Oct 28 2008
Trick Or Treat
When I was growing up my family did not go trick-or-treating. We went to a Halloween Carnival at my school one year. Other than that one time we just stayed at home on Halloween. My little brother, sister, and I were not allowed to go out on Halloween. When the kids at school talked about their costumes I would not say anything. On Halloween night my Mom would turn out all the lights and we would watch TV. If anyone knocked Mom would tell us to stay put and not answer the door. When I asked Mom why we did not go trick-or-treating she told me it was too much trouble.
One Halloween when I was 14 years old I spent the week-end with my Grandmother. On Halloween she asked me if I was going trick-or-treating. Since this was my Mom’s mother I had always assumed she did not approve of trick-or-treating anymore than my Mom did. I told Granny I would love to go and she called two of my cousins to go with me. Between the cousins and Granny they came up with a costume for me. I was so excited I could not stand still.
My cousins and I walked for hours, going from house to house. We collected bags of candy and had so much fun. Only one time did anyone ask me if I was too old to be out trick-or-treating? When I told the lady it was my first time to ever go she said “bless your heart”. She also gave me extra candy. It was a truly wonderful night for me.
When my children were old enough to go trick-or-treating I took them each year. Now they take their children. I don’t care about the “real meaning of Halloween” or what it is based on. To me it is fun and kids should have fun in their lives. They are introduced to the real world soon enough.
