Another Halloween In The Books

After the hype of trick or treat comes the sugar crash from all the yummies….

For my middle daughter, Halloween is her favorite holiday, EVER. So it came as no surprise to anyone in my home when she woke up the entire house at five this morning to announce today was Halloween. Mind you that we were still thirteen hours from trick or treat, but that did not matter to the child who does not eat chocolate. In her eyes today was costume day, dress up as your favorites and hand out your treat bags at school. This was the day that if she could reach the calendar hung on the wall, this kid would circle it for sure!

Each child had their backpack prepared the night before in preparation of the day to come. There were more than 20 treat bags in each backpack and a fireman costume folded up as neatly as possible in the one bag that barely zipped shut. The fireman costume had lost its axe the day before when a young first responder had chosen to slam it on the coffee table, but it would make its grand return later in the evening. The youngest daughter’s teacher allowed her class to wear their costume all day and she did so rocking her mouse ears much to her middle sister’s dismay. Both girls participated in their school parades that were at different times and there was at least one family scheduled to attend each march around the school. They had their classroom parties and handed out their coveted non-edible treat bags. Of course, they both came home with bags of loot to enjoy for the days to come.

After school and work was over for the entire house, the main event of trick or treating started. We were surprised that most of our neighborhood had opted out of handing out candy and the normal two hour night of walking the block ended up only lasting an hour instead. The girls had collected all that was to be and were excited to see what they had in their parcels. Quickly the bag viewing turned into bedtime snack, and then preparation for bed. What would have been normal ending time for trick or treat had become bedtime, and my daughters fell asleep within ten minutes. The day that had started with a big announcement had now commenced.

The costumes are now hung up with care waiting for the first rainy day for dress up fun. Tomorrow the spooky blowups in the yard will be taken down along with all the ghost and spider decorations on the porch. The jack-o-lanterns have some life left in them and now they will be fall pumpkins until they start frowning. It was a good Halloween shared by all!