So, some more thoughts on why I love Halloween. Reflecting back to my childhood Halloweens it wasn't the candy so much that I loved, don't get me wrong I did like candy as a child. I had the best neighbors in the world to go "trick or treating" to. It was an event. It was not just, knock on the door, get a piece of candy and run on to the next house. I had neighbors who had you come into their homes. There were neighbors who always fixed hot chocolate with marshmellows and we would go in and sit down and drink a steamy cup - Halloween was always miserable weather when I was a child. There were other neighbors who invited you in for home made donuts or apple cider. I had goofy neighbors who had a bowl of papers and you drew one out. The paper said what "trick" you had to perform before you got your treat. The best treats were always the homemade ones that they reserved for the "neighbor" kids. They had you parade your costumes for them and you never ever went trick or treating out of your "ward" boundaries, that was considered greedy. Several years I went trick or treating for charities and that was fun. I loved the costumes, dressing up, playing characters - I still do! So this morning we had "ghost toast for breakfast and Orange, cinamon and clove spiced cream of wheat! Who says you can't still be silly when there's only two of you? I love having trick or treaters come to my home. I love their happy voices. I love when they say thank you and Happy Halloween. Tonight there were two entire families who came all in costumes - they certainly got my vote! Their children will always remember Halloween. I got in the spirit of Halloween today and dressed up as a bag of "Jelly Bellies" I bought some jelly bellies and put them in small Halloween bags and then I went to each of the schools and took a bag to the principals and also to the district offices to the administration there - just to make them smile - and they did. Don't we all need to smile a little more and feel a little less stress some times? I wore it to the clinic and it was so fun to watch people's faces who came in - sick of course - but it made them feel just a little bit better. I think I love Halloween because it is about people being happy and helping people be happy.
