So, did you get a Trick or a Treat?

Halloween has come and gone and as I sit here thinking about how much fun I had celebrating the holiday with my children and grandchildren, receiving trick or treaters at my front door and reminiscing about how we celebrated as children, I was reminded of a few of my favorite stories.

Now, keep in mind in my previous post I gave you some insight into my tormented childhood so some of this may be funny and some of this maybe sad.

Today's kids really have it made! Don't they? Their parents begin preparing for Halloween weeks in advance. They buy lots of candy to pass out. They take the kids shopping for costumes. They prepare elaborate parties...............and they still have time to take the kiddies trick or treating! Why, many of the parents even drink their cocktails while they stroll along as their sweet little ones run up to the front door full of anticipation of what goodies they will receive. My own grandchildren and nephews were so wired and excited about going trick or treating that they did not even remember that they hate most candies. I think it was more the ritual and knowing that their friends would be out- that mattered most.

On the other hand, when I was growing up, I had to cook dinner for my parents and siblings before I could even think about doing something so foolish as dressing up for Halloween. We were not allowed to go out trick or treating when we were little and my parents would not think of participating in any such nonsense. They weren't what you might call the touchy feely type. They did not get excited about the things children were excited about. They had their own agendas and they did not include children.

I recall one Halloween that I was especially looking forward to as I was being allowed to go out with some of my friends to trick or treat. I planned the whole day so that I wouldn't do anything wrong or that I would upset my parents in any way. I had chores to do after school as usual. I also had to make dinner. Dinner was to include white rice and I went diligently about preparing the meal on time so that I could wear my costume and be ready when my parents came home from work.

Well, we were all in for a surprise. You see, I used a strong cleaner to clean the pot I cooked the rice in and did not rinse well enough. The outcome was that when dinner was served my rice tasted like something similar to Lysol and boy was my mother angry! She made me clean the pot again and start over after she slapped me across the face while belittling me for not paying attention to what I was doing. Needless to say, I did not get to go out that night! I was heart broken but, I can laugh now however, then was a different story.

Another vivid memory I have was back in Oct. of 1956. At the time, my parents were the superintendents of a six apartment building in Newark, NJ where I grew up. My mother was also very pregnant with my brother (who is now a State Senator in Illinois). Imagine that! Anyway, you guessed it, it was Halloween night and my siblings and I were left home alone to fend for ourselves while my father took mom to the hospital.

We were so intrigued by what was going on outside and went from window to window watching the children trick or treating in their bright colored costumes with their parents by their side. Some how, one of us got the idea to make our own candy to pass out to the kids who knocked on our door. We didn't have anything to give the kids and remember we were kids ourselves. Well, we had lots of Bazooka bubblegum rappers. Our neighbor worked at a candy factory and would give us candy from time to time. My older brother, myself and two younger siblings proceeded to rap small pieces of white bar soap into the bubble gum rapper and as the kids came knocking we passed out our version of Halloween goodies. Now while this seemed mean spirited believe me when I tell you that we did not mean it to be. We felt left out and you know children when left to their own devises?

There was a lesson, however, in those two examples of my Halloween experiences. Let me see, they both involved soap. They both involved me. You know something I believe in Karma. I paid for the mischief of placing soap in bubblegum rappers. Oh well, those kids never knew who gave them the soap..........at least I don't think so. Oh, have I told you the one about feeding my brothers mud pies and telling them they were chocolate?

Next time, I will be telling you about some of my current exploits.......see you soon!!
Angiez
Here is a nice treat for you:
http://www.cookiesafterours.com