As Halloween draws near, and our children start dreaming up magical costume ideas, our thoughts go back to the hours that we spent crafting our own clever disguises—and a kaleidoscope of memories flood our minds.
Our mom made the most creative costumes for us, and there is one year that particularly stands out: the year Gardner went as a box of crayons, Cabot was Darth Vader, and I fooled everyone as a bag of Gold Medal flour. We always tried to choose costumes that were loose enough to allow for wearing long underwear underneath. October temperatures in Vermont are often freezing, and long underwear was better than wearing your winter coat over your costume.
In the run-up to Halloween, our town hall hosted an annual party for local children, which gave us the chance to give our costumes a “test run.” The highlights of the celebration were the haunted house, homemade popcorn balls (that always stuck to our hands) and bobbing for apples.
When Halloween finally arrived, we would run from house to house, a carpet of leaves crunching underfoot, repeating “trick or treat” over and over at every door. Soon enough, the plastic jack-o’-lanterns we carried would be overflowing with candy that would last for weeks.
As our children have fallen under Halloween’s magic spell, we have created our own Halloween traditions. We have great fun carving silly faces into the pumpkins we pick from a local pumpkin patch. We love to see the pride and excitement in our children’s faces as they dress up in their Halloween costumes and talk over their strategies for trick-or-treating. And we take great amusement in watching them sort and trade the horde of candy they collect.
As we make new Halloween memories each year, we’re sure to take a moment to relish the feeling of being a kid again…through their eyes.
Gardner, Cabot, Eliot & Lyman Orton, Proprietors of The Vermont Country Store
I sure enjoyed reading your Hallowe’en Memories….thank you!! :-0))…and early Happy Hallowe’en Wishes!
(Beautiful products, too!).
BOO!
(and all the best.)
I always remember going with my brother first, then my friends later. We always had pillowcases filled to the rim. Talk about having candy for a month. It was great. My father scared me when I was nine playing Bela Legosi, as Dracula.
I trick or treated as a kid in Dallas, Texas. The temperature wasn’t freezing but could be a little chilly some years. One of these years my mom told me to put on a sweater. I told her witches don’t wear sweaters. She told me this witch is going to. It’s chilly outside. I could have used some long johns.
Eliot, you have such a way with words! Out here in the NW corner of Oregon, Halloween, although celebrated for sure, is just not the same as you and others write about New England. As our environment – especially weather – continues to change, I hope that you and your family can keep up the family traditions and share them with your reading fans. And, of course, offer the holiday treats through the catalog for those of us too far to visit one of the stores. Thank you so much! Sharon Rollins
This article brought forth my childhood memories of Halloween, that I have always cherished. I am 68 and would love to go back for this vintage time. Thank you for the sweet memories!!!
Just my luck I make a large order and the next day you give free shipping. I was very disappointed that the licorice cat was out of stock so fast. It is only September! Hope you get more in.
Thanks for your comment! If your order was over $65, we’d be glad to honor the free shipping for you! Please give us a call at 1-800-547-7849 or email us at customerservice@vermontcountrystore.com and we’ll be happy to help.