ond of the costume/theme party, and take every opportunity I can to don a new persona.Still, the grandaddy has to be Halloween. Some of my favorite costumes of the past have been a rather lumpy looking pumpkin, an ill-conceived mummy (toilet paper, gauze, and all), numerous and award-winning varieties of vampires, a handful of rock stars/musicians, and we can't forget the behemoth devil/goat man from highschool. I regret to announce that I did not wear a costume this year, but that didn't stop me from decorating or carving a pumpkin--integral traditions of Halloween in my book.
The nature of pumpkin carving has changed over the years. Growing up, I remember carving pumpkins with my family. As I recall, my father always drew
a face onto the pumpkin and my siblings and I carved it (or at least Mom and Dad allowed us to think we were carving it). Three teenagers and one child all taking turns stabbing at a pumpkin with a big kitchen knife with Disney's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" on the television in the background: now we're talking Halloween!
That all changed when the pumpkin carving kits became popular. With these small tools of precision, Ann and I were able to create incredibly intricate "pictures" on the pumpkins. For those unfamiliar, you basically stencil a pre-made design of your choice onto the pumpkin through pointalism...poking small holes in succession to create a line. Then you use specialized tools to cut through the "flesh." It almost feels like surgery, and you're the performing doctor. I have to say, our pumpkins were amazing. We did everything from a haunted house to an evil owl. This year, Halloween snuck up on Ann and I. Instead of the festivities taking place on October 31st--a Wednesday this year--the town decreed that trick-or-treating take place on the preceding Saturday, from 4-6. Long story short, we didn't have the time to make an intricate pumpkin and couldn't locate the kit. So, we turned back the proverbial clock and free-handed a face and got out the big kitchen knife. I've never been more proud of a pumpkin in my life. Lesson learned: there's a lot to be said about traditions. Although they change over time, they are also a link to our past. Traditions make us who we are.
I think I'll save my discussion on decorations for next year. As my parents can tell you, that's a whole other can of beans. Speaking of, Ann and I are beginning to make some of our own traditions, starting with Thanksgiving. I'll let you know how the Molasses Pecan Bread turns out!
Live for today and sleep for tomorrow,
-Dragon James
