My Favorite Halloweens Have Been Spent in a Children's Hospital
It's true! Except for when my children were young, and I sewed or helped them pull together many of their costumes, and participated in the costume parades at their schools, my favorite Halloween days in the past many decades have been volunteering at our local children's hospital.
From planning what the theme of the department I helped out in would be that year, to collaborating on what costume each person in the group would wear, to coming to work in costume, to sorting out and spreading out on our brightly colored tablecloth all of the candy and toys to be handed out, to setting up our backdrop, to checking out what the other departments set up near us looked like, to taking a collective deep breath minutes before the Costume Parade began.
Experience the Fun!
Then, the chaos would begin! Every few minutes the doors of the elevators would open and out would come young patient after young patient, dressed up in full costume, some pushing IV poles with a nurse or a parent at their side, or being pushed in a wheelchair that was also decorated to match the patient's costume, or even pulled in a wagon or carried In a parent's arms.
There were also nurses and occupational therapists sporting six or eight large to-be-filled goodie bags, picking up treats at each table or station for the young patients who were either in isolation or too sick to get out of bed and come experience the crowded halls and walkways.
There were literally hundreds, if not over a thousand, people walking from station to station, to experience what each department was offering as the departments tried to outdo the other in terms of what they were offering in candy and small toys. For that one day, all of the patients were just kids. Enjoying the holiday just as much as their counterparts who weren't also having to deal with an illness, disease or injury. They were allowed to collect in their bags as much as they could carry, and it was so rewarding to see them having so much fun. Their smiles were contagious.
Volunteering has Been a Big Part of my Life
The afternoons would seem to go on forever, when it reality the costume parades would really only last a couple of hours. As the lines would shorten at each table and the hallways would clear a bit, and the air wouldn't feel as hot and close, the groups of hospital employees would take turns going around visiting their friends at the other stations, to take pictures or gather in a designated decorated room for a group photo, that would later be posted on their respective bulletin boards for the rest of the year as a reminder of how much fun that special day had been.
When the last patient walked away from the table, it was time to clean up. It was unspoken that no one would leave until every child had been allowed the opportunity to have his fill of gathering candy and toys. On days like those, even though feeling exhausted, it was still part of the festivities to gather up anything that was left, and head on back to your department.
I have decided not to go back to volunteering at the hospital after the pandemic. My service there hit the 15 year mark, so it has been especially hard on me not to spend one day a week there, helping out in my small way, and serving alongside fellow volunteers, some who have been going there for decades.
I miss so much about volunteering at the children's hospital but truly, my favorite days were the ones spent in costume, participating in a holiday tradition in a way not experienced by most. I feel so fortunate to have been a part of bringing joy to children at a time in their lives that for the most part, was anything but joyful.
And look at how much joy they brought to me!
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