I remember going trick-or-treating for the first time at age five, in my silk purple and gold costume. I was “Snow White,” and my dad who held my hand went as, “Dad.” For those of you who might be interested, trick-or-treating began back in Scotland and Ireland in the 16th century and was called, “guising.” People would go from house to house in costumes, put on small performances and be rewarded with treats.
One year I was a pilgrim. My brother, Dan, was “Huckleberry Hound,” and my brother, John, was a skeleton in a black silk full body costume. My friend, Mary, and I were Beatniks when we were 10, and carried pillow cases, instead of small bags, to get more candy. “Haven’t we seen you before,” three spinster sisters asked, when we were being a little naughty and went to the same house twice.
As a grown up, I attended my girlfriend Heidi’s big Halloween party in a red lacy dress because I had a figure like “Barbie” back then. By day, I was the matronly-dressed volunteer at my kids’ elementary school who helped out at their parties. My daughter Lindsay’s fourth-grade teacher organized a “bobbing-for-apples” event and I just have to brag about my daughter for a moment.
While every kid was getting his or her face wet bobbing for apples, Lindsay, like the wise old granny she was dressed as, just bent down, grabbed the stem of the apple, and simply picked it up. One year, my two daughters, Ashley and Lindsay, were dressed as ballerinas. The excitement of the two of them, ages four and six, running from house to house as their pink and blue tutus fluttered in the crisp night breeze, will forever be etched in my memory.
In my current little town, Halloween is a big deal. We have a Halloween decorating contest, so orange lights and elaborate decorations are displayed on almost every house. We have a giant “Stay Puff Marshmallow Man,” a haunted pirates’ boat, climbing skeletons, and witches stuck in trees. And, we always have that “one neighbor,” whose home looks like a cross between Cirque du Soleil and Tim Burton’s, “Corpse Bride.”
And, we have lots of kids, who, this year, will probably be dressed up as “Beetlejuices,” “Barbies” and “Top Gun Maverick” pilots. I love seeing the little “Minions,” and mermaids, who always say “thank you,” when I drop candy into their bags.
All is fairly exciting and calm around here on Halloween night; at least I pray it will stay that way. But frankly, I can’t wait for my “The ‘Burbs” neighbor at the end of my street to take down his “monster-and-clown circus” on his front lawn and decorate for Christmas.
Anne Mount is an award-winning journalist, author, and screenwriter. She is a native Daytonian.
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