My grephew, who just turned 3 on the 15th of this month, is trilingual: English, Spanish, and ASL. So, I feel you on the language thing. My niece loves it because she can discipline him with just a hand signal (and not the kind that involves a middle finger, obvi). To answer your questions:
Your favorite Halloween memory? When I was married, Mr. Ex, his friend and I took a road trip to Vegas for a costume contest (the prize money was a lot!). Mr. Ex went as Vegeta, his friend (who's like a black Mr. Clean) went as Piccolo (full on green makeup and everything!) #DragonballZ, and I went as Niobi from Matrix Revolutions. They placed but didn't win the big prize, but I remember us being stopped a lot to take pics. Mr. Ex. had wanted my costume to be as authentic as possible. We found a trench coat that he spray painted brown with a stencil to give it that snakeskin look, he found the gloves/sunglasses/fake guns online, and I went to my beautician to get the bantu knots. I'd been doing Storm for so long, it was nice to do something different.
Do you eat cake? Yes. Red velvet is my fav, but I do the others too.
Halloween night-- Is there a time in life when you stop buying 40 packages of candy, turn off all the lights, have a microwaved dinner with your bestie, partner, pooch and ignore the door bell? Yes. LOL I think my parents stopped once we reached our teens. They definitely stopped after we moved out. When I moved out on my own, I never participated to begin with. Not much happens when you live in an apartment complex.
Trick or treating with my granddaughter last night. She's almost four, and while I loved trick or treating with my two sons, I was able to be more present and relaxed with my granddaughter. Plus, when she was scared of some of the creepy decorations, my son picked her up and carried her while I only had to carry her bag of candy.
That year my oldest decided the day before Halloween he didn't want to be a fireman after all. He had to be a meteorologist instead. And I pulled it off.
Hmm, I was in my 20s on a Halloween night, I found a wallet on the street with ID and a ton of cash, so I went to the local police to return it, with the cash. (Not sure I'll make that mistake again! Ha! I'm sure the police spent it wisely.)
I get home, and there's a phone call on my answering machine from the cop who I gave the wallet to saying: "We found your wallet, sir." No, dude, I found someone else's wallet.
Then I got stuck 2 hours in traffic going to a party only 3 miles away...
Yes, we dd the number four thing when we lived somewhere the kids 'did' Halloween. I really dislike it, the whole notion of sending one's kids out begging to the neighbours is just too much. Also the notion of 'cough up or pay the price' seems a bit of an off lesson to teach kids. I don't join in AT ALL and am rather Scrooge-like about it.
At All Hallows I remember loved ones who have died and try to spend a little time thinking about them.
I'm not keen on cake. But I do like a biscuit. And sweeties.
Well, "favorite" might be a bit much, but I have a very vivid Halloween pants-shitting story ... that I think I'll just keep to myself for now! I'm not a huge fan of Halloween, but in Snohomish all the kids go to the central part of town so we only get two or three trick or treaters. We turn off the lights and ignore them.
I do not care for cake really. I like denser, chewier things, or custard.
I remember when my parents finally deemed me "too old" for trick-or-treating. I was so disappointed! But then my bestie came over and we watched "Carrie" for the first time, cracking up the whole time. We still have Carrie-related inside jokes
Fun post and brings back memories. Great picture (1) The early years when we would accompany the boys on their quests. (4) still buy candy but it became more fun when we met the trick or treaters at a table outdoors and engaged with them -- keeps the dog chill, more engaging for everyone
temps were in 70s earlier this week but we got snow today (already melted) and back to the 60s in coming days. When Halloween got challenged by snow over the years, I would inform the trick or treaters if they happen to be Catholic they can say a prayer to St. Dimitar the patron saint of cold and snow. Mysticism baby around All Saints and All Souls day:) -- I would imagine there is a Church somewhere with parts of his tibia in a container.
Yes. The Catholic Church has saints for every conceivable thing. Most of them in the early days when it was kinda shaky. I think Ebay used to have reliquaries for sale back in the day but it is super weird. Genuinely human body parts in containers. (1) Pour yourself a drink (2) Look up reliquaries (3) Refill your drink -- There are simply no boundaries for human belief I guess. I knew people growing up (Italian Americans mostly) who were burying statues of St. Anthony in their backyards...never really understood why but I think it was to find love --- I think most people now use match.com :)
This is an awesome story with the best picture of your gorgeous twins!!!
Growing up I loved Halloween (not so much anymore), I would gather with a gaggle of neighborhood kids dressed in homemade costumes and off we would go. I remember my parents making popcorn balls together, an exciting event in our house.
I love cake! I run for cake.
