“We used to have pumpkin carving parties with our whole neighborhood when we were kids. My mom had a certain technique of carving pumpkins that was very different and we would teach it to everyone else… The way it worked was like shaving away the skin of the pumpkin until it became a little more 3-D than your normal carved pumpkin. You can make deep lines in it so that the light comes through the pumpkin flesh itself. It was really cool.”
I’ve never been a big fan of Halloween (too creepy), but I do have fond memories of Bobbing for Apples. That game and being allowed to eat all the candy I wanted after trick or treating was the only part of Halloween I loved.
Where to start? To this day carving pumpkins and decorating the house for Halloween are still annual highlights. And I love the excitement of the kids as they approach the front door, oohing and ahhing at the Jack-O-Lanterns and not knowing if the skeleton is going to spring to life, as they ring the bell for their treats. Even the too-cool-for-school teen crowd enjoys itself. It’s a great night.
One of my fond memories as a youth was a party held every year by our neighbor. Blindfolded we entered a room and put our hands in bowls of items meant to simulate something much creepier than what they actually were. And separating my candy in piles of each specific kind – something my kids did exactly the same way when they were younger, without any prompting from me. And the epic shaving cream wars we had in my neighborhood during our older years of trick-or-treating. There’s a reason Halloween remains my second favorite holiday to this day. Happy Halloween everybody.
I don’t recognize that person’s mask–who’s he dressed up as?
The Great Pumpkin.
Dressing up was–and still is–my favorite part of Halloween. I have worn homemade costumes and store bought ones but nothing compares to the thrill of conceptualizing and making your own.
My favorite night of the year when I was a kid! Back in the day when you were able to burn leaves in the curb, that wonderful aroma was the backdrop to going Trick or Treating with the rest of the neighbor hood. The people next door to us (two family home on Charles St. in Bloomfield) always brought their picnic table to the front of the driveway, put up strings of lights, dressed in costumes and had cider and donuts for anyone who stopped by. It was like one big block party and it was awesome! Everyone had homemade costumes. Then, adding to the fun, because we went to Catholic school we were always off the day after for a Holy Day. My brother and I would empty our pillow cases and separate the candies…back then you got FULL chocolate bars, etc., not the snack sizes. Great times.
@kbanda – I’d forgotten about that benefit of Catholic School! We were off for All Saints Day too, though we had to go to church at some point because of it being a Holy Day. My brother and I used to troll for extra leftover candy in our neighborhood on Nov. 1. Great times indeed.
If you are in the neighborhood….
https://www.providencejournal.com/topics/photos/photo-story/20121004-jack-o-lantern-spectacular.ece
Mischief Night.
Strolling around neighbors dotted with Addams Family like run down victorians, the aroma of burning leaves and the nightmare suburban nJ landscape sweetened by candycorn and lit by the the autumn afterglow….Trick-or-treat!