The View From Here – Halloween Is Almost Here!

October 26, 2023 2:08 pm Published by

I love this time of year and I love Halloween.

So many memories of trick or treating with friends.  Staying up late.  Going to as many houses as we could fit in.  Tripping on costumes hidden by winter coats.  That’s the hardest part of Halloween in Canada.  Most of the time you’re hiding your costume under your winter coat.

Most of the time in our house growing up we had handmade costumes.  We got creative. We put things together.  One of my favourites of all time was when I dressed up as Boy George.  I had long hair that my mom helped braid into dozens of braids with ribbons throughout.  A big hat.  I used one of my dad’s workshirts and painted it with numbers to look like one of Boy George’s outfits.  I loved it.

I also remember being followed by a Frankenstein one year.  I think he just lingered at the end of a driveway to intimidate all the trick or treaters.

I remember those old costumes.  We only ever had those once or twice.  I remember being a Tweety Bird one year.  Those flimsy plastic and the masks with the elastic that always broke early on.  

You’d be trying to hold your mask over your face, you couldn’t breath or see very well, but you didn’t want to lose that one piece of your costume that was actually visable to the world so when you knocked on the door you didn’t have to keep explaining what we were supposed to be.  (smile)

One hand on the mask, the other on the candy bag.  Holding on to that bag for dear life.  Free candy was and always will be the best thing in life.  (smile)

We would get home and dump everything on the table.  My parents would carefully examine it.   There was always something wrong with the Snickers and Peanut Butter cups.  (smile)  They would always be removed.   My brothers and sister and I would compare.   Trade the ones we didn’t like for the stuff we did.  We’d sort by type.  Chocolate, chips, suckers.

Good memories of Halloween over the years, that’s for sure. 

When I was a mom I tried to make my kids costumes.  One year I tried to make my daughter a bat out of a black umbrella and turtle neck.  My youngest was a butterfly.  That is one of the only attempts I ever made at a do-it-yourself.  I would only get frustrated.   It always seems easier than it ease when you have no skills.  (smile)

Now that the kids are older things are different for sure.   My kids are the ones handing out the candy to the trick or treaters that come to our door or they have plans with friends.   It’s different.

I almost miss those days of running around, trying to get everything done for the big night.

Almost. (smile)  Halloween on a weeknight was always a challenge.  Trying to get home from work in time to feed everyone and get them all dressed up.  Knowing the costume idea had changed a hundred times since a week ago.  Hoping nothing would fall apart and you didn’t forget anything.

I’ve got our candy ready.  Well, it’s hidden away so I don’t eat it.  Hoping to get some of those molasses kisses.  Love the Twix bars, the Coffee Crisp and Caramilk Bars – but Mr. Big will always be my favourite.  Rockets.  Mmmmm.  Love them too.

We’ll make some mummy dogs for our Halloween dinner.  Maybe with some chili.   It looks like Halloween is going to be cold.  And my kids promised they would watch my favourite Halloween movie with me – Hotel Transylvania.  Love it.

For those looking to get ready for Halloween night —

  • Corunna Library hosting a fun event – come visit Corunna’s Haunted Library on Friday October 27 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Dress in your costume and enjoy games, crafts and the spooky Dr. Bookenstein room – if you dare!
  • New Horizons Community Church is hosting a Trunk Or Treat event on Saturday from 2pm – 4pm.  Come dressed in your best costume.  Candy, popcorn and hot chocolate.
  • Parkway Church in Corunna is hosting a Trunk or Treat this Sunday October 29th 5pm – 7pm – FREE candy and FREE BBQ
  • There’s one more weekend for Reapers Realm.   Harmony for Youth’s  Haunted House continues this weekend.
  • Sarnia’s Celebration of Frights Haunted Halloween Tour is back for another year.  These are self-guided tours.  Click the link and get a map of all the spooky places to see in our area.  Big thanks to those homeowners who go above and beyond so we can really get the most out of his holiday.  So fun.  And now I know which ones to avoid because I hate being scared.  (smile)  I say that with love and respect.  I seriously hate being scared.  There are three different tours you can take yourself on – some have characters, and some have donation bins to help fill the shelves at local food banks.

Amazing to see community come together like this.

Whatever you do as you get ready for Halloween – enjoy yourself!  Have fun!  and here’s to finding clearance candy on November 1st.

 

 

 

 

Tags:

Categorised in:

This post was written by Carrie Buchanan