Power Of Women | Sharing Session: Parenting-The Magic Of Halloween Traditions

Sisterhood Sharing Sessions | Life Lessons Learned: Parenting-The magic Of Halloween Traditions | The Book Of Jane Series

Derived from 'Sisterhood Sharing Sessions' Holiday Traditions post

What I’ve Learned

Over the years I’ve learned to appreciate the importance traditions play in your childhood. Traditions become a foundation from which your life is built upon. When you have them, they are not easily forgotten, and often become the starting point for every childhood memory. Many of my fondest memories are of those things that shaped my beliefs as a child.

Halloween Traditions

Fall Foliage

Halloween was one of my favorite Holidays as a child, and continued to be a favorite into my adulthood, as I remembered the traditions that sparked the magic of the Holiday. It always began with cool night breezes and the metamorphosis of multicolored foliage, a clear indicator Fall had arrived. With the arrival of the Fall season came Halloween and all those great Halloween Traditions you looked forward to as a child.

The Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin Patch
Pumpkin Patch

One of my fondest Halloween memories of School was winning an art contest judged by my second grade classmates, for the best ‘Pumpkin Patch’. I don’t recall having ever seen a Pumpkin Farm at that age, or a patch of Pumpkins all together. So, my interpretation of what a Pumpkin Patch should be included a bright orange smiling Jack-O-Lantern, surrounded by huge round pumpkins and thick blades of tall hunter-green grass. I recall meticulously positioning all of the Pumpkins just so, and drew each blade of grass with a single stroke, so the Pumpkins peaked through perfectly. The teacher placed my winning artwork on the wall outside the classroom for all passersby to see. It was a proud moment.

Candy Corn, Caramel Apples, And Carved Pumpkins

Candy Corn, Caramel Apples, And Carved Pumpkins
Candy Corn, Caramel Apples, And Carved Pumpkins

Starting with the first day in the month of October, I recall a crystal dish filled with a mixture of Candy Corn and peanuts.  A staple Mother always had in our home at this time of the year, and a reminder Halloween was just around the corner. Just the mere taste of the sweetness of the Candy Corn pared with the salty goodness of the peanuts, conjures up all that is sacred about Halloween as a kid. As children, we shared in the making of the creamy Caramel Apples, and the carving of the Pumpkins for Jack-O-Lanterns that sat on the porch. I still remember the Pumpkin seeds that seemed so gigantic at that young age. On occasion, Mother would toast the large seeds, and offer them up as a crunchy treat. The Pumpkin filling was used for Mother’s perfectly delicious homemade pumpkin pies. The sweet smell of the Pumpkin pies baking throughout the house was immensely intoxicating. Mother was an excellent cook then.

Something that stuck out in my mind was that my Mother would always make dinner on Halloween night, even though she knew no one was going to eat. We were too focused on other things to think about nutrition. Knowing her freshly prepared, piping hot food for the taking would go cold, she made it anyway. I guess that’s just what Mother’s do. Hope and anticipate.

Halloween Night

Halloween Night | Full Moon
Halloween Night | Full Moon

Finally, the time each child waits for on Halloween, the green light or the moonlight as it were and preferably a full moon, signaling to Trick or Treaters everywhere it was time for the much anticipated night of collecting candy to commence.  But first, the ritual of dressing up in your favorite costume before pouring out into the night to knock on as many doors as possible, with the intent to fill your bag with treats from strangers that is only encouraged once a year.  Our costumes were always homemade. While the reason behind our creativeness was fiscally motivated, as Kids it was exciting and adventurous coming up with inventive ways to blend into this ghoulish night. Halloween was always so magical as a child because it was the one night that Ghost and Goblins, Witches and Warlocks, Flying Bats and Black Cats, Fairies and Angels that we usually only read about, all roamed in the same circles, and commandeered the streets in search of tasty treats. Simply put, it was pure magic.

Bag Check

An Honor

After arriving home with our free goodies, the haul was spread out over the bed and the bag checks by Mother began before we could eat one tasty treat. After an all clear signal, Mother would sift through each pile to find a little something for herself. This was part of the tradition, and It was an honor when she found something in your bag she wanted. She made it a special moment by getting excited about each item she found in each bag as though it were a treasure only you possessed. We all giggled and laughed at these moments. It was the same every year that I recall going out and Trick or Treating as a child, and we never tired of the routine that became part of the Halloween Traditions of our youth.

This Halloween, remember the magic.

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