Wanna Hang Out With Me This Halloween?

Wanna Hang Out With Me This Halloween?

Discussions about Cabbage Night...

The best and coolest word used to describe the night before Halloween. Cabbage Night began in the middle ages. People would wrap each others horses with papyrus and throw rooster eggs at their neighbors. It remains today the primary word to describe the night before halloween. Recently, there has been an uprising of anti-cabbage night protesters aka the "Cabbage Deniers." The protesters will soon back down after they experience the force of Cabbage Night for themselveSome of my best memories from Halloween do not come from Halloween itself, rather they are from the night before. Mischief night, witch's night, or as we used to call it, Cabbage Night.

I know in different areas of the country, there are different names for Halloween eve or cabbage night as I call it. I also know that in some parts of the U.S. cabbage night is not celebrated. I wish I knew the facts behind the start of mischief night, I think it had something to do with the witches coming out the night before Halloween to try and cause some mischief. But since I do not have the facts there I will just leave it that.

When I was a kid, we lived on a dead-end street that was just filled with kids. Kids ages ranged from newborn up to 16 years old. When I was 5,6,& 7 years old, I would just watch from the window as all the kids were out front on cabbage night. They had shaving cream, eggs, tomatoes, ketchup, floured socks and toilet paper. I would beg and beg for my mom to let me go out, and each year she said no. Then one year she decided I was old enough to participate in the cabbage night activities.

When I was a kid, the object of cabbage night was just to make a mess but not to destroy people's property or hurt each other. We would bomb each other with shaving cream, throw toilet paper all around the trees, bang our socks that were filled with flour onto the street, leaving a big white powder mark, we sometimes would egg each other and then top it off with ketchup.

My first night out, my mom sent me out there with some old clothes on and a hat. I guess she figured the hat would protect my hair so that it wouldn't be that hard to wash. Yeah right, Mom! She sent me out there with a sock filled with flour, a roll of toilet paper, and 1 can of shaving cream. Well all the kids already out there knew this was my first cabbage night. So they made sure they let me have everything I had missed in the past years. On their count, I had missed getting covered with about 10 cans of shaving cream, 3 bottles of ketchup, 8 tomatoes, 3 rolls of toilet paper, 12 eggs, and 1 flour sock opened and dumped on me.

Some may be reading this and thinking this is down right cruel. But it's not. These were my friends that I had played with every day. It's not as if I walked outside and they all ganged up on me. All that I mentioned had happened in about a 2 hour time span. And of course I would never go down with out a fight. For each person that bombed me, I made sure that I got a good one in. Whether it was an egg down their back, some shaving cream in their hat, or some ketchup in their shoes, I made sure they got theirs too.

Most of the parents would watch us kids from the window. If there was any sign that we were hurting each other or hurting someone's property, then we were punished. I knew better than to do that. I guess because my mom had drilled into me about my punishments if I were to be destructive to someone's belongings. It also could be that she let me participate at such an early age. Instead of keeping me in until I was 13 years old and then when I get out I go and spray paint people's cars out of bitterness for not letting me do all the cabbage night's before. In other words, she didn't restrain me. She let me experience it and taught me right from wrong.

Cabbage night is still celebrated in that town that I just moved away from. Of course now their are some changes. There is a 9:00 curfew for cabbage night. Some of the kids back then and today insisted on being trouble makers. For instance, when I was a kid, there were older kids (15 yrs old or so) that would hide in the park on cabbage night. If you went walking over there, they would throw some Nair on you. There were also kids who would have their flour socks filled with quarters. So there is always a few bad apples, no matter where you are.

For the past 2 years, I have taken my older son outside on cabbage night with some shaving cream. I would let him play in front of the house and cream me. I would also cream him. He wasn't allowed to go out into the street and play with the big kids. This year I will do the same with both of my boy's as long as where I live now celebrates cabbage night.

My article is not about what is right or wrong. If cabbage night is bad or not. It's supposed to be about my memories o Halloween as a child. And that is what I wrote about.

