Trick or Treat!

Just like last year, today the students of the preschool I work at went to the retirement center next door for trick or treating.  Many of the center's residents were sitting in the communal area by the front door, and the students moved from person to person receiving goodies.  When they were done there, they walked down the halls of the building's first floor and got candy from the residents that chose to sit in front of their apartments.  I work in the two-year old classroom, so most of the students had no clue what trick or treating was all about at first, but they quickly caught on.  The boy I was shepherding had an infectious smile and the sweetest way of looking the residents in the eye to say "Thank You" that made many of them smile.

Last year I dressed in a Hawaiian muumuu and lei and wore a flower in my hair.  This year, though, I spend too much time on the floor to wear a dress, so I needed a different costume.  I found a set of lime-green scrubs at a resale shop and went as a nurse.  It was the most comfortable Halloween costume I've worn in years; the pants had an elastic waist, and the shirt was soft and baggy.

After work I had to make a couple of stops, and I didn't feel at all uncomfortable wearing my costume into the stores.  When I got home I kept the same clothes on, because I was going to use it again tonight when I attended the school's Trunk or Treat celebration.

I've never been to a Trunk or Treat (where children trick-or-treat from car trunk to car trunk) before, so I wasn't sure what to expect.  I got to the school just as things were getting started. There were 16 cars arranged in a U shape around the parking lot. Each of them had their trunks open, and many were decorated in some way.  Once the trick or treating started, the kids went from car to car collecting goodies.  Although they were predominantly preschoolers from the school, there were also a few siblings.  I got to see a few of the kids from my class, and some that I worked with last year.  I also got to talk with the parents of both current and former students.

There was a photographer taking pictures and an inflatable movie screen showing cartoons, but once the trick or treating was done I decided to leave.  Once the sun went down it got quite cold, and I only had a jacket.