Since our stint in Scotland, Kent and I often comment on how over-the-top Americans can be about certain things (the hype over college and pro sports just for starters). Halloween is now another added to that list, because let me tell you, Hoosiers LOVE Halloween!
Princess Cinderella
This was our first official, proper Halloween our family has celebrated. When in Colorado, Hannah was just too young to know any better, and while in Scotland, thankfully the holiday wasn’t such a huge deal as it is here. Don’t get me wrong, I am not a Scrooge about celebrating. I have done my part to get Hannah all costumed-up for little Halloween playgroups and just for the fun of it, but this was the first time we experienced what Trick ‘r Treating is all about….
Pretty Pumpkins
And we just couldn’t seem to avoid it this year even if we tried! I began to get a bit nervous when I started to see the Halloween decorations that were going up all over in September already. One neighbor had a whole graveyard in their front yard including a 12 foot spider, creepy monsters who were triggered to come out of trash cans when you walk by, and spooky music. They even cleared out their entire garage and had it filled with caskets, ghosts and goblins and were dressed in horrific costumes to scare the innocent children who were walking by.
It also become apparent what we were really in when neighbors warned us that families come from a 30 mile radius to our neighborhood to appease their candy cravings. They said you need hundreds of dollars of candy in stock for the 2 (yes, I said 2) days of Trick ‘r Treating that was to occur. *sigh* We decided to set a much steeper budget (can you say $20.00?!?) and to keep our lights off and doors locked for the Friday night crowd. Thankfully it was a cold and rainy night so not many were venturing out and hopefully we weren’t frowned upon too much by the other neighbors .
Minnie and Cinderella
On Halloween day, a few of Hannah’s neighbor friends stopped by in their princess costumes in the afternoon to say “hi” before hitting the streets. That is when Hannah’s excitement began to build. She got all dressed up and when she was ready to go out, she asked for the candy to stuff into her bag so she could walk around and give candy out to the neighbors. She didn’t want to get candy, but instead just wanted to give it out! I thought it was precious beyond words that I had to explain what Trick ’r Treating was to Hannah. She always has had such a giver’s heart!!!
A bit timid...
When it was time, we all went around to a few houses right around ours (mostly just of people we knew) and then Kent and Hannah did indeed venture out to a few more houses, including the “scary house”. Oh the questions that came back with them…. “What was that guy doing in that costume with all that blood and that big knife?” “Why was that person all in black with that white scary mask???”
Half of Indiana was in our neighborhood that night it seemed, so Abby and I went back to warm up and to do our part in appeasing greedy kid’s needs for more sweets. It was fun, I must admit, to see the hundreds of kids all donned in every sort of costume known to man. Some were timid and only wanted 1 piece of candy, others came barreling in with both fists ready to take as much loot as possible. Honestly parents, don’t you teach your kids about selfishness and gratitude, AND don’t you think that 17 year-olds are a bit old for walking around with pillowcases begging for candy???
covered in chocolate...and begging for MORE!
After it was all said and done, we thankfully only ended up leaving 6-7 pieces of candy in the house and gave the rest away. Mamma doesn’t need any more tempting sweets in the house as it is! (:
I just can’t help but think that if Hoosiers go this crazy for Halloween, I shudder to think how lit-up our neighborhood will be for Christmas! Thoughts of the Grizwolds come to mind….
