Reminiscing on Halloween as a Youth

Today has felt quite strange for me for some reason - or maybe no reason; it's hard to tell. The weather is sunny, yet there are lots of clouds in the sky, and they cover up the sun sometimes, making the sky feel as though it's overcast, and also reminding me of winter. I guess it doesn't help that the weather's been so cool lately. Even though I'm not going trick-or-treating, I wonder what Halloween will be like this year. I remember when I was younger, the night of Halloween would always be a little bit cool, and sometimes we'd get really cold as we'd travel from house to house. We also used to visit my relatives' houses, and it would be a pleasant relief when we'd enter into their houses and feel a flood of warmth. Halloween makes me feel pretty nostalgic, since it's definitely a holiday I don't fully participate in anymore.

I still like handing out candy to the trick-or-treaters. I've always thought it fun to count how many people visit our house, see what kind of costumes kids have each year, and to be the one who they think is the, "nice girl who handed out candy." I've always hoped that the candy I give out is considered good and not thrown straight in the trash because no one wants to eat it. When I was younger, I'd be happy with the houses that gave out good candy, or whole candy bars Yes, kids are greedy for candy. What else is new?

Thinking about it now, it was probably very odd that we would visit my relatives' houses. I don't think many children do that for Halloween. I think our main reason for visiting my relatives was because my mom would bake Halloween cookies, and my dad would take my sister, brother, and me to deliver them. We'd also be able to trick-or-treat in a wide variety of neighborhoods, visiting some of the houses neighboring my relatives' homes. In addition, we would receive extra treats for Halloween. My aunt would do some shopping for my grandfather and would supply us with little gift bags of candy and various Halloween trinkets. I always remember going to my grandfather's house, and he would be sitting alone watching TV with the lights on, and we'd just come in and say hi. I think my father would make some small talk with him, and then we'd say goodbye to him and leave. It might sound harsh, but my grandfather only knew a few words of English, so we couldn't really converse with him.

The older I get, the more I realize that Halloween is a holiday that only excites younger people. I kind of miss that excitement of getting dressed up and thinking of a good costume to wear. My mom used to take my siblings and I to the fabric store, and we'd search through all the pattern books, looking for something we wanted to wear that she could make. My mom made quite a few costumes for us over the years, and thinking back on it, I was quite lucky! She's an expert seamstress and while all the other children were wearing drugstore-bought superman costumes, I got to don a more unique version of Sleeping Beauty's dress. If ever I couldn't think of an idea for Halloween, I would pull out my kimono and wear that. It was nice to know that I had a fall-back that was relatively unique and easy to access.

I have been told countless times that I look younger than my age. People often mistake me for a high school student, and at a baseball game I went to earlier this year, a man even thought I was fourteen! About ten years ago, I moved into a new house, and ever since then I've been wondering what some nearby houses offer as candy for the holidays. I've never had the chance to trick-or-treat around here, so I've been thinking maybe I should. Before you know it, my youthfulness will have left me, and I'll no longer be able to pass for a high school student. I should embrace the chance while I can! The twenties are supposed to be our most fun times, finishing up college and venturing out into the real world. This is the time when we can pass for our age, or something a little younger if we choose, and since Halloween is a holiday that brings out our utmost creativity, perhaps it's my creative side that is telling me to go and venture out into the candy-ridden world on the 31st. Now, to find someone to go with...