Halloween
Wed., October 29, 07:44 AM
Do you ever wonder how a holiday based on pre-Christian religions, including witchcraft, is so popular with the same kind of people who want to burn the Harry Potter books? Well, I never said that people were consistent.
Halloween was a strange holiday for us when I was little, because my mother didn’t allow us to go out for trick-or-treat. It was “begging.” On the other hand, we welcomed the kids who did come by, ooh-ing and ah-ing over their costumes and trying to guess who it was.
We used to make packets to hand out, filling paper napkins with candy and fruits or gum or popcorn, and then tie them up with ribbon. I loved candy corn. Maybe a Tootsie Roll®. A lollipop provided the stick to stableize the packet. It never occurred to me to be jealous of the kids that got the candy. It was a closed issue and, anyway, I could always have some of the leftovers.
The year I was six, my mother was in the hospital, having just given birth to my little sister. Our next-door neighbor persuaded my dad to let us go out with her and her kids. That was the first time my brother and I went out for trick-or-treat. Surprisingly, once it was a done deal, my mother allowed us to go every year, though I actually went only three or four times. Considering myself very grown up, I soon preferred to help the other kids with their costumes and then stay home to greet visitors.
It was an amazingly innocent time. There must have been some “big kids” who did some damage, but on the whole there wasn’t much. Occasionally a parent went around with little ones, but they were usually safe with just older brothers and sisters to watch them. No one stole someone else’s candy or beat anyone up. And no one was worried about contaminated treats.
Home-made treats were the most popular. One couple always invited the monsters in for cider and doughnuts. Some people gave out apples. When you didn’t have time to do the homemade things – or maybe if you had more money – you would buy a couple of boxes of candy bars.
By the time I was the homemaker with kids of my own, I was more concerned about the enormous amounts of sugar we were giving kids, and I began handing out sugarless gum. I don’t think it was very popular. Another year I handed out little Halloween toys instead of candy. That may be why no one has come for the last couple of years.
Nevertheless, I did buy a big bag of mixed candy treats. I figure we can give out the ones with the nuts, and Husband will happily devour the rest. We have different neighbors now; maybe our reputation is unknown.
You understand, I wouldn’t even think of mentioning Halloween, except that it is my sister’s birthday today. (Don’t say Halloween and birthday to her in the same sentence, however; that’s a sore spot with her.) And while we’re at it, do leave birthday wishes for mizlizzy and ibepiglet.
