Halloween Tradition: Trick-or-Treating at Grandma's House

Every Halloween night, dressed in costumes, my little brother, cousin and I scrunched together in the back seat of the car as my mom and aunt drove us around our very small community to trick-or-treat at the neighbors' homes. Every year we would look forward to on particular stop: my Grandma Bailey's house. Surprisingly, we weren't the only youngsters looking forward to the stop; most every kid in the community looked forward to visiting Grandma Bailey's house. Moreover, because she was our grandma, we felt special.

Finally, we arrived. Grandma greeted us at the back door then led us to the kitchen where only a single candle burned, and the smell of mothballs lingered in the air, but we didn't care... the treat and love was what we wanted. We exchanged hugs and kisses with Grandma, and then she placed a homemade caramel popcorn ball into our bags. Yes, her homemade popcorn balls were what every kid in the small community looked forward to. It became a Halloween tradition, and parents didn't mind driving their children to a farm home outside of town. Of course, being from a small community, everyone knew everyone. Besides, grandma gave the parents a popcorn ball as well, whether they were dressed in costume or not.

As soon as grandma dropped the caramel popcorn ball into our bags, we'd head into the living room where grandpa sat watching TV and smoking his pipe. He'd notice us standing there and reached to turn down the blaring TV (he was almost completely deaf). After he sat the remote control back down on the table, he hugged us and our bodies would tighten up as we waited for the hard slap on the back... I don't think grandpa ever realized how hard he really slapped someone on the back, but no one ever said a word, so he continued the same greeting until he died from cancer several years ago.

Soon after we received our hugs and the dreaded pat, grandpa reached into his pocket and pulled out change. He then dropped 50 cents into each of our bags; also a tradition, but only for the grandkids and their cousin.

"Thank you, grandpa," my brother and I replied loudly, so he could hear us.
"Thank you, Ernest, my cousin said.
"Any thing for my sweet young'ins," he smiled, and then returned his attention to the TV.

The three of us headed back to the kitchen where my aunt, mom and grandma stood chatting. The last trick-or-treater smiled as he headed out the back door.

Since trick-or-treating was over for the night, grandma would split the few popcorn balls that were left between the three of us kids before we left. Of course, we couldn't leave without giving her one last hug and yelling our goodbyes to grandpa, who didn't really hear us because of his TV.

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That's how I remember Halloween when I was a young girl, and if grandma wasn't in the nursing home suffering from Alzheimer's today, then tonight she would probably still be carrying on her Halloween tradition by handing out her homemade caramel popcorn balls to her great grand children and others in the our small community.