Halloween 2013

Our Halloween was a bit crazy to begin with. John's scoutmaster came over to help him with some scouting requirements, and he was here from 5-6pm. Steven didn't get home from work until 6:30pm, and it was just as we were sitting at the table for dinner that Hannah's friend, who was coming to go trick-or-treating with Hannah, called to say they were on their way over.  So we rushed through dinner (ghost shaped pancakes with blueberry eyes and hash browns), hurried to finish getting the kids in their costumes - we couldn't find Peter's goggles, and put Hannah's hair up, and were ready for trick or treating by 7pm. Hannah went with her friend and her friend's mom, and I took the boys. Steven stayed home in case anyone came to our house looking for treats. (No one did.)

As we started out, I reminded the boys of proper trick-or-treating etiquette: Only go to houses with the porch light on. Only ring the doorbell once. Say "Trick or Treat" when they open the door. Always say thank you. Don't complain about what you get. If no one answers the door, go on to the next one. Stay together. Never go into a stranger's house.

In the last week I read a blog in which the author wrote, "Halloween is the single most charitable day of the year. Name one other day of the year that complete strangers can knock on other stranger’s doors and walk away with something they value – leaving the ‘givers’ expecting absolutely nothing in return. Not even blessings. There is precious little we do that is so non-discriminating."

This had made me think a little differently about Halloween and the whole trick-or-treating experience. Maybe Halloween can promote generosity and selflessness, and not just greed and gluttony. But as as I was walking my boys from one house to another, skipping over the ones without porch lights lit, I began to notice that this year, we seemed to be skipping a lot more houses than we were visiting. There were a lot of very dark houses where it appeared that no one was home, but also a lot of houses with lights on in the back, but the lights in the front were out, as though the owners were home, but weren't interested in being part of the celebrations for whatever reason. I wondered if this is something that is widespread, or just in our neighborhood. I wondered if it was another product of the economic difficulties in the nation, if people just can't afford to buy candy. I hope it isn't that people are being less charitable, feeling less generous, less willing to give without receiving anything in return.

Anyway, after an hour and a half and over 2 miles of walking, we returned home. The boys dumped their candy out on the table to admire their loot and begin the process of trading before we sent them to brush their teeth and head to bed. After all, it was a school night.

Josh was a Hogwarts wizard - not one of the main characters, just one in the background.

John was a magician. For the Trunk or Treat last weekend, he even had some card tricks that he had prepared.

Hannah went as Agnes, from Despicable Me.

Peter was supposed to be a minion, also from Despicable Me.  At the last minute, we couldn't find his goggles, and the tape G on his overalls came off... We should have taken pictures at the Trunk-or-Treat. He looked much more in character then.

Steven and I did take advantage of the photo booth at our Trunk-or-Treat. The photographers made us look like ghosts in the graveyard!