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It is that time of year. The time when mischief is brewing. When all the little devils run go out to play. Halloween? No! The night before. It is October 30th.
Cabbage Night
The Unofficial Official Rules of Cabbage Night
Cabbage Night
Okay, that's going to take a little explanation. Most Americans are familiar with Halloween, as well as the night preceding Halloween. At some point in the history of the holiday, this night developed into a night of mayhem. A night when children would go out dressed in black, with socks filled with flour, to sneak up on each other and beat each other up with the fluffy powder. When kids would do somewhat harmless pranks. Soaping windows. Spraying with shaving cream. Tossing rolls of toilet paper around town like enormous streamers. And of course some not so innocent things too, things more aligned with vandalism. All around the country, this night has many names. In the town I grew up in (and the neighboring areas) it was called Cabbage Night.
I really don't know why, and to be frank it's not really important.
What I do know, is that when I got to college, and was talking with people who weren't from my neck of the woods for the first time, I encountered an artifact of culture from my area: not everyone knew this night by the same name. I was flummoxed. This was fundamental. My mother knew it as Cabbage Night. (Not surprising since I grew up in the same house she did.) Everyone I'd ever known, knew it as Cabbage Night. But here at college (a mere hour's drive from my home town) when I used that name, it brought tremendous laughter. When my friends were able to contain themselves, I asked them what they called it. Mischief Night, said one. Devil's Night said another.
I had to admit, not only did those names sound better, they were apt descriptions of the mayhem of the night before Halloween.
It became a running joke around this time of year, to think about that odd name and laugh. Even I joined in, because it is kind of funny once you're no longer in the situation of feeling a smidge embarrassed. A few years back, my wife and I moved into the same town as our old roommates (and college friends). When October 30th came, we were lounging around watching TV, when the doorbell rang. It was late enough at night, that we were a bit shocked. When we opened the door, it was our two friends, standing there with a cabbage. We laughed. The following year, we remembered, just in time. Off to the store we dashed, bought a cabbage, and showed up on our friend's doorstep. We knocked, and handed them our cabbage. Just in time, because you see, they were planning a more elaborate cabbage display for that year, with candles, and other assorted goodies. Victory!
Last year, however, we were not so fortunate. Distracted, and forgetful, there was a ring of the bell. We opened the door, to find this:
Of course, we laughed. But now we understood, that we had created a new definition of Cabbage Night. No longer just a silly name. (Though it still is that.) It became a challenge to make elaborate, and amusing little dioramas of horror, show up at your friend's house, and present it to them, with a ring of the bell. If October 31st was the night of the Pumpkin, then October 30th, would now be the night of the Cabbage.
This year, the pressure was on us. For not only had we been last year's victim, this year was the Little Man's first Cabbage Night. How could we let him down. My wife and I debated several possibilities. In the end, her plan won.
When she purchased the cabbage, something dark within it called out to her. Something that had a need, a thirst that had to be slaked.
I present this most terrifying creation for your viewing pleasure. But do not get so close, for it just might make you its next victim:
It appears we disturbed it while it was feeding on the essence of these carrots. Look out, this vampiric vegetable comes with his own hench bat!
I was worried. I knew that our friends were aware of the day. But this was also their first year in their first home. We felt we owed it to them to get them before they got us. So we packed everything into the truck, drove by, and parked a few houses down to avoid being seen. Giggling like children we snuck up to their house, set down our display, knocked loudly, then dodged back. My son even gave one of his evil laughs at the appropriate time as we hid away from sight to watch. The light went on, the door yanked open, and I heard my friend call out: Oh no! We've been cabbaged! And then we all had a good laugh.
Here is a final photo of the undead vegetable on it's display.
All in good edible fun.
(For those interested, this display contained a cabbage, a brussels sprout, a carrot, two parsley roots, and some bits to hold everything together.)
Should you too, choose to participate in this kind of fun mayhem, I provide you with....
I really don't know why, and to be frank it's not really important.
