Ghouls and goblins, princesses and fairies, vixens and villains.
Each year we all ponder the same questions. What to dress up as? Where to go trick-or-treating? What kind of candy should we hand out? How should we decorate the house?
Ever since I was little I remember “preparing” for Halloween, like one would for Christmas. Halloween in our house in Mililani was a month-long celebration. Decorations started going up as soon as October 1 hit and there was something new added to the ‘scene’ every day. Another cobweb, tombstone, skull, or black garbage bag on the window to create that haunted house feel. You name it, we did it and it was the scariest house to visit on our street.
Mom was always the Wicked Witch of the West … no insinuation intended … ahem … well…
She would dress head to toe in black, with her cape and witch hat. She had a witch’s laugh that could be heard miles away! Scared the parents too!
Having a hard time picturing it? Channel your inner childhood (or for some of you, your adulthood) back to 1993 with the release of Hocus Pocus. Mom was a good combination of the Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy characters (not looks, unless you count the witch makeup).
My friends and I had our game plan. We didn’t stray far from our street, ‘cause our neighbors gave out some pretty darn good candy. I’m talking about the BIG candy bars. No mini or “fun-size” bars, toothbrushes or “healthy” candy. Those didn’t exist.
We’d beeline it to the Cayetano’s house first, because they had the best thing on the block … Drumstick ice cream cones!! Of course you had to eat them before they melted, but really it was because we wanted to make sure we got ours before everyone else found out. And, yes, some years we’d rollerblade around town (did that just show my age…LOL). When we got older, we got a little smarter and ventured out to get more candy more quickly.
Once our bags were filled, we’d sit and devour our candy. If you got through a quarter of your candy and didn’t get sick, it was a good night!
So Happy Halloween to y’all. Whether you trick-or-treat with your keiki or stay home to hand out candy, enjoy the night!
If you’re in Mililani looking for the Wicked Witch of the West, she might just be in Kapolei this year … listen for the bone-chilling cackle.
P.S. I never knew why my mom chose to be a witch for Halloween every year. Maybe it was that trip to the Salem Witch Museum where she was held captive in their dungeon following the reenactment of the Salem witch trials of 1692.
Guess she flew her way out on a broomstick!