Halloween - What Do You Do?

 When we were little and still lived in the country, our Mom and Dad would dress us in anything they found around the house, from old blankets, feed sacks from our grandfather's barn, old dresses from our grandmother's, to old coats and hat's of our grandfather's.  We'd pile in the car and go Trick or
Treating at the neighbors houses. They'd invite us in and even if they knew the car, would pretend to not know us, and guess until someone gave up and told them. There was always good treats to be had and lots of fun.

In those days there was usually a few  tricks pulled by the local folks, too. Things such as overturned lawn chairs, upended dog houses, toilet papered trees or even once there was a toilet papered covered bridge.

Then later when we moved to the city, we still used home made costumes. Brothers dressing like sisters, old clothes and our faces painted to be a hobo, complete with a handkerchief hanging from a broken branch over our shoulder. Sometimes we'd be the sheet ghost, or a doll with pigtails made from braided nylons.

Then we'd walk in groups around the neighborhood. But we always had to stay on our own street. And there was never any fear of strange or dangerous things being placed in our candy. We carried pillow cases and had to come home when they got too heavy to carry or we were tired, whichever came first.

My own children usually wore home made costumes put together from things collected over the years, old jewelery, wigs, faux furs from older coats, dresses saved that didn't fit anyone or things found at a local Frenchy's  store.

Since we were back in the country again, we had to drive the children around. Usually that was my job. I loved the little packages of  rockets and would take them from the children's bags to snack on as I waited for them to go door to door.The children would always come home tired and ready for bed. After such a busy evneing Mom and Dad were usually pretty tired, too.

Now days, Grammie and Grampy have to go to visit the little ones on Halloween or rely on their parents to take photographs for us to see later. The costumes are usually bought from a store, but are combined with make-up and home made item to make the costume unique.

What is your Halloween like?