You're Talking About Halloween 1991, Right?

 I once witnessed a Minnesota transplant have a social media lash-out on some random posted photo showing kids trick-or-treating during the Halloween blizzard of 1991. The photo was one of those "You Know You're A Minnesotan if You Remember This". It was harmless. But this whack-a-doo was all, Hey Minnesotans GET OVER IT! Which is real easy to say for someone who did not live it, you know.

If you lived in the Twin Cities in 1991, that Halloween is burned into your consciousness like a bad tattoo. If you were a kid in 1991, you remember that night as the night where Halloween was maybe going to be canceled. That took away all the joy of knowing that school was canceled on November 1.

My trick-or-treating was not canceled on Halloween of 1991. I bravely put on my princess ballerina costume (maybe the laziest costume ever as it consisted of an old dance recital costume and that is it) and covered it completely with snow boots, snow pants, snow jacket, hat, scarf, and mittens. My friend, Natalie, was a Hershey's kiss and her snow gear could actually fit underneath the costume. A brilliant Minnesota costume is one where you can stay warm and show off your ensemble!

My mom drove me over to Natalie's house, and we trick-or-treated around her neighborhood. It was a scene. Fresh white snow was falling rapidly. Snow has a sound - this muffled silence - and that silence was permeating the streets. I remember people were out shoveling off their sidewalks and would toss candy as you trudged through the snowdrifts. It was wild. 

The thrill of getting candy wore off quick. It was cold and we both had snow in our boots. After about a block of houses, we went back to Natalie's house and counted out our measly candy haul. Even though Halloween was not canceled, it felt like we did a lot of work for a few bags of M&M's, Skittles, and a dreaded Smartie.

My mom was thinking ahead. She knew school would be canceled the next day - November 1 - but assumed she'd still have to go into work. After Natalie's house, we drove over to my grandparents where I was to be deposited for the evening. I'd wake up there, my mom would go to work, and then she'd pick me up after her day. I could get my sugar on at my grandparents and it would be their problem! Win-win.

The next morning, my mom woke up and started her morning routine. She flicked on the news to see that some 26 inches of snow had fallen! I don't know what employers were like in the early 1990's, but according to her story she felt she still needed to go into the office. She was like oh well 26 inches - better leave early because traffic might be bad! I mean cheeses louises let the people have a snow day!

As my mom told the story, she finished getting ready and grabbed a muffin to eat on the road. She got to the garage and opened up the garage door to see a literal mountain of snow staring back at her. The wind had pushed the snow up against the garage door creating a snow wall that was taller than her. We had a snow plow service, but they had not gotten to our house yet that morning as no one was getting anywhere fast on November 1, 1991. My mom says she tried a few swipes at the wall with an orange plastic shovel but realized it would take a Herculean effort to clear that snow by herself. She closed the garage door and went back into the house. She could not get to work but she also could not get me from my grandparents. 

I stayed the day at my grandparents and finally around 8:00 p.m. my grandparents were plowed out enough to bring me home. 

And that is my Halloween of 1991 story. No, I haven't gotten over it. Maybe I will tell my husband's story next. Happy Halloween.