Stage I
CANDY! CANDY! CANDY! As a kid I was consumed with thoughts
of all the candy I would be getting Halloween night. Usually mom and I would adventure to Rose’s
and she would let me choose some horrific and cheap costume, usually some
character popular that year. I now see
some of these costumes being sold as “vintage”, so I guess I’m vintage now
too. On Halloween night, we would follow
the exact same itinerary every year.
Eat, get dressed in my all vinyl and plastic costume, and hit the road. We would visit Maw Maw Ann’s house first. There it was kisses, pictures, and
CANDY. Then we were off to Maw Maw
Edna. Edna did Halloween in true fashion
with a huge weenie roast. This to me was
better than Christmas. It really was
like a family and friends reunion. As
the years have gone by I long for that weenie roast. In my memories, this is top shelf. In reality, how perfect were these weenie
roasts? Well that I don’t care about. All I know is that I appreciate the memories
of them more and more as time passes.
After getting my fill of hotdogs, mom would then take me trick or
treating in our neighborhood. Most years
mom drove me around. I pretty sure I
heard, “Don’t slam that door” a hundred times.
Door to door my McDonalds bucket would fill to the top. As the bucket filled so did my heart. I heart candy.
Stage II of Halloween:
I’m too old to trick or treat, and I’m too young to realize
how fun Halloween can be.
Stage III
Halloween as a young adult was tremendous fun, with a touch
of over indulgence. With great friend
and great times, Halloween became absolutely my favorite holiday. Halloween wasn’t about candy anymore. It was the exact same bars, parties, and
friends but some how it was different with a little face paint. It gave us all the reason in the world to
drink a little more and laugh a little louder.
Hiding behind a mask never felt so great.
Stage IV
These days I will still exclaim that Halloween is still my
favorite holiday. The joy that Ella and
Raleigh give me takes me to new highs.
My Halloween spirit soars when I witness their excitement and anticipation
just the same as me 25 years ago. For
days now both the girls have asked over and over if Halloween was here. I hear them talking about candy together. They are proud to tell people about their
costumes. As the girls were running from
house to house last night, smiling, holding friends hands, comparing candy, it
reinforced my love of Halloween. At the
first house we visited Ella ran to me and screamed “Daddy, Candy Corn”! (In my head.. No baby. Snickers, go for the Snickers) The longer we
walked I thought the novelty of trick or treating would wear off, and I’m
fairly happy that it didn’t. The girls
could have run through the neighborhood all night. So I would like to say thank you for everyone
who made the girls have a great night.
So for now I’m going to celebrate the candy with the girls, and I will
quietly celebrate when Halloween isn’t cool anymore, I will celebrate and
pretend that I don’t know what is happening at the college Halloween party, and
hopefully I will be there when it all finally makes sense.
So is Halloween still my favorite holiday. You bet!
Last night I walked around with a Tiger Fairy, a butterfly, and my
wife. I’m pretty sure she went as
“smoking hot”.
