Pipi’s Pasture: Halloween with Jody and Jamie

As a kid I looked forward to Halloween, especially for trick-or-treat night when Dad drove us around the rural ranching community to get treats. However, I think I enjoyed celebrating Halloween with our boys, Jody and Jamie, even more. I was the driver then.

​We lived in Severance, Colorado in those early years. The boys started thinking about Halloween as soon as the local stores had set up displays of candy, costumes, pumpkins and decorations. They spent a good deal of time poring over the costume choices — especially the masks. Sometimes they already had ideas about what they “wanted to be” for Halloween. The masks were always intriguing so in the end they often selected “boughten” costumes to match a mask or we made something at home.

​We grew pumpkins, some of them quite large, so they carved them and set them out with some sort of lights. Then on the school day closest to Halloween, or sometimes on Halloween, Jody and Jamie dressed up in their costumes.

At school they sometimes had a parade of costumes and always parties. They brought their treat bags home and spent time looking at everything. Then if it was Halloween, they ate supper and got ready to go out trick-or-treating. 

​During that time, several senior citizens lived in Severance. They enjoyed making special treats for the boys — such as caramel apples, cookies and popcorn balls. So about dusk, Jody and Jamie walked around to these houses and gathered the treats in their bags.

People had their porch lights on, but as soon as the boys left, they turned them off — they weren’t up to a lot of kids. 

​After walking around our little town, we loaded up in the car, and I drove them to Windsor, a few miles away, where they attended school. We parked the car in a neighborhood, and I walked with the boys and stood back as they went door to door.

What I remember most about those evenings were the rows of porch lights and the crunch of fallen leaves under our feet. Such a friendly scene.

​One year we went to a house where a lady, dressed as a witch with her face covered by a mask, was handing out treats. She was the kindergarten teacher, and she reassured the kids by telling them who she was. I think Jamie was surprised to see his teacher all dressed up. 

​ I think Jody and Jamie enjoyed going through their treat bags as much as anything. They took everything out and looked it over (and, of course, I did, too). They didn’t eat much candy that night and savored their treats for some days. By that time their dad (Lyle) was home from work, and they shared their special day with him. 

​Things have changed so much now. Because there is so much going on in Craig, I seldom get kids seeking treats here at Pipi’s Pasture. Oh, it’s wonderful to have memories!