Halloween Past!

I love this time of the year as it always bring back such great memories of Halloween in a small village in Northern Manitoba. Growing up on a farm, Halloween night meant coming into town and trick or treating from my Grandparent's home.

My costumes as did others usually consisted of old clothes, some black shoe polish for the face and of course a pillow case for all the goodies one collected.  One needed to remember to use cold cream so that the black shoe polish came off easily! I do remember being a ghost and using old sheets that had eyes cut out.  

As a child, I loved being out on the streets, running from house to house, crying out, "Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet, Give Me Something Good to Eat!" The treats handed out were MacIntosh apples, Halloween Kisses candies and Peanuts.  Even though My grandmother had just bought a big box of apples from the Okanagan, it was still a treat to get an apple, but it sure weighed the pillow case down!

The streets were lit by street lamps and only some of the door did have a single light bulb lighting their entrance.  Misty foggy nights and moving shadows of children running from door to door added to the thrill of the night.  I remember one of the Halloween night, when two older boys stole my pillow case full of treats and on returning to my grandmother's with my tale, was given another pillowcase to continue my trick or treating!

My grandmother especially loved the evening as did my Mom and they always were prepared with treats for the children, it was a night they never missed. My grandmother handed out apples where as my Mom handed out regular sized chocolates bars.  I do remember getting some nickels but I was more pleased with actual treats.  

My fondest memories were of the next day, All Saint's Day, as her home was filled with the smells of Cinnamon and Apples.    Grandma had used up the Halloween apples to make Apple Pies.

Our Halloween Candies and peanuts from the door to door trick or treating were in a big bowl to snack on. 

As I thought about what we were suppose to be in these old clothes, certainly not Zombies as this did not exist back then.  I did google this and found an article where they made and wore brown paper masks as part of the disguise. I do remember making paper mask, but not wearing them.  What was amazing in this article the similarity of the writer's experience and mine, yet she lived in Maryland, a time of little social media and only black and white television. 

Rubber Mask

Now, Halloween has been come more and more commercial, houses are elaborately decorated and costumes worn are of movie characters and have been purchased.  The treats handed out are bought individually packed bite sized chocolates and candies.  

Treats for the Trick or Treaters

This year on a beautiful warm fall evening, I had twenty two costume dressed children come to the door supervised by their parents!  How this night has changed over the years.