Rikk's Halloween Memories

by Rikk Mauzer

Happy Halloween!

I am writing this post on Sunday, October 30th.....one day BEFORE one of my favorite days HALLOWEEEEN!

Today is the day that ALL the grandchildren trick or treat in our restricted age community that I have found myself in these past three years. Last year we had about eighty five ghosts, goblins and many costumes I had to guess at, and even when I asked who they were supposed to be, I could not relate......I guess it's called the aging process!

I think about my youth....now did I have one? Oh, yes, THAT youth. We were aloud to dress up for school, and we would parade around the halls and classrooms showing off all of our costumes, most of which were hand made by moms....NOT store bought I could not wait to get home, gobble down some food and hit the neighborhoods, usually with a bunch of buddies. We would systematically work all sections of our small community, fill our bags, empty them at home and go out once again.

We would all be armed with a bar of soap for any "waxing jobs" on windows that did not provide any "treats." We also carried with us a long sock filled with flour and swing it around at each other in playful fun.

My older brother who was quite creative often times would dream up some very original costumes. One in particular was an "Aunt Jemima" get up, and at the local park a won a prize for one of the best costumes.....no matter what, you always burnt a cork and rubbed that all over your face.....don't know why, we all just did it! Of course if it was chilly outside we had to wear coats that came off as soon as we were out of view of the house and Mother's watchful eye......did NOT want to cover up our creative talents!

When we got home we would spread our "loot" out on the kitchen table into piles....our favorites, the pennies and coins that some gave, the taffy apples, popcorn balls, {always given out by the sisters at the local convent}, the bubblegum, chocolate, and so forth....then we would start the consumption.

It seems as though we were more interested in viewing our bounty and our accomplishment than consuming it.....somehow it did disappear in a day or two.....wonder if Mom had anything to do with that? Good memories of Halloweens gone by......wait, I hear the doorbell.......time to get my mask on and rekindle the spirit of the season!

Comments for Rikk's Halloween Memories

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Halloween Ain't What It Use To Be
by: John A. / Tyler, TX

Rikk's comment brought back many memories of Halloween when I was a kid. Like him, I would get together with my buddies and strategize how we would canvass the neighborhood to get as much sweet loot we could collect.

In the community where I grew up, it was not unusual for a home to receive 500-600 kids trick or treating. Many of those kids came across the border from Juarez, Mexico. To look up and down the street, it looked like an ant hill with all the children criss crossing the street and yards to get to the next candy stop.

One of my neighbors would make candy and caramel apples to give kids. She would start 2-3 days before Halloween making these delicious treats.

Now, it's been 55+ years, since those days gone by and I have noticed a tremendous drop off in the number of kids coming to the door. Many of those kids nowadays may be visiting school & church activities and contribute to the drop off.

But, I sense many parents are reluctant to let their kids go door to door because of their concerns for their childrens' safety. There are many sickos out there who intend to do harm. Many of the streets are no longer safe to walk.

It really saddens me to realize Halloween Ain't What It Use To Be. I'd love to see the good old days that Rikk and I use to experience as kids return again.

As for my friend Rikk, I have one question. When are ya coming to East Texas for the Margarita's & beer we've been talking about via our emails?

Halloween Memories
by: Elna Nugent, Lenox, MA

Rikk, You certainly brought back memories probably in all of us. Our four young children were much into Halloween,and one Halloween sticks out in my memory as I read your story.

One winter my mother came to live with us when she had a stroke and could barely talk. By the following Halloween her stroke symptoms left and she was back to normal by the following Halloween .

She asked If I had an old sheet she could borrow for the occasion. I found one we had saved for a drop cloth .She decided it was ghost worthy and cut two holes in it for her eyes and sat in a living room chair so the children could see her when they came in the door for their treats.

Then she would make hooting noises like an owl , Who who-ing the whole time they were there. ..sprinkled in with sounds of laughter that was actually pretty spooky at the same time it was funny.

The children were wide eyed, but from what I heard, they not only remembered their treats they kept the memory of that big ghost that was up at the Nugent's house.

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