Halloween

Last night at spin class our instructor played Halloween music. I haven't been feeling very Halloweenish this year but this got me more in the mood. I don't know if it was being gone on vacation or just being busy but we didn't even get out our decorations. I have a few cards out but that's it. Also, no one ever comes over so it would be just Ang and I to see them and then put them away tomorrow. But last night as I was spinning my seven miles I started remembering Halloweens from the past.



When we were little my mom and her best friend Marilyn made Halloween into a family holiday. They would make a big dinner, usually sloppy joes and jello and a cake, and then we'd go out trick-or-treating. Usually my dad and Marilyn's husband, Michael, would pass out candy first (average number of trick-or-treaters at our house back then - 800 or so, at least that's what it seemed like) while the moms drove us to the grandparents' neighborhood. We'd get our pictures taken; there were four of us, Ben, Liz, Ang and I, and then we'd get special treats from them, usually a bag of candy or cookies or a bigger candy bar or something. Then we'd head home and the dads would take us walking around our neighborhood. It was always cold, usually rainy, and we'd have to try to fit winter coats under our costumes. You never could tell exactly what at least one of us was.

Then came the fun part, "the sorting" as Ang wistfully called it tonight. We dump all our treats into the big mixing bowls from the kitchen and start dividing it into piles: different kinds, sizes, etc. And we'd try to keep our dads away from the candy (Michael always always always stole some!). Then we'd trade with each other and give the grownups what we didn't like. It was great. One of the highlights of being a kid. A no-pressure holiday, something I long for.

I am glad I have these memories, and new ones. Today was fun at school. We read a poem about Frankenstein and the kids wrote Halloween poems and decorated them to take home. There was construction paper and glue and markers and joy. They were so proud of their work. And then tonight Ang and I sat outside for two hours in the beautiful 70 degree evening and passed out all of our candy. We had big kids, little kids, adults, and infants come around - all with hands out. Interesting to say the least. But fun. We socialized with different sets of neighbors who were all out enjoying the fresh, cool air and we just sat and smiled and said "you're welcome" a lot. A no-pressure holiday. Just like I remember.