"Has anyone heard of “Cabbage Night”??? Apparently its the night before Halloween and Adam told me they celebrate it in his hometown in Vermont. I don’t know too much about it except that you throw cabbages and vegetables at people’s cars???? Anyone?? This sounds very peculiar so I was wondering if anyone had heard of it."

celebration where little kids dress up and get candy, teens dress up, get drunk, and go get candy, and adults dress up, get drunk, and give out candy, funny how things all work out.

So how do you look at Cabbage Night, Mischief Night. Did you go out and cause trouble that night or just wait for the candy on Halloween. Depends on your age and gender I suppose. But I will admit to throwing a few eggs at trees. Damn Mrs. Williams I am so sorry. I would have stopped my brother from putting the bag of dog poo on your porch and lighting it afire.

Shoot it was funny as hell at the time. But today, I am sorry.....Ssnnniiickkker. Really.

Halloween Witch

Halloween Witch

12 comments

  1. Scarlet Pumpernickel // October 30, 2009 at 4:27 PM  

    Cabbage night? Not what we call it around here, but it sounds like fun. I remember Halloween back in the good ole days! We'd walk for miles and collect enough candy to last for weeks! Interesting history lesson.

  2. Pamela Varnado // October 30, 2009 at 6:38 PM  

    This year I decided to go way out and buy myself a witch costume to wear when i'm passing out candy. I also plan to toast marshmallows and eat plenty of chocolate without worrying about any calories.

  3. Mary Ricksen // October 30, 2009 at 7:01 PM  

    Pam what time do you want me to arrive? :0)

  4. Scarlet Pumpernickel // October 31, 2009 at 12:43 AM  

    Yes, Pam, I think all of the Fuzzies should show up at your house for toasted marshmallows and chocolate! Sounds like you're gonna have a blast!

  5. Mary Marvella // October 31, 2009 at 2:07 AM  

    I had never heard of Cabbage Night. Our high schoolers in north Georgia toilet paper houses as a prank but not on Halloween Eve. here it's all about Halloween evening. Entertaining post.

    I'll be at a ghost story telling tour at Ga's Stone mountain as I was for the past three Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays

  6. Judith Keim // October 31, 2009 at 8:18 AM  

    Mary, your post brought back a lot of memories of childhood Halloween times. The kids were allowed to do mischief, no personal damage, to others in a spirit of fun. One cranky man in the neighborhood caught more than his share of tricks, though. Thanks! Mary, Have fun...Pam, sounds yummy!

  7. Barbara Monajem // October 31, 2009 at 11:25 AM  

    I'd never heard of Cabbage Night before! I don't remember any shenanigans from my childhood, but in my teens a lot of people played pranks on Halloween itself.

    Mary, your posts about Halloween have been so enjoyable. Thank you!

  8. Patrice // October 31, 2009 at 2:25 PM  

    Never heard of cabbage nights, either. I grew up in western Canada and we had the traditional stuff, costumes, trick or treating, sometimes parties. When my kids were small we moved to Australia so it wasn't the custom there, but I had my kid's friends come to the house for a Halloween party. It's nice to keep with your customs.

  9. Author Roast and Toast // October 31, 2009 at 3:15 PM  

    No one remembers leaving dog doo in a paper bag, lighting the bag, and ringing the bell. Then you run like hell. Yes bad I know
    I must be going to hell, in my defense it was always my older brother and me following his instructions, that got me in trouble. Plus I just watched and ran, so that don't count, right?

  10. Josie // October 31, 2009 at 6:29 PM  

    OK, I admit it. I'd never heard of October 31st referred to as Cabbage Night. Fun and interesting story.

  11. Mary Marvella // October 31, 2009 at 7:38 PM  

    So you can only use the flaming bag of dog poop on Cabbage night? OOPS!

  12. Beth Trissel // October 31, 2009 at 11:01 PM  

    Mary, how interesting. I never heard of this. Where have I been?