My brother, Dan, and I sat talking tonight about growing up in places where Halloween wasn’t the thing. It didn’t spring from religious convictions, like beware of evil in costumes, more that we lived out in the country or in places not conducive to romping around in strange outfits, begging for treats.
A couple of weeks ago, Basil told me he needed something bigger for his Halloween treats. “This year I’m bringing a pillowcase.” Well, If he’d been my child he’d have been wearing the pillowcase, my trick. Any costume I made started with an old pillowcase, made plausible with one magic marker, a scissors, and some kind of topper(hat, mask or wig). Cut 3 holes: one for the neck and two for the arms. Done! Fortunately, my children outgrew me and became far more creative.
I’m not all that sorry I grew up thinking treats mostly came from inside, not outside. Mama baked treats like cinnamon rolls every Saturday. When we went to the A&P for groceries, sometimes we got 6 candy bars for 25 cents. You could mix and match with packages of gum, candy bars or lifesavers @ 5 cents each or 6 for a quarter.
Looking back I realize certain treats came with expectations. We chewed gum 1/2 a stick at a time. Hershey bars came in sections, fit for breaking apart and sharing. All infrequent enough to remain treats.
At this stage in life, what treat would I like to have one Halloween? I’d love to see a kid dressed in a pillowcase, with a proud parent nearby, marveling at the trick they’d pulled off. And I wouldn’t mind a whole Hershey bar with almonds.
This story has been viewed 1 times
1 person HEARTS this story
2 Comments
I’m continually amazed at how similar our backgrounds are. My mom made cinnamon rolls every Saturday too! And yes, the half -stick of gum. And almond in chocolate? The best!
A fun read, and a flood of memories. And I’m with you on the Hershey bar with almonds, ‘tho I would like it even better if the chocolate were dark!