Crawfish, Pirates, and Cows! Oh my!
Not sure how things are in your neck of the woods when it comes to Halloween, but it is a BIG holiday down the bayou. Some folks go all out and stuff clothing to look like real people and place them on their front porches. One family stuffed male clothing, added a milk-jug head, and propped the poor fellow on top of a riding lawn mower in the front yard. Porches are covered in spider webs. Yards are full of grave markers–some with names and messages.
Others recognize the night for more religious reasons, with today being All Saints Day. Many local folks spent last week white washing their family tombs that sit above ground here due to flooding and high water tables. After they are pressure washed and painted, they are adorned with fresh silk or plastic flowers, paying respect to the dead buried there.
As I dropped Termite off in a subdivision in town, the number of adults getting ready for the tricking and treating amazed me. Not only were the porch lights on, but the fire pits glowed in the driveways, tables sat near the streets loaded with candy and other goodies. Grills smoked, sending mouth-watering smells of burgers and dogs throughout the neighborhood.
At one point, it even seemed that there was a competition going on among the neighbors to see who could offer the biggest shindig. And the lastest thing? Golf carts. Folks down in laid-back Grand Isle have been getting around in golf carts for years now. Then the fad carried over into gaited communities. But in a subdivision?
Yep, sure enough. There were kids, teens, and adults putting around the hood in golf carts decorated for the occasion–some even had colored blinking lights mounted in the undercarriage. I do believe I have seen it all.
Later, at the First United Methodist Church in Houma, there was another kind of celebration going on: Trunk or Treat. A sort of trick-or-treat fall fest, where those who live in neighborhoods not as Halloween friendly as the one I had just left, could join in the celebration of costumes and candy.
After seeing one little fellow in his very-original costume, I had to run back to the truck and get my camera. Turns out, I have a good eye for costuming, as he and his brother won the “Group Costume” competition later that evening.
Check it out! He’s a crawfish in a boiling pot! Now, that is just so inventive.
And now, I’ll let the photos do the talking. Enjoy! I know I did!
See my Michael Jackson? (His very-crafty sister designed his shirt and put the whole costume together!)
Another very original costume!
So, we passed a good time. Saw some really cute kids. And handed out 7 bags of tooth decay.
Happy All Saints Day, everyone!
BW
That child as a boiling crawfish will be scarred for life! What a hoot!
Our friends in North Bossier live in a subdivision like that! We sat on the front lawn with the fire pit blazing and the burgers were grilling out back. I was amazed at the number of trick or treaters, kids and adults.
Something I have never seen before is a 4-wheeler pulling a trailer with folks sitting in lawn chairs. It stops, everyone hops out, and they descend on the houses like a swarm of locusts. For some reason that just doesn’t seem right.
Anyway, we really enjoyed seeing lots of folks out having fun. It’s been too many years that the kids just haven’t come around.
T.or T. must be a Methodist thing this year. Our church had a “Trunk or Treat” on Sat. followed by a Pot Luck supper. Trunks were decorated (contest) and treats given out.
I was Extremely disappointed last night however. NOT ONE SINGLE ghost or goblin came to our door. (Yes the lights were on) Now the diabetic has a ton of candy. At least it’s good stuff! We had 2 trailer loads (Hay ride) of parents and kids drive by, but they didn’t stop. I know who they are…
None here either, but I finally decided between all the subdivisions (traget rich enviroments for treats), churchs, malls, and schools offering safe and organized fun, maybe the ways of old are giving way to the future. I also have not read or heard about a single candy or motoring mishap this year. So maybe its a good change.
Great costumes and cute kids! Congratulations to the winner of the group costume!
I always remember the Chrysanthemums all over the graveyards for All Saints day, but I had forgotten about the cleaning and white washing the family vaults.
Those costumes are too kewl.
Nice eye with the camera, as always.
What cute kids! Thanks for sharing the photos. We don’t get trick or treaters here 🙁 too far out for them I guess.
That crawfish is hysterical !!! Just too cute, LOVE IT.
All those little darlins were just precious! Loved your Michael Jackson too! We don’t have any little folks in our neighborhood any more, so no knocks on the door. I can’t believe it’s November already!
Looked and sounded more like a mini-Mardi Gras! Halloween is so much fun. I miss it since I don’t have a little one to tow around. Our neighborhood was deathly quiet…not one person or ghoul could be seen.
Michael Jackson looks cool. Congrats to the designer.
Thanks!
I love watching the kiddos but, we had -0- this year. I did have the neighbors little girl over about 3pm in her fairy costume and went ahead and gave her treats to her since my hubby was heading to bed at a very early hour last night. He had to be in Ruston/Rustin?, LA this morning by 7am. That meant lights out, doors closed before 7pm here. Used to give out over 25 lbs of sweets a year but, all the kids grew up! I saw one group only out in this neighborhood.
The photos are great and the little ones adorable. Dotter did good on Michael Jackson. Glad everyone seemed to have a good time.
We do all ours at the fire station here now,everybody comes there and we give out candy to the little ones,grill hot dogs,hamburgers and sausages along with a haunted trail ride that the local fishcamp puts on with a tractor pulling a trailer with hay,I do miss the trick or treating here at the house but this does turn into a great social event for everybody.
Having this at the fire station sounds like a great idea! Another way to function as a community and it’s safe! Great hearing from you!
Having a party on the lawn sounds like fun. I had only 4 but the little cowboy that told me he loved me when he left, was my fav.
Awwww. He said he loved you? Sweet! Want me to mail you your certificate, girlfriend? Or just hold it ransom until you get here?
Totally off subject…Just read Tarbabies Oct. 27 article in THE WEEKLY CITIZEN (Gonzales, La.). Hope it generates some new readers to your Blog AND some income. He mentions EVERYTHING. Book, tours, charters, camp rental, & Blog. Did I miss anything? Oh yeah, nice picture of you, Goosie and the trout!
Steph – would you save that for me for my
portfolioscrapbook? Thank you kindly! I don’t think they are going to publish it in the online version. Tar Baby is a great sportsman and has become a good friend.Email me your home address.
Saw not a single creature out but I was fishing till 7pm by plan.
Neighbors said they had 37 in first hour then nada.
I hate golf carts in streets. Matter of time before one gets splattered just hoping I ain’t the splatterer.
Cookout seems like a blast but heck on a Monday.
The Citizen has lost some of its web site functionality I see.
Might be getting healthier. But the 2 hour chill after injection is a bad thing.
I’m way late for Halloween, but sure did love seeing the pics. With no kids, etc. I’m out of that loop, and there just isn’t much activity in my neighborhood.
I had a real, true (???) ghost story I was going to try and get up, but I ran out of time. So I’ll have to find another way to tell that one. In the meantime, I just enjoy ya’ll’s celebrations!
I love ghost stories! Especially true ones. Let me know when I can read it.
Dotter – Linda is a brilliant writer and her works can be read on her blog The Task at Hand. All her writings are great, and I think you would enjoy one of my favorites about her mother’s recent departure from this earth. So, you can follow her to see if she ever tells the story, or I’ll be sure and let you know. She came down to visit a couple years ago and brought a traveling paper doll with her, you might recall? She’s a rare lady–one I am very glad to have met and look forward to seeing again soon. Mommer.