I do not love Halloween any more. We live in a small town, my neighborhood is one of the only ones with streetlights and sidewalks and it’s a cul de sac with a couple of extra loops on it, many houses make for excellent trick or treating. Families come from afar and I get it. It’s safe in our hood. Some years we get 300 kids. The first 20 are so cute and then it blurs together🤪 We continue to show up for those kiddos though because that’s what you do in a small town when everyone knows you!
You get a lot of kids knocking!! Do you decorate the front yard? I’m guessing you have good stuff you put out every year. The better the decor the more inviting.
Popcorn balls were a 70''s thing (at least in northern Alberta🤣), back in the day when you could give out homemade treats like candy apples. They are popcorn and nuts stuck together in a ball, probably with corn syrup. Yum? I don't think so!!
We went all out on the decorations for about 20 years but now that our kids are gone, and we don't know the littles, as well it's much less. We used to give out granola bars and raisin packets in an effort to keep some semblance of health going at Halloween but finally gave up! The dentist up the street would give out toothbrushes.
Popcorn balls sounds yummy. And you gave out candied apples? 🍎 I tried the granola bar route and was positive we became the hated house, known for giving out healthy food. Yuck. I would have knocked on the dentist’s door for free toothbrushes. Hehe.
We live about halfway up a dead end street, surrounded by the woods... we buy candy, but it is rare when a trick-or-treater is brave enough to ring our doorbell.
2. That would be on Passover, age 12, discovering that I could get away with more than four cups of wine and taking a nap face down in the Pesach honey cake.
I just thought of a Halloween memory. I was a teenager and had just purchased a clown mask complete with bald pate and confetti hair. It was the afternoon of Halloween. I needed to make a bank deposit for my mother, and I put on the clown mask before I went into the crowded bank.
There was a hush as I filled out the deposit slip. Every line was long, but the bank guard escorted me to the manager’s desk and she took my deposit, gave me my receipt, and told me that wearing a mask into a bank probably wasn’t a good idea. Still, it helped me skip the line!
My son was the opposite - he never walked. Always ran. Remember those walkers - he would make these noises imitating the noise of the wheels against our hardwood floors as he “dashed” off.
My daughter was the opposite. At 15 months she was walking on her knees. I was so worried. I got her checked out by the pediatrician who said, “When it starts to bother her, she will walk on her feet.” Sure enough she did but can’t recall what it was that motivated her
Halloween wasn't a thing in Australia when I was growing up, but since my first grade teacher was American, we celebrated with her by trick or treating around the school. I don't remember costumes, but I remember picking up lollies (candy) from the desks of older kids. 🍬🍭🍫🎃
Cake and I are great friends. I love making it, sharing it, and eating it, but simple (and not too sweet) flavours are best. Cake was also my youngest son's first word. 🍰🧁🥮
These days, Halloween is not celebrated here by everyone, but there's more than enough merchandise to go around!
Hm, I have three favourite cakes I've been making since childhood: one's chocolate, one's lemon, the other's ginger, but if I'm feeling extra fancy, I love the technicality and indulgence of an opera cake.
One Halloween we had friends and family come to our house which was the last house on a dead-end street. Everyone dressed up. We even had a lady in a casket that the kids had to reach in and get the candy from a bowl laying on her stomach and the lady would reach for their hand on occasion. We were scaring adults and children alike but then a little princess walked up in the yard and pleaded "Please, please, please let me get some candy" and we all went back in the bushes and in the shadows. When she was walking back across the yard to her parents, who by this time could no longer contain their laughter, she yelled back at us "YOUR NOT SUPPOSED TO SCARE A PRINCESS ". She is older now with kids of her own and we still call her princess.
My grephew, who just turned 3 on the 15th of this month, is trilingual: English, Spanish, and ASL. So, I feel you on the language thing. My niece loves it because she can discipline him with just a hand signal (and not the kind that involves a middle finger, obvi). To answer your questions:
Your favorite Halloween memory? When I was married, Mr. Ex, his friend and I took a road trip to Vegas for a costume contest (the prize money was a lot!). Mr. Ex went as Vegeta, his friend (who's like a black Mr. Clean) went as Piccolo (full on green makeup and everything!) #DragonballZ, and I went as Niobi from Matrix Revolutions. They placed but didn't win the big prize, but I remember us being stopped a lot to take pics. Mr. Ex. had wanted my costume to be as authentic as possible. We found a trench coat that he spray painted brown with a stencil to give it that snakeskin look, he found the gloves/sunglasses/fake guns online, and I went to my beautician to get the bantu knots. I'd been doing Storm for so long, it was nice to do something different.
Do you eat cake? Yes. Red velvet is my fav, but I do the others too.
Halloween night-- Is there a time in life when you stop buying 40 packages of candy, turn off all the lights, have a microwaved dinner with your bestie, partner, pooch and ignore the door bell? Yes. LOL I think my parents stopped once we reached our teens. They definitely stopped after we moved out. When I moved out on my own, I never participated to begin with. Not much happens when you live in an apartment complex.
