day, that is what homeless folk would be called. We didn't really have 'bums' in our town, except the ones that road the trains, that would stop in each town and beg for money or food, then get back on the next train and head for the next town. (Yes, that really did happen, just like in the movies!)
But there were no fancy store bought costumes. No fancy drugstore makeup, either. At least not at our house. We used the coal in our fireplace to cover our faces. And somehow we always had an assortment of old, ragged clothes (probably kept from year to year) that we all used. And when we were ready, we'd grab our pillow cases (yup-no plastic pumpkin heads for us) and head out. We headed out with each other, or with friends. Parents never ventured out with us, there seemed no need back then. No one was afraid of being snatched or hurt. We were on our own, which made it more fun, of course! And we would canvas the town. (No, not just the neighborhood - the whole town!) I'm serious!
Back then, we would get all kinds of goodies kids don't see today. Like homemade candy apples! Fresh baked cookies and brownies! Cans of pop! HUGE chocolate bars! We got to know all the 'good' houses to go to each year - the houses with the best goodies. Those are the houses everyone would try to get to first, cause if you didn't, everything would be gone. I remember we'd walk the main street and go into the stores. Many merchants would require us to sing or dance before we got the goodies. I hated those stores! (I was painfully shy) But, we'd do it anyhow, for the candy.
There was no going out for an hour and filling a tiny bowl and then coming home and calling it a night. Nope. We'd fill the pillow case as full as we could carry, then come home, empty it, and go out again! Trick or treating would literally start at 6 pm and go on till about 10 or 11. Crazy, yes, but too fun! And the haul we would end up with would last a year and a half! I remember stuffing bedside tables and small cabinets with goodies - hiding them from my older brothers who could be vultures. We would often come across candy we'd hidden and forgotten where.......
When you were little, I think Hallowe'en was quite a fun time for you all, as well. At least, I tried to make it so. Living in our townhouse, I remember I would make a big pot of chili and invite some of our friends and their kids over before we took you all out. And the firework show that dad put on each year. I wonder if that continued.....or if it died when we left there...
Hallowe'en was one of the best times of year for me. The memories begin as soon as the cool weather comes - and the air fills with the smell of bonfires - and the leaves begin to spiral around the streets before winter sets in. Those are good memories. I guess that's why I STILL love Hallowe'en, even though you're all grown up now. I can't wait to make Hallowe'en special for my grandbaby.
Love you guys,
Mom xxoo
