MAY 2014 SUNRAYS | 39
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First Halloween Adventure
It was always fun to introduce holidays and celebrations to our children and
to create family traditions along the way. For Halloween, we always read
stories, carved pumpkins and enjoyed creating costumes. How excited our
pre-schooler was to prepare for one of her first trick-or-treating adventures!
She decided to be a witch because she wanted to wear a big, black, pointed
hat. She knew big witches might be ugly, but little witches could be cute.
We rummaged around in the fabric bin and found a scrap of black material
to make a skirt and an old orange curtain from which we fashioned a cape.
There was never a more charming witch. “You don’t need a mask,” I said.
“You’ll be a very cute little witch.”
Mom stayed home with the baby while Dad took the little witch by the hand
and said, “Let’s go see what trick-or-treating is all about.” They made their
way around the block, little witch skipping from house to house, and her
bag began to fill with goodies from the generous neighbors. Midway through
the trek Dad and little witch stopped at the home of an unfamiliar person.
“Trick-or-treat!” called little witch and the face of a tiny old woman, complete
with warts, moles and wrinkles, appeared at the door. “I was speechless,”
Dad reported later. What does a parent say to an honest 4-year-old as she
exclaims, “Look, she doesn’t need a mask, does she?”
— Peggy Niksich, N05
Home-based
Halloween
During the 17 years that we lived
in a very rural part of West Vir-
ginia, neighbors were few and far
between. One particular family
with four young children lived
about a mile away, and because
we had no children of our own, we
embraced this family and shared
many interesting and sometimes
educational experiences with
them, including the annual hog
butchering on Thanksgiving
Day and other special occasions.
One Halloween we were visiting,
sitting around the old potbelly
stove in the house, while the kids
were putting on their costumes
and getting ready to go trick-or-
treating. As Ethel and Gene en-
couraged the kids to get ready, we
were totally puzzled about where
the kids were going to find a place
to trick or treat. We could only
think of a couple of neighbors
within walking distance and
couldn’t imagine them making
that trek in the dark. The answer
was soon provided, as the kids
were hustled out the front door
with neither parent accompany-
ing them. While we sat there
alarmed and concerned for their
safety, a knock came at the back
door. Gene opened the door to the
four tricksters who yelled, “Trick
or treat!” And Ethel filled their
bags with candy and sent them
away. Then a little later a knock
came from the side door with the
same result, and finally another
from the front door. Trick-or-treat
was complete, and the kids had a
wonderful haul and a great time.
—Bill Wood&Elsa Vorwerk, N45
News from Home
In the photo, I mowed the lawn for
Mom while I was home on leave
just before I went on my way to
Okinawa and our B-29 Korean
War combat tour. Two weeks
later, in Okinawa and after our
July 4th second combat mission of
25, I received my first letter from
home: “We sold your car for $50
and bought a power mower.” They
sure missed me! One friend said I
was probably lucky if they hadn’t
changed the locks on the house!
— Bud Farrell, N60
June 1952
