Terror Tales from Oklahoma
Posted by Christine
That would be me in the picture. Devoured by mice. Okay well. Actually, it’s Xerxes as rendered by the faboo Edward Gorey in his little alphabetical work of genius, The Gashlycrumb Tinies or: After the Outing. Twenty-six tots, one for each letter of the alphabet, all perishing in grisly ways…
“A is for Amy who fell down the stairs. B is for Basil, assaulted by bears…”
Mwahaha.
I love Halloween. I admit it. I love horror movies. Because…I love to be scared. Safely scared. I want to cringe and scream and cover my eyes…and then peek, of course.
And scream some more. All in the comfort of my theater seat. With a giant Diet Pepsi and a large popcorn. Extra butter flavoring, please.
When I was a kid, I loved Trick-or-Treating. I loved the having-my-mother-make-my-costume-to-order part. And I loved the actual walking around in said costume, ringing doorbells. Getting candy. The whole social thing. Kids in white sheets and black witch’s hats wandering up and down my neighborhood streets. I didn’t care that there was no trickery involved anymore. Just the treat part was fine with me.
My parents love to tell the story of my first Trick-or-Treat. They took me to the first house. I rang the bell. When the lady answered, I went in and sat on her couch. I thought it was a visit. A costumed visit. Hey. Why not?
And then when I was in kindergarten and had my first boyfriend, Johnny Garcia, (When it comes to love, start early. That would be my advice.) we went Trick-or-Treating together. I still remember him ringing one particular doorbell. From within, a woman’s voice called, “Who’s there?” And Johnny said, “Just me and my girlfriend.”
Oh, yeah. Nothin’ like Halloween and young love.
Nowadays, we don’t get a lot of Trick-or-Treaters. People don’t want their kids having all that candy. They worry about their kids’ safety in these troubled times. They take them to Halloween night gatherings at their churches or some public facility.
And my own kids are past the Trick-or-Treating years. Okay. I miss that. But I’ll be here at my house, with a big bowl of candy. Watching a horror flick, waiting for the doorbell to ring…
How about you? Halloween plans?
posted by Christine Rimmer @ 6:45 AM
14 Comments:
Where I live, we celebrate Halloween on the Sunday before the holiday. I guess it started due to a little girl that got killed while trick or treating back in the 70s. (I didn't live here then) As such, on Sunday, my daughter, son and I all went out trick or treating on Sunday. Maggie was Cinderella and Lukie was a dragon. Lots of fun til it was time to go home for naps. Then we had an evening Neighborhood party. Kids had a great time. The only bad thing was it was a bit nippy so it was jackets over the costumes. Although, I let Maggie keep hers unbuttoned.
Cady
Cady: I remember how I didn't like having to wear a coat or jacket over my costume! (I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and it was usually a must.) Sounds like Maggie and Lukie had a good time. Love the dragon. In the past, my kids have gone as an alligator, Swamp Thing, our yellow lab, etc.
Tonight Son 1 is having his friends over for our traditional Halloween party. Usually it's huge, but Surfer Guy is coming home from the hospital this afternoon from his back surgery, so we won't have our usual mix of adults and kids. I'm sad about that, but Surfer Guy is out of pain, so that's good!
We met on Halloween, so this is a big day for us.
Wow, Christie. I'm so glad Surfer Guy is minus pain at last--though surgery is so not fun. Happy Ghoulish Anniversary to you both. And have a great party.
Susan. Brrrr. And I thought it was chilly here, with lows in the thirties. Hope you get at least a few little goblins at your house.
Oh, Cady. I can just picture those kids of yours in their costumes. Did Maggie get a tiara???
I love Halloween! When the kids were little, we'd walk for miles, picking up candy! Now, I have the big bowl and sit out on the porch watching all the little guys. Last year, we had a 2 year old Zorro that just was tooooo cute!
Christie - I hope Surfer Guy starts to feel better soon. I remember when my Dad had back surgery years ago, he would lay on the floor in the family room while we played around him.
Chris - Of course, she had a tiara, what is a princess without a tiara. Of course, she also convinced me that she had to have the magic wand and Cinderella shoes as well. Bibbitty Bobbity Boo
Cady
Well, this year my kiddies are going as a cowboy--#1 Son, a ghost--#2 Son and Bob the Builder #3 Son. They will all look cute. Last year I did the "wal-mart" costumes, as I was just recovering from surgery--but this year its all from scratch. They will go to my office to treat the departments this afternoon and then a little in the neighborhood this evening. Nothing too drastic.
As a native Nebraskan--I cannot remember too many Halloweens that weren't coat required. I always hated that--having a great princess costume and not being able to show it off. It was in the 60's here yesterday, but it will struggle to get out of the 40's today--so coats will be the order of the evening. Of course the ghost will just put his sheet on over the coat--the cowboy will have his hat and boots fully visible, and Bob the builder will have the great yeller hat!
Boooooo to all of you!
Kim
Oh, Cady. Not only the tiara and the wand--but the Cinderella shoes. Bibbity Bobbity Boo, fershure! I hope you're taking lots of pictures.
See, Madame Maureenie. On the porch with the bowl of candy. I so wish. But I'd just be sitting there alone for hours and hours, shivering in the cold...
Kim, I know you'll get lots of pictures, too. Sorry 'bout the coat thing. But I see there are always ways to get the costume across regardless.
Boooooo back!
Here in Venice Beach, every day is Halloween. Very scary! And those are just my neighbors.
I've always dressed up for my office's Halloween party but this year I just couldn't manage it. I was going to come as Trixie, one of the seven dwarves. But my HR Manager told me Trixie wasn't a dwarf, so I lost interest in the project.
But I'll still go to the party because hello, open bar. Woo hoo!
Well sounds like you all have terrific memories of Halloween. I remember some great ones myself. I'm sitting at the computer awaiting the doorbell to ring with a bowl of extra specail candy, since I, like Susan, live in a neighborhood where the houses are not built right on top of each other. Still I'm awaiting at leat three, my cousins, Ariel, Chicken Little and the Bear / Tito. I'm not sure which the Mace Man decided to be.
Weather in GA has been cool, yet tonight the temps were in the low 60's when I came from the Publix after having my nails done. This was a treat as I was laid up a bit after falling down my carport stairs last week.
Oh, and Publix was going all out for the night. Lots of little ones there to enjoy the fun!!
Kim/Kate
Kim/Kate! Hey! So good to see you. Hope you've recovered from last week. So. Did all those you were waiting for show up?
So far, it's after seven here, been dark for an hour, and we just had our first Trick-or-Treaters.
Kate, oh, yeah. Open bar. Always good.
I'll raise my glass to Halloween '06!
Hi all,
We always have a crowd for Halloween as we live in an old, established neighborhood. This year my 15 year old daughter handed out candy with a crowd of her friends...that are now sitting in my living room watching one of those Texas Chainsaw movies while I am holed up in my bedroom surfing the web and watching DWTS...
best part...it was 65 here today...most unusual in New England!
Christyne--very jealous of your weather yesterday. Ours was cold--and colder still today, the first.
Oooo and a Texas Chainsaw movie. My kinda partay!
Christine ~ three and three more!
Kim
You did better than we did. That first Trick-or-Treater I mentioned?
That was it. *sigh*
Post a Comment
<< Home