Halloween, 2020

Perhaps it was due to the mild weather on October 31st, or perhaps families were just weary of the pandemic restrictions, but there were quite a few more trick-or-treaters at my door this Halloween over last.   One other thing was different this year over all the others: I had company.  My sister and brother-in-law came for the weekend; thus, I had help for the candy distribution!

Everything else was the same.  I put the bat wreath on the door--the one with the motion sensor that laughs maniacally and flashes its red eyes every time something moves.  I put out my "Boo!" garden flag .  Plunked my court jester's hat on my head to hide my undone hair.  Put the big bowl of candy on the mantel by the door.  Turned out the outside light, and waited for the ghoulies and ghosties and three-leggedy beasties to darken my stoop.  And they did!

Plainfield, IN, where I live, sets t-or-t hours for 5:30-8:30.  Of course, it's not carved in stone, but I have found that families generally abide by those hours.  We get the youngest goblins during the earlier hours, when it's still daylight, and the older ones after dark.  This year, I don't think we had any door knockers after 8:00, and we didn't have any marauders that I would consider to be too old to be out working the neighborhoods.  (I give candy to everyone.  Even the parents if they appear at the door.)  

Because my "guests" and I were tag-teaming door duty, I didn't have as many opportunities to interact with the kids as I usually do.  (Trust me: I'm not complaining!)  Both my sister (Shari) and my bro-in-law (Jim) probably took more turns than I did.  I think Jim secretly enjoyed it.  As he was handing out candy, he was calling the children "honey" in a soft voice.  "There you go, Honey.  Are you having fun?  Be careful...etc."  What a natural grandpa he must be!  

When I took my turns at the door, I tried to guess costumes as I usually do.  This year, nothing struck me as too unusual except:

    *One pair of kids came to the door together.  I guessed that they were Harry Potter characters, and I was right...but they informed me that they were BOTH the same character: Hermione.  Ooookay.

    *Another child was wearing a red union-suit with black dots all over it.  I had to ask.  She informed me that she was a lady bug.  Okay.  Maybe a lady bug worm??

    *One little princess arrived at the door with no bag or bucket to put candy in.  I handed her two pieces of candy, one at a time...and she grabbed my hand to get it.  Ack!  I had to sanitize my hand...but she ran right out to her dad to put the candy in his backpack.  To each his own!

    *One of the older kids was wearing a set of black wings on her back that I didn't notice until she turned to leave.  Have no idea what her costume was, but I asked, "Are those real feathers?"  She didn't know.  I felt them.  They were black feathers glued to cardboard, but they were real.  Somewhere, there are a bunch of black birds missing their plumage! 

*One mom came to the door with a group of six kids or so.  Not sure they were all with her.  I gave candy to the first three, and she was okay with that, but when I went to give candy to her group of younger ones, she took the candy and said, "I'd like to distribute it, if it's okay."  Yeah...it's okay.  Better to give your kids things they can eat rather than have others give them things that they can't.  Kids don't get it.  You go, Mom! 

At 8:30, we turned off the porch light and slowly returned to normal, with candy left over (hence the reason that I always buy candy that I like).  We "seen our duty and we done it".  Another Halloween in the books.  

God bless the children.  God bless my guests. And may Heaven protect us all!