I love that your grephew is multi lingual.
Great answers. 🥰🙏
Trick or treating with my granddaughter last night. She's almost four, and while I loved trick or treating with my two sons, I was able to be more present and relaxed with my granddaughter. Plus, when she was scared of some of the creepy decorations, my son picked her up and carried her while I only had to carry her bag of candy.
Lovely and special. 🥰
That year my oldest decided the day before Halloween he didn't want to be a fireman after all. He had to be a meteorologist instead. And I pulled it off.
Aww. Go mama. But how does a meteorologist dress?
I wish I could share a photo in the comments! DM'd you.
Hmm, I was in my 20s on a Halloween night, I found a wallet on the street with ID and a ton of cash, so I went to the local police to return it, with the cash. (Not sure I'll make that mistake again! Ha! I'm sure the police spent it wisely.)
I get home, and there's a phone call on my answering machine from the cop who I gave the wallet to saying: "We found your wallet, sir." No, dude, I found someone else's wallet.
Then I got stuck 2 hours in traffic going to a party only 3 miles away...
That’s a funny memory. The cops calling you.
2 hour traffic for 3 miles? Sounds like NYC.
No, other side of the country...
Yes, we dd the number four thing when we lived somewhere the kids 'did' Halloween. I really dislike it, the whole notion of sending one's kids out begging to the neighbours is just too much. Also the notion of 'cough up or pay the price' seems a bit of an off lesson to teach kids. I don't join in AT ALL and am rather Scrooge-like about it.
At All Hallows I remember loved ones who have died and try to spend a little time thinking about them.
I'm not keen on cake. But I do like a biscuit. And sweeties.
Kindred spirit of cake aversion. 🤢
Asking for candy then being disappointed is not a great lesson in appreciation. Hehe.
Thinking about past loved ones is nice. 💕
Well, "favorite" might be a bit much, but I have a very vivid Halloween pants-shitting story ... that I think I'll just keep to myself for now! I'm not a huge fan of Halloween, but in Snohomish all the kids go to the central part of town so we only get two or three trick or treaters. We turn off the lights and ignore them.
I do not care for cake really. I like denser, chewier things, or custard.
Oh no! Pants pooping is never good.
No trick or treaters is a nice quiet time at home.
Cake aversion too. For Dylan I think it’s a texture thing.
I remember when my parents finally deemed me "too old" for trick-or-treating. I was so disappointed! But then my bestie came over and we watched "Carrie" for the first time, cracking up the whole time. We still have Carrie-related inside jokes
Great story. When was “too old?”
I was definitely in high school, so probably pretty old! Still, what a bummer!
HS is iffy.
Fun post and brings back memories. Great picture (1) The early years when we would accompany the boys on their quests. (4) still buy candy but it became more fun when we met the trick or treaters at a table outdoors and engaged with them -- keeps the dog chill, more engaging for everyone
I can picture you chatting up the trick or treaters and their parents. 🥰
temps were in 70s earlier this week but we got snow today (already melted) and back to the 60s in coming days. When Halloween got challenged by snow over the years, I would inform the trick or treaters if they happen to be Catholic they can say a prayer to St. Dimitar the patron saint of cold and snow. Mysticism baby around All Saints and All Souls day:) -- I would imagine there is a Church somewhere with parts of his tibia in a container.
For reals?
Yes. The Catholic Church has saints for every conceivable thing. Most of them in the early days when it was kinda shaky. I think Ebay used to have reliquaries for sale back in the day but it is super weird. Genuinely human body parts in containers. (1) Pour yourself a drink (2) Look up reliquaries (3) Refill your drink -- There are simply no boundaries for human belief I guess. I knew people growing up (Italian Americans mostly) who were burying statues of St. Anthony in their backyards...never really understood why but I think it was to find love --- I think most people now use match.com :)
I LOVE YOUR STORY TODAY.
kEEP SENDING,THEY MAKE MY DAY!
Thx, Bro. 😎🙏
Haha!!! What a great story, especially love how Dylan’s craving evolved from Halloween candy to steak! Fine taste that little guy has…
🥰🙏
This is an awesome story with the best picture of your gorgeous twins!!!
Growing up I loved Halloween (not so much anymore), I would gather with a gaggle of neighborhood kids dressed in homemade costumes and off we would go. I remember my parents making popcorn balls together, an exciting event in our house.
I love cake! I run for cake.
