Does anyone make popcorn balls anymore? Or have they gone by way of the penny? Tossed aside in the name of progress. With the month tracking to welcome Halloween, I’m already thinking about what to offer our neighborhood trick-or-treaters. If history repeats itself, ours will be the beverage house—offering up sweet sips for those thirsty treks across the darkened lawns and over the connecting pathways, bustling with families going back and forth between streets.
And, of course, this led me to remembering the goodies (and not-so-great stuff) that would land in my plastic pumpkin when I’d make my way through my childhood neighborhood. The hard passes came by way of Brach’s Neapolitan Coconut Sundaes (Blech.); loose change (Seriously?); Mary Janes (tooth cracking); popcorn balls (Fresh is not an adjective I’d use.); Sugar Daddy pops (Another tooth gone.); and there were some other candies or mini toys that immediately went to the “trade” pile.
Winners included Baby Ruth or Snickers bars; chips of any kind; and my sisters best keep their hands off my Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. At the bottom of our pumpkins or Halloween bags would be a lone apple. Every year. It was at the bottom because it was dropped in early in the night thanks to the neighbor two doors down—our dentist. And those apples never hit the trade pile. We appreciated them, and made us smile because we adored our dentist and his family. (One of them is a regular Lake Minnetonka Magazine reader! Hello, Doug!) When we’d pull out the apple, my sisters and I would look at each other and smile. Yup. We knew who it was from.
I love this time of year and look forward to making new memories with my growing family—all while remembering the costumed and candied Halloweens of years past. What are your favorite Halloween memories from childhood or with your children? Share them with me at renee@localmedia.co.
Until next time,
—Renée Stewart-Hester
