Halloween

Written for https://fivedotoh.com/2023/10/17/fandangos-story-starter-119/

Sandra made a promise to herself that she would never do it, yet here she was, about to do precisely what she said she never would. Going out for Halloween still seemed a stupid thing to do, but her grandson wanted to go. He talked of nothing else since the beginning of October.

‘Aren’t you going to wear a costume Gran?’

‘I don’t mind walking round with you, but I’m not dressing up.’

‘That’s part of the fun, besides there are lots of people giving out money for the best costume. I bet I will get tons of candy too!.’

‘Just remember, don’t knock on the houses that are dark, or have no Halloween decorations outside. They might be elderly, and we don’t want to spook them.’

Her grandson giggled and she finally got the joke.

‘I wouldn’t do that Nanny. Did you do anything like this when you were young.’

With a smile, Sandra thought about her own childhood. Halloween wasn’t really a thing, but going out carol singing was. She remembered going with her friends, singing most of the hymns out of tune, and getting free cash. ‘I went carol singing,’ she said.

‘What’s that?’

‘We knocked on doors and sang Christmas songs.’

‘Oh, did you get sweets?’

‘No, just cash. I used it to buy my Christmas presents.’

‘Cool, some of the houses will give us cash, but mostly we get sweets.’

By the end of the night, Sandra helped her grandson collect three bags of sweets. There were some really good Halloween decorations. One house was even doing a tour for charity.

Perhaps she would go with him again next year. Only next time she would find a better outfit and leave some sweets for the trick or treaters going to her house.