From Ghoulies and Ghosties,
And long-leggity Beasties,
And all Things that go bump in the Night,
Good Lord deliver us.
- Anonymous
Sunday is Halloween, the feast day of dentists.
OK, that may not be official, but I think it’s reasonably close.
I have no idea what to expect on Halloween this year. I always go to my Mom’s place and help her pass out the goodies to the ghouls and goblins who pass by.
In previous years, she would get a bunch of small chocolate bars, and we would start with two per child, then drop to one if things started to get tight.
Last year, she bought a box of small bags of potato chips, with the idea being I could use a pair of tongs to drop them in the container for each child.
I enjoy serving as the distributor of the treats because I get the chance to see all the costumes, and there is usually quite a variance. There are usually a few ghosts, some vampires and some superheroes, along with whatever the current TV or movie fad of the day is, but I have noticed some changes over the years.
I’m sure I’m seeing fewer masks, which is something people have been talking about as a safety issue for children crossing streets on Halloween for years.
It also seems I’m seeing fewer really fancy costumes. There are still a few every year, but most of the kids seem to be happy keeping it simple.
It’s always kind of nice to see the parents out with their children. Some of them wait down the driveway; others come right to the door, depending on the age of the child. I also like seeing some of the really young ones, who generally forget their line until prompted by Mom or Dad or a brother or sister.
A few safety tips, starting with the most obvious one for drivers. There are going to be a lot of very excited little ones roaming the streets Sunday evening, so take things a bit slower and keep your eyes open.
Kids and parents can make things easier by going down one side of the street, crossing at the corner and then doing the other side, rather than crisscrossing the street.
There are usually more vehicles on the streets in residential areas with people holding get-togethers for their kids and friends before heading out for candy collecting. Kids, don’t dart out from between parked vehicles. Drivers can’t see you.
Let’s make it a safe and happy Halloween for everyone.
What do you think about this story?