Halloween has come and gone. Another year of pint-size witches, goblins, and ghouls running around, seeking candy. Now, it's more like princesses, superheroes, and cartoon characters. What has happened to Halloween costumes? It seems like nobody can make their own costumes anymore. Everything is store-bought.
It's been many years since I ran around trick or treating--more than I care to think about. My siblings, cousins, and I would ride in the back of a truck, going house to house. We would jump out, get our candy, and run back to jump back in the truck to head to our next stop. The houses where they gave out the good or lots of candy were naturally always our favorites. But they don't stand out in my memory anymore; the houses that gave out the weird items do stand out. A few of my memories from childhood trick or treating is of the people who passed out toothbrushes; an old man with snuff running down the corners of his mouth who would pass out chocolate-covered cream drops from his personal bag with snuff stained hands; the white-haired old woman who would give out candied apples, but she made you walk through her house to her kitchen to receive one; the talking pumpkin house; the lady who would give us "you're going to Hell" tracts with our candy (at least I'll have a Snickers bar in Hell), as well as many other fond or not so fond memories.
So, I began to think that starting this year, I would give out healthy snacks at Halloween--and not fruit!
This year I gave out sardines. Yes, a healthy assortment of all kinds of sardines, placed in treat bags.
The kids' faces would light up when they got the treat bags, thinking the weight was all candy. I'm sure the house that gave sardines will be remembered. I look forward to seeing if I get any repeat kids next year.
I'm sure the family cat had a good Halloween, if nothing else!
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