Dear Group, This happened in Youngstown, NY. This evening I was thinking about Halloween and remembering how exciting a time it was for me as a kid. I was also remembering how nice a time it was for me when the little kids rang my own doorbell and I was greeted by their sing-song "Trick or Treat." The kids always had a special smile on their faces as they listened to our adult comments about how beautiful or funny or scary they looked in their costumes. And they always had a special look on their faces as they fixed their eyes on the treats that were dropped into their individual Halloween bags. And off they would run to the house next door to go through the same routine. But there was one Halloween that I remember in particular as an adult. It was about 15 years ago and I was at my friend Fred's house. He had prepared dinner for the two of us as well as two of his Swiss cousins (from Switzerland, of course!) who were visiting here on a holiday. We were all still sitting around the dinner table when the first of the Halloween kids rang the doorbell. I got up and answered the door and when I saw the costumes that the little boy and girl were dressed up in, I called their parents over and asked if the kids could come inside. It was OK and the kids shyly stepped in as well as their parents. I had told them that we had visitors from a foreign country who didn't know what Trick or Treating was all about. I briefly explained to Fred's cousins about the "begging" aspect of it and then I called the cousins' attention to the children's costumes. They were dressed up as little Pilgrims. And then I guess I put the little kids on the spot by asking them to tell our foreign guests what Pilgrims actually were. I must admit that the kids managed to find their tongues and tell a bit of the story-about Thanksgiving and all-and I believe that their parents kinda filled in a bit of the history of the Pilgrims. No doubt it was an absolute "first" for the kids to be asked inside anyone's house to tell the story behind their Halloween costumes. But at the same time, I have the feeling that the parents also felt proud that the kids were able to give a bit of a history lesson to two very interested foreigners. I wonder if those now-grown-up kids still remember that Halloween night? I still do. vee