Not much to say on this topic. This is one of those holidays that I really enjoyed as a kid, but not so much as an adult. The concept of getting free candy was quite appealing to me and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t alone in that department. When I was very young I always had one of those Ben Cooper costumes with the plastic mask that was held on with an elastic band. Almost everyone I knew wore those.
When we got a little older, we gravitated to the full head latex masks and pretty much just street clothes for the rest of the costume. It was more about the loot and how many houses we could get to. Of course we got a lot more accomplished once we were old enough to go off without my dad escorting us. Your first foray into the world of “trick or treating” is typically when you are very young and it is essential that you are guided by your parents for safety. And I’m sure for most of us, it was a bit scary the first time you knocked on someones door asking for candy, so having mom or dad around was quite comforting. Once you got a few years under your belt, the fear dissipated only to be replaced by excitement and anticipation. Yet, your parent was still there, just in case.
In our family, my dad always took us out on Halloween and my mom remained home to dispense the candy. I know taking your kids out for Halloween is just one of the many parental responsibilities that one must endure, but I don’t ever recall my dad seeming put off by traipsing around the neighborhood with five little “monsters”.
I didn’t think much of it then, but now, looking back it seems like a metaphor for life in general. Putting on the costume was your first opportunity to express yourself or , if only briefly, change who you were. We all go through phases in life until we eventually become who we are. And just as my father guided us from door to door choosing which houses to visit, so too did he guide us through life helping us make the right choices. And the moment we were old enough to do the Halloween thing on our own and pick our own houses, we were simultaneously becoming mature enough(hopefully) to make other choices in life as well.
Right about that time you began to think you didn’t need your parents anymore, but you were wrong. If you were blessed with any sense at all, you realized that you would always need them. No matter your age they would always be more experienced than you. So while I may have felt comfortable choosing at which house to “trick or treat” without my dad’s advice, I would never have chosen which house to buy or what career path to choose without seeking his wisdom. Ultimately the choices were mine, but it was comforting to know he was standing behind me, just as he was that first time I rang a neighbors door bell seeking my reward. The candy did not last long, but the memories endured.
The last time I ever wore a Halloween mask was about five years ago. I had a very nicely made “Frankenstein” latex mask that I decided to wear over to my parents house on Halloween. At first my dad had no idea who it was underneath the disguise. Once I removed the mask and no longer pretended to be the monster which Dr. Frankenstein made, my father could , instead, see standing before him the man that he had made. I hope he was proud of his accomplishment.
I guess I had more to say about Halloween than I realized.
You'd be afraid not to give candy to a kid wearing this!