Cindi-TreeHi! My name is Cindi, and I am a die hard Halloween fanatic. No two ways about it!

I can’t remember when my obsession began, more than likely I can’t remember back that far. I remember when I was in my early school days, back in the early 1960’s, that I just loved absolutely everything about Halloween! It was, and continues to be my favorite holiday. We would have a Halloween indoor school carnival every year, complete with a spook alley. I really did think that the cooked spaghetti I reached my little hand into was a pile of worms!

I have always loved the smells surrounding Halloween. The smell of carving a pumpkin or two is something I look forward to each and every year. The freshly fallen, rustling leaves that I used to rake when I was a kid that I would promptly dive into. I just loved the smell of burning leaves in the autumn chill air.

I specificly remember going to the grocery store when I was about four years old with my mother. This particular store had a stack of hay bales rising almost to the top of the ceiling. Placed strategicly on those bales of hay were carved, glowing jack-o-lanterns all lit up with flickering candles. Imagine my awe and fascination looking up at those delightful pumpkins! They seemed like they reached to the heavens! I hardly think that scenario would pass a fire inspection today.

I recall for a few years when I was a kid from 1st through 4th grade that I would take my wagon down to the local mom & pop and pick myself out about three pumpkins. I would meticulously choose each one with the utmost care. The kind of care that only those future jack-o-lanterns deserved. I remember the big ones would set me back a quarter, and the small ones cost a dime. That’s why I hunted for pop bottles! I would pick out one big one and two smaller sized ones. I would then lug my treasures home about four blocks in my Radio Flyer, where they would undergo the carving knife. I would carve them outside on our outdoor brick incinerator. I would then place them on the porch to get them ready for the big day!

My costumes as a kid were basicly the old Collegeville Skeleton and Devil, passed down from my older brothers. The devil was my favorite, probably because I was so mischievious! I had other costumes I would make for myself only to wear at home. I remember putting colored spots with watercolors on a white t-shirt so I could run around the house like a circus clown. The picture below shows what I looked like as a cowboy outlaw with my wavy knife and six-shooter. The outdoor fireplace (background right) is where I used to carve up my pumpkins. I sure had a lot of fun and wouldn’t trade those days and Halloween nights for anything in the world! I hope to be able to share my love of everything Halloween with you right here at MemoriesOfHalloween.com!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cindi