I do not love Halloween any more. We live in a small town, my neighborhood is one of the only ones with streetlights and sidewalks and it’s a cul de sac with a couple of extra loops on it, many houses make for excellent trick or treating. Families come from afar and I get it. It’s safe in our hood. Some years we get 300 kids. The first 20 are so cute and then it blurs together🤪 We continue to show up for those kiddos though because that’s what you do in a small town when everyone knows you!
Wait. Popcorn balls? Whats that?
You get a lot of kids knocking!! Do you decorate the front yard? I’m guessing you have good stuff you put out every year. The better the decor the more inviting.
Popcorn balls were a 70''s thing (at least in northern Alberta🤣), back in the day when you could give out homemade treats like candy apples. They are popcorn and nuts stuck together in a ball, probably with corn syrup. Yum? I don't think so!!
We went all out on the decorations for about 20 years but now that our kids are gone, and we don't know the littles, as well it's much less. We used to give out granola bars and raisin packets in an effort to keep some semblance of health going at Halloween but finally gave up! The dentist up the street would give out toothbrushes.
Popcorn balls sounds yummy. And you gave out candied apples? 🍎 I tried the granola bar route and was positive we became the hated house, known for giving out healthy food. Yuck. I would have knocked on the dentist’s door for free toothbrushes. Hehe.
We live about halfway up a dead end street, surrounded by the woods... we buy candy, but it is rare when a trick-or-treater is brave enough to ring our doorbell.
Oh no. Then you have to finish the leftover treats all on your own. Hehe.
It's a big sacrifice, but we're willing to make it. 😅
1. I don’t have one.
2. That would be on Passover, age 12, discovering that I could get away with more than four cups of wine and taking a nap face down in the Pesach honey cake.
3. Yes. But not honey cake.
4. I suppose, if we move to a senior community.
I so want to see a pic of your face planted in honey cake. No iPhones back then. Probably a treasured family memory.
Senior community will surely have many grandkids visiting for Halloween. It’s inescapable.
I just thought of a Halloween memory. I was a teenager and had just purchased a clown mask complete with bald pate and confetti hair. It was the afternoon of Halloween. I needed to make a bank deposit for my mother, and I put on the clown mask before I went into the crowded bank.
There was a hush as I filled out the deposit slip. Every line was long, but the bank guard escorted me to the manager’s desk and she took my deposit, gave me my receipt, and told me that wearing a mask into a bank probably wasn’t a good idea. Still, it helped me skip the line!
Haha. That’s funny that it didn’t occur to you that people might not like a mask in a bank. Haha.
I was kind of an idiot. Or a self-absorbed teenager. Same thing.
My grandparents were a little too strait laced to treasure the memory of drunk 12-year-old me. Mom thought it was funny.
Love this story so much. Thx for sharing
My son was the opposite - he never walked. Always ran. Remember those walkers - he would make these noises imitating the noise of the wheels against our hardwood floors as he “dashed” off.
My daughter was the opposite. At 15 months she was walking on her knees. I was so worried. I got her checked out by the pediatrician who said, “When it starts to bother her, she will walk on her feet.” Sure enough she did but can’t recall what it was that motivated her
Is your son still running?
That’s wild that your daughter walked on her knees. Thanks for sharing.
My son is like me - we both run till we drop and operate on fast brain 🧠 Think we are wired this way.
Halloween wasn't a thing in Australia when I was growing up, but since my first grade teacher was American, we celebrated with her by trick or treating around the school. I don't remember costumes, but I remember picking up lollies (candy) from the desks of older kids. 🍬🍭🍫🎃
Cake and I are great friends. I love making it, sharing it, and eating it, but simple (and not too sweet) flavours are best. Cake was also my youngest son's first word. 🍰🧁🥮
I probably should have explained a bit of Halloween history for my international subscribers. Awesome that you had a teacher who indulged.
Love that Cake was your son’s first word! What’s your favorite cake to bake? I actually have a couple of yummy gf, df cake recipes. 🥰
These days, Halloween is not celebrated here by everyone, but there's more than enough merchandise to go around!
Hm, I have three favourite cakes I've been making since childhood: one's chocolate, one's lemon, the other's ginger, but if I'm feeling extra fancy, I love the technicality and indulgence of an opera cake.
Ginger Vanilla. Yum!
One Halloween we had friends and family come to our house which was the last house on a dead-end street. Everyone dressed up. We even had a lady in a casket that the kids had to reach in and get the candy from a bowl laying on her stomach and the lady would reach for their hand on occasion. We were scaring adults and children alike but then a little princess walked up in the yard and pleaded "Please, please, please let me get some candy" and we all went back in the bushes and in the shadows. When she was walking back across the yard to her parents, who by this time could no longer contain their laughter, she yelled back at us "YOUR NOT SUPPOSED TO SCARE A PRINCESS ". She is older now with kids of her own and we still call her princess.
That’s adorable. Great story. And you watched her grow up.