circa 1989
When they were 1 & 2, we dressed them in pirate pajamas, smudged their faces with beards & moutaches and carried them door to door for their first "experience". They lasted about 45 minutes. It was the beginning of many happy years to come.
The following year, the pumpkin carving began. Their father took them to pick out the pumpkins, then sat them on the ground to watch as he carved.
circa 1990
They were charmed, mystified and delighted all at the same time.
After that, they always had their own pumpkin on which to draw a scary face. They learned to dig out the seeds, saving them to dry in the oven and, later, feed to the birds.
As they grew, they learned to carve and it was the highlight of the season, after the candy collection of course! I decorated the entrance to our home each year using the home made bats, witches, ghosties and black cats cut out of construction paper at school. I made spider webs of black string which hung from the porch overhang and brushed children's faces. We had the white fuzzy webs, ghost lights on a string, trees filled with lights and brown paper bags of sand, each with a candle to light the driveway. Carved pumpkins filled our porch. We played a selection of scary music on the stereo heard up the driveway and into the street. We lived on a cul de sac in southern California and Halloween was generally warm allowing us to leave the front door open, the electric lights off with only the flicker of candlelight to show the way.
The main event was taking the boys trick or treating. We'd visit the homes of our neighborhood and a few beyond. So many people decorated and dressed up for the kids, it was always a surprise and a treat. We'd take our dog on a leash and the boys' two best friends, a brother and sister, little towheads and cute as buttons. Dressing the boys was my husbands's task and he approached it with artistry and vigor. One year he painted the face of one son as a skeleton and the other was a vampire and they were dressed accordingly. Another year, earlier, they went as Oscar the Grouch and a duck!
So another Halloween approaches and my boys are grown and away. But my memories are sweet and my heart is full and I wish everyone the kind of Halloween my husband, sons and I were so lucky to enjoy.
Click here for a cute Halloween message from Jacqui Lawson.
