WHY YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY HALLOWEEN PARTIES!
My worse Halloween was when I was a little girl sick with the flu. My friends and siblings were in costumes and going out trick or treating without me. I remember crying, not only because I could not go with my friends, but I also could not eat any candy, which only made me sicker. Mom said, “there’s always next year,” but a child’s year seems to last forever. Luckily, I only missed one Halloween because Halloween could be more exciting than Christmas.
We enjoyed the freedom Halloween brought. The cherry on top of all the expected candy was we were out after dark without parents! We would form groups of friends and methodically map out neighborhoods rumored to hand out the best candy. The most desired treasures were the Kraft caramel candy apple, a full-size Hershey bar, and the caramel popcorn ball. The throwaways, no one wanted, were the waxy, tasting taffy wrapped in orange and black paper, filled with peanut butter, and the fake tootsie roll pops without the tootsie in the center. There was always one neighbor who handed out gourds. What is a kid supposed to do with a gourd? He was completely clueless and considered cruel, by candy loving children in the neighborhood. Another neighbor outdid everyone by giving out the absolute jackpot, a shiny, silver quarter! We loved getting money because we could go out to buy whatever we wanted. Homeowners, who had their lights on, who forgot it was Halloween, embarrassingly handed out handfuls of change, and then quickly turned their porch lights off.
We practiced our jokes for days saying, “Trick or Treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat,” because if you told jokes, you received more candy. We carried our candy in pillowcases because pillowcases held more goodies. The orange plastic Jacko lanterns were for the little kids, who could only stay out for a brief time. As soon as we arrived home, we would share our massive haul with our younger siblings. I also remember hiding chocolate from my dad because he was a chocolate hog.
Store bought costumes, like the ones kids wear today were not for us. No respectful Halloweener would wear a store-bought costume. One time, I really struggled. I saw a Donald Duck mask at Woolworths. I loved Donald Duck! But my always practical, and thrifty Mom said, “Forget the mask. Do you want to say quack, quack all night long?” Mom said masks were dangerous because the eyes on the masks never lined up with a child’s eyes, and you could not see very well. We dressed as hobos with charcoal smudges dirtying our faces, and would sneak into mom’s make-up destroying her Revlon, “Love That Red” lipstick, smearing the lipstick all over ourselves so it looked like blood. We always wore layers of clothing for warmth. Cool trick or treaters would never wear coats. Those were the fun filled days of innocence, and my fond Halloween memories.
The funny thing about experiencing Halloween as an adult, is discovering those joyful, childhood feelings that have been lying dormant for years. Tonight, we can be kids again! So, why not go to multiple dances and parties, and let your childlike energy flow. For a couple of nights, we can refuse to be senior citizens with bad knees and bad backs. Our masks and costumes will magically transform us into superheroes, monsters, rugged cowboys or even a bar of soap. When we were kids, we had to settle for only one night in the entire year for Halloween. As adults, we have multiple opportunities to say, “Trick or Treat!” So, put on a costume and go to a party! Eat a candy apple or Hershey bar. Celebrate your inner child! The joy of Halloween is contagious. You might win a prize or and have fun dancing to “The Purple People Eater.” Your childlike fun begins with the magic of multiple Halloweens!
