Halloweens Past.....

While standing at my front door the other night I thought a lot about my mother. My mother LOVED Halloween... I mean, I am assuming she loved Halloween based on my memories of her.

She would throw costume parties (with real apple bobbing) and decorate our house to be a 'mini' haunted house. She was a costume designer and seamstress and made all of my costumes from scratch (even that one year I went as a skunk). My parents played music or creepy sound effects for the trick or treaters at the door and they always dressed in costume themselves.

When I was little I lived in a small New England town in the historic homes area. One year I can remember there were 3 haunted houses on our little street. Usually pretty short, but fun nonetheless. People decorated their entryways and then a hallway and back room. There was always candy at the end of the "tour". EVERYONE carved pumpkins. People from all over town came to my street to trick or treat. Even though there were not a lot of kids who lived near me, on Halloween night the street was PACKED with parents and kids running around.

My mother never sent me out with a plain old pillowcase... but my bright orange plastic pumpkin. She would layer me just right so that I wouldn't have to cover up my costume with a coat.

Back then Halloween was an experience. Checking out what each neighbor had done to 'scare' up their house... seeing all our friends in their costumes for the first (and only) time... and having fun with my parents "playing dress-up". Candy was great, but it wasn't numero uno on the agenda. I remember Halloween as almost a stage play.... with actors and audience... sets and sound effects. A wonderfully grand experience!