Halloween has always been a fun time, with enjoyment in the trick or treating part, and the costumes. Going out at night, in the dark, was also a treat in itself, however, it was more fun when Halloween was on the weekend, because we had more hours to go around and gather goodies.
Halloween is on a week day
One year, a babysitter came to take care of me. I can't remember how old I was. That year, October 31st was either on the Monday or the Tuesday, and this was Saturday.
Convincing sitter
The sitter told me something I had never heard of before: that year, in town, they were allowing children to go around trick or treating on Saturday, so they would have more time, and more daylight too. I was really happy but... I didn't have my costume ready.
Improvising a costume
Since my parents were not home, we were quite limited in what we could use as supplies to create a costume. We ended up using green garbage bags that were decorated. I have no idea what it was supposed to look like, but we glued various things on the bag, which could then fit over my coat.
Trick or treating
As soon as the costume was done, we proceeded to go trick or treating around the neighbourhood. I was ringing the doorbell and received with puzzled looks. Halloween is not until a few days! So I explained that we were allowed to gather treats that day like other kids, so we could take advantage of more daylight. Some neighbours had already stocked up in candies, but others didn't.
Short day
After about half a dozen neighbours I met, always being told they never heard of that new "permission" to go around earlier, I went back to the sitter telling her that nobody else knew about it in this neighbourhood, and I was likely not going to be collecting much treats that day.
Embarrassing
When my mom came back from wherever she was and saw our "craft", I explained to why we had to rush to make my Halloween costume that very day. That is when she told me there was no such thing as an early Halloween day for trick or treating. I have no idea where the sitter got that idea, but I surely felt embarrassed for having fallen for it.
Have you ever done something on the wrong day, on purpose or by mistake? Have you ever tried to trick someone in doing something on the wrong day? Share those stories in the comments below.
1 thought on “Remember when…? – Early Halloween”
This wasn’t a mistake, but it is something of a happy Halloween memory. My mother made most of my clothes, as she was of a generation who knew how to stretch a dollar. One of my earliest Halloween outfits was that of a little witch. My mother found a wonderful pointed hat with netting draped over the top on which she planted little fake spiders. I had a small broom, the handle of which was painted black for the event. She turned a long tunic into my witch’s gown. And we found a cheap little black mask for me to wear. It had white lace around the outside of the mask, and I completely loved the lace, for some reason, and resisted my mother removing it. My mother pointed out that a witch wouldn’t have such a frilly mask, but I could not be moved. I went out with my lacy mask firmly in place and had a great time. I was too young to go out by myself, so my mother accompanied me on my rounds and I overheard her explaining to anyone who questioned my fashion choice that I was a good witch.