When we were at the village Halloween celebration last weekend, I asked the dad of one of Cubby's classmates if kids still went trick-or-treating in the village, or if that celebration kind of took care of the holiday. He informed me that not only do they trick-or-treat, they all do it as a big group. And they don't walk. He drives them around on a flat-bed trailer pulled behind his truck. With picnic tables in the back to sit on.
All aboard the party trailer.
Apparently, before he started doing this, ALL the parents would drive their kids around in their separate cars. So this is more efficient. More fun for the kids, too, although I have to say I find the lengths people go to avoid walking here very amusing.
Anyway. Last night the boys and A. climbed aboard the party trailer and spent two-and-a-half hours cruising around our tiny village. It took so long because everyone had to climb on and off at every house*, plus there was a lot of talking with whoever answered the door at the house, because of course everyone knows each other.
Besides all the houses, they stopped at the restaurant, where there was hot chocolate and freshly-baked cake. They stopped at the market, where they got full-sized candy bars. They even stopped at the bar, where they were appropriately admired by all the patrons and thankfully given candy instead of beer.
Poppy and I stayed home to answer the door (and to keep her from crawling off the side of the trailer, because that is what crawling babies do). Besides the trailer-load of trick-or-treaters the boys were a part of, only two other kids came to the door. I have a lot of candy left.
At 8:30 p.m., the revelers arrived home. Charlie collapsed on the floor, moaning that he ate way too much chocolate. Jack slumped in my arms, moaning that he was tired and couldn't wait for bed. Cubby bounced around telling me about how Charlie fell over some scrap metal in the dark and cried, and how he (Cubby) was NEVER going to be able to fall asleep.
Sounds about right for Halloween.
They had a great time, though, and I suspect their candy hangovers will be miraculously gone by tonight when it's time to choose dessert from their huge bags of candy.
And they didn't even have to walk to get it.
* Charlie and Jack apparently impressed all the men along for the ride with their dramatic and spectacular leaps off the trailer at every stop. Yup. Those are my boys.
6 comments:
I don't believe they could've had more fun . Sounds like a great time for them. I bet they will never forget their growing up. What a great community.
You truly moved to an amazing place. Love the stories.
Ditto to the above comments. You really live in a great community. So much fun for kids.
Linda
I am visualising your boys leaping in arcs from the back of the truck trailing star dust. But seriously, did they tell you why the tradition was to flat bed around the village? Love that it is so specific and different - and the pub stop is BRILL. I might send C in our pubs next year - we have two and a boat club. If they are not prepared with sweets like your bar was, I will take the beer in lieu. I am loving your posts about NM - can't wait to read them! xx
Europafox: There is definitely a peculiar reluctance to walk AT ALL here, and I think the parents were all driving their kids around for trick-or-treating in their own cars before the guy decided it would be a lot more efficient (and more fun) to just drive all the kids around together on the trailer. I would have much preferred walking, but when in Rome . . .
Would you believe I've never had venison in my life? That's so incredible that someone brought you an entire deer leg. I can only imagine the feast that was had. If there's one thing I've learned as an adult, the gifting of meat and food products is such a wonderful tradition to bestow unto others. We try to do it for all our neighbors, so as to welcome them and share the proverbial wealth.
I just love reading about your adventures - and all the food has my mouth watering!
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