Let's Dress Up——It's Halloween
From early childhood getting
dressed up is connected with
a special pastime in North America,
called Halloween. Halloween is
celebrated on the last
night of October, when the air
is crisp and snow is
not far off. Every young
child is acquainted with
this exciting tradition.
On the last day
of October when dinner is finished,
children hurry to
dress up in a costume.
Darkness comes early at this time
of year and caution
must be practiced, foremost
by the children who are
going from house to house,
“trick or treat”.
Parents warn their children
not to dart out
in front of cars.
In all the excitement
it is easy for children to
become distracted and ignore safety rules.
Planning what your costume
will be, ahead of time,
is part of the
fun of the evening.
Many mothers will spend time
fabricating outfits for
their little girls who suddenly
turn into circus clowns,
beautiful ballet dancers or
weird colorful bugs. Fathers may
help their sons construct
a costume of foil armor.
Little boys often enjoy pretending
they are in the army so
on Halloween it is possible
to see squads of lieutenants
and sergeants marching along
in the dark. We affiliate
this celebration with the supernatural
so some children may choose
to wear a skeleton costume
bearing a skull and crossbones,
or even a monster costume.
The choice of wardrobe
for the evening is really limitless.
Witches can be seen
riding on broomsticks across well
illuminated intersections. Earlier
in the evening they may
have concocted a witch's brew
to quench their thirst
for their arrival home.
Ghosts can be heard groaning
and moaning while they
glide along city streets.
Beautiful butterflies flutter by
on their way to a party.
Pirates carrying swords and pistols
roam about, patches over one eye.
Small aliens search for
a new home here on Earth.
Wearing a cape and mask
allows a child to become Superman
for a few hours and
enter the world of fantasy.
An ethnic flavor is introduced
as a band of gypsies dance
along under a bright full moon.
Of course you can always
see a certain number of
Native American costumes,
the buckskin jackets and dresses
decorated with fringe and beads.
Some youngsters choose to
decorate only their faces with grease
paint instead of wearing masks.
In many ways this is
safer for a child,
making visibility clearer.
At the same time
a mask allows them to
remain anonymous to all
but their closest friends.
Usually, on the night
before Halloween, family members
gather together to carve a pumpkin.
On Halloween night the candle lit
face of the pumpkin shines
from each home welcoming the little
ghosts and goblins to call.
Parents usually escort small children
around their own neighborhood
helping to keep them safe.
Small children only visit random houses,
their parent's friends mostly, while
older children knock at every door.
Crowding onto the front porch
of the house the children rap at
the door and chant
the refrain “trick or treat”.
Householders distribute candies, apples,
peanuts, or any edible treat
into decorated wooden six quart baskets,
or plastic bags. They may
be asked to recite a poem
or sing a song
before receiving their treat.
Some lucky children may receive
cookies from a freshly baked
batch of chocolate chip cookies.
On arriving home the children
will dump all the junk candy
out onto the floor
to examine their loot.
Usually there is a great racket
as brothers and sisters compare
what goodies they have collected.
Adults, too, like to
join in Halloween celebrations
by attending small house parties
or large group gatherings
at halls or arenas.
They may play the old traditional games
such as bobbing for apples,
which float in tubs of water,
telling ghost stories and
visiting a haunted house.
Everyone seems to get enjoyment
from being slightly afraid.
If you live in the country
the hooting of an owl or
even the howl of a wolf
underlines the spooky atmosphere
of Halloween evening. Clouds scuttle
across the face of the moon
and the flap of
a bird's wings can be heard
as it settles on
the bare branches of a tree.
Eyes gleam in the night as
a black cat crosses your path.
Bats swoop about in the dark
startling those who are nervous.
On this evening it is
not necessary to be extravagant
to have a good time.
A little imagination and
a sense of fun will create
a memory of Halloween
night for many years. |