halloween, from first to last

[snugglekitty]

I am always happy to volunteer to hand out candy when the time comes around. At six thirty-five, my doorbell was rung for the first time. Toddling towards me came a wee apparition in a Superman cape and shirt. His mom grinned at me and his dad said, "Say trick or treat, buddy!" "Twi TWEEE!" I held out the bowl, and after a moment of confusion, a lollipop was extracted. "Can you say thank you, buddy?" his dad enquired. Long pause. "HALLEEEEEN!!!" All the grownups were laughing by this point, and we wished each other a good night.

The middle of the evening was a blur. A mob of silent, unsmiling midgets grappled each other, my screen door, and my bowl to get the candy while their parents exhorted in the distance, "Don't forget to say thank you!" I didn't mind, though - I get the whole sugarlust as a motivator thing. And one adorable bunny rabbit said, "Thank you! Happy Halloween!" three times, just to make sure I got the message despite the crowd. Plus, a very tiny princess commented that my shirt had a ghost on it, which was completely true. ("From Cursed to First! Boston World Champions!")

At eight oh five, my doorbell was rung for the last time. I was surprised by this since I had left the bowl of candy on the porch when I went inside to start dinner. (Yeah, I know, I'm a big softie. Think of it as egg prevention.) I went down the stairs one last time, fearing further stalking by the agents of Fred Berman, hopeful alderman at large, and was pleasantly surprised by a group of festively dressed adults, led by pheromone. They explained they were engaging in Reverse Trick-or-Treating, which meant going from house to house, giving people nice things instead of asking for nice things. How novel and pleasing! Like karma in action. I accepted a very delicious cup of rum. Perhaps next year I'll join their merry band.

I concluded the evening by making red wine spaghetti, a favorite of mine, and finishing up that rum, which gave me a nice cozy feeling of tipsy goodwill. I really like it when Halloween and Samhain are two different days.

Comments

[chienne-folle.livejournal.com]

I love the reverse trick-or-treaters! What a cool idea. Thanks for sharing that with all of us.

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

I can only thank them for sharing it (and the rum, did I mention it was EXCELLENT?) with me.

[bluepapercup]

Aww. Sounds like a really wonderful evening! I loooove kids dressed up, and the idea of reverse trick or treating is really heartwarming.

Here on the west coast, it's 6:40 and I haven't gotten ANY kids yet! Carved pumpkins and dressed up too! Hopefully some will come soon...

[lady-anemone.livejournal.com]

It was a really wonderful evening. :) And reading the end of The Gospel of Mary of Magdala in between trick or treaters was pleasantly surreal. I hope you'll have many adorable hippy kids at your door quite soon. :)

[bluepapercup]

Just in case you were dying for an update...

We got TWO trick-or-treaters. TWO! The neighborhood is full of kids, they must have all gone somewhere else! HUMPH. :(

I was positively depressed at the end of the evening!

[coraline]

...ok now i need to ask her if she came up with that herself, or if she remembered it from dreams_of_wings and i doing it in previous years...

it is a lot of fun -- maybe i'll do it again next year.