Halloween Is Not Scary
Why does Halloween have the reputation for being the scariest night of the year?
Candy that has been tampered with, costumes long enough to trip over, knocking on strangers’ doors, walking in the dark in the middle of the street. Honestly, what could go wrong?
Well according to this report, lots.
But in my neighborhood Halloween is one big block party and I refuse to let fear override the fun.
Halloween is one of the most social nights of the year for us parents and, candy aside, the most popular houses are the ones handing out glasses of wine.
We take the normal precautions of reflective tape on the costumes and bags, and tell the kids not to eat the apples (as if) or anything that has been opened. Our greedy 10-year old roams the streets with his pack of barely-costumed friends. (The same friends we overheard saying that they were going to egg houses that have their doors locked, but we have learned that tween boys are all bravado and are candy lovers at heart).
We gather a group of parents together and then chat as our seven-year-olds race up the steps. Often, we lose sight of them as we are standing around greeting other weary and chilly parents. Eventually holding all the kids unwanted costume gear and heavy candy bags gets too dull and we force a return home to the porch.
Our porch is definitely where you want to be. My husband and I have been known to do a quick 'rock, paper, scissors' to see who has to hit the streets with the little ones. Staying home and handing out candy is definitely the choice job of the night. Though last year, thanks to an invasion of Swine Flu, we let the kids take from the bowl on the porch while keeping a watchful eye.
Since we engineer a candy switch with the Halloween Fairy, the kids don’t try and fill their bags beyond capacity. That is, except for our oldest, the attraction of the “get” is too big for him, even though he doesn’t even like most of the candy he receives he absolutely must have the heaviest bag. Not surprisingly, he is also our house hoarder, a year later I think there is still a couple pieces left of the candy he was allowed to keep last year. I think every family has one like that.
So, I don't worry about Halloween, I look forward to the fun, the costumes, stealing the few Dairy Milks and mostly seeing into people's houses. When else can you do that?
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