What I do know, is that when I got to college, and was talking with people who weren't from my neck of the woods for the first time, I encountered an artifact of culture from my area: not everyone knew this night by the same name. I was flummoxed. This was fundamental. My mother knew it as Cabbage Night. (Not surprising since I grew up in the same house she did.) Everyone I'd ever known, knew it as Cabbage Night. But here at college (a mere hour's drive from my home town) when I used that name, it brought tremendous laughter. When my friends were able to contain themselves, I asked them what they called it. Mischief Night, said one. Devil's Night said another.
I had to admit, not only did those names sound better, they were apt descriptions of the mayhem of the night before Halloween.
It became a running joke around this time of year, to think about that odd name and laugh. Even I joined in, because it is kind of funny once you're no longer in the situation of feeling a smidge embarrassed. A few years back, my wife and I moved into the same town as our old roommates (and college friends). When October 30th came, we were lounging around watching TV, when the doorbell rang. It was late enough at night, that we were a bit shocked. When we opened the door, it was our two friends, standing there with a cabbage. We laughed. The following year, we remembered, just in time. Off to the store we dashed, bought a cabbage, and showed up on our friend's doorstep. We knocked, and handed them our cabbage. Just in time, because you see, they were planning a more elaborate cabbage display for that year, with candles, and other assorted goodies. Victory!
Last year, however, we were not so fortunate. Distracted, and forgetful, there was a ring of the bell. We opened the door, to find this:
Of course, we laughed. But now we understood, that we had created a new definition of Cabbage Night. No longer just a silly name. (Though it still is that.) It became a challenge to make elaborate, and amusing little dioramas of horror, show up at your friend's house, and present it to them, with a ring of the bell. If October 31st was the night of the Pumpkin, then October 30th, would now be the night of the Cabbage.
This year, the pressure was on us. For not only had we been last year's victim, this year was the Little Man's first Cabbage Night. How could we let him down. My wife and I debated several possibilities. In the end, her plan won.
When she purchased the cabbage, something dark within it called out to her. Something that had a need, a thirst that had to be slaked.
I present this most terrifying creation for your viewing pleasure. But do not get so close, for it just might make you its next victim:
It appears we disturbed it while it was feeding on the essence of these carrots. Look out, this vampiric vegetable comes with his own hench bat!
I was worried. I knew that our friends were aware of the day. But this was also their first year in their first home. We felt we owed it to them to get them before they got us. So we packed everything into the truck, drove by, and parked a few houses down to avoid being seen. Giggling like children we snuck up to their house, set down our display, knocked loudly, then dodged back. My son even gave one of his evil laughs at the appropriate time as we hid away from sight to watch. The light went on, the door yanked open, and I heard my friend call out: Oh no! We've been cabbaged! And then we all had a good laugh.
Here is a final photo of the undead vegetable on it's display.
All in good edible fun.
(For those interested, this display contained a cabbage, a brussels sprout, a carrot, two parsley roots, and some bits to hold everything together.)
Should you too, choose to participate in this kind of fun mayhem, I provide you with....
The Unofficial Official Rules of Cabbage Night
1) Your display must feature a member of the cabbage family.
2) You should only target those who are aware of this tradition. Otherwise, people might not understand why you are leaving unprepared coleslaw on their porch. (Feel free to point them here to learn of this.)
3) No property damage should be caused in the deployment or display of your cabbage.
4) You should be an adult, or have parental permission to engage in Cabbage Night activities.
5) It is best to deploy your cabbage at or after dusk, but not too late. Try not to wake up the children.
6) Make sure to be there when your victim sees the display, and to join them in the laughter. It's a social event.
7) Remember, Cabbage Night, is October 30th.
You can, depending upon what was done to it, consume the cabbage when the fun is over. (Normal food safety precautions should be taken.)
2) You should only target those who are aware of this tradition. Otherwise, people might not understand why you are leaving unprepared coleslaw on their porch. (Feel free to point them here to learn of this.)
3) No property damage should be caused in the deployment or display of your cabbage.
4) You should be an adult, or have parental permission to engage in Cabbage Night activities.
5) It is best to deploy your cabbage at or after dusk, but not too late. Try not to wake up the children.
6) Make sure to be there when your victim sees the display, and to join them in the laughter. It's a social event.
7) Remember, Cabbage Night, is October 30th.
You can, depending upon what was done to it, consume the cabbage when the fun is over. (Normal food safety precautions should be taken.)
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