Is it really Halloween again already? A full year has passed? It seems impossible, that it was just yesterday that I was tramping down chilly October streets with my then-11-year-old and his pals.
Yet tomorrow, waves of little ghosts and goblins will once again descend on neighborhoods across Whidbey Island with the same mission — to trick or treat.
They’ll rap on doors in costumes that span the rainbow. Some will be disguised as evil monsters who live in the shadows, others will be rays of pink light wrapped in a princess dress. Many more will be dressed as superheroes, darting about in brightly colored outfits and waving capes.
Such costumes tend to be my personal favorite, though they always evoke a mix of emotions. I’ll never forget my first Halloween because the year’s trick-or-treating was done in my underpants. They happened to be Superman underwear, bright red with a yellow band and were worn over blue tights to complete my mother’s homemade costume, but it didn’t dull my shame.
But in retrospect, 30 years later, I can’t help but think now how cool it was of my mom to go through all the trouble to make me a costume. Back then you couldn’t just go to Walmart and pick up a ready-made outfit complete with a plastic mask, or at least we never did. No, she took the time to tailor one just for me, and as I recollect it did look pretty awesome and I got quite a few compliments.
Of course many more Halloweens followed and some are more memorable than others, such as my last as a trick or treater, where I roved about with a pack of friends on a mission to fill a pillowcase with sweets. We knew we were probably too old, but it was fun anyway, and the next year we hung up our capes for good.
Though that part of childhood must end for us all, parents have a small cheat in that they can relive the fun and adventure of Halloween through their children. In watching their joy and excitement we get something no pillowcase can hold.
It makes one wonder who Halloween is really for — us or the kids. Either way, have fun tomorrow and be safe.
