From Wildfire to Burnt Toast: Oh What a Difference Growing up Makes!

All Hallows Eve, 1991

The air was crisp and and leaves were bright. Some leaves had already fallen and blanketed the ground with the crunchy curls of the years' foliage. Excitement and fear were the emotions of the day as we were finally allowed to put on those costumes we've been planning for months. The house, inside and out, front and back, were decorated 'to the nines'. The pumpkins have been carved for almost 2 weeks, the meal we planned last month was on the table, and the bowl of candy wasn't going to make it to the trick-or-treaters if we had any say in it.
The party, well under way, included creepy soundtracks, games, holiday themed food like 'Mummies in a Blanket' and 'Witch Finger Breadsticks'. When it finally got dark enough, we grabbed the biggest bag we could find (usually a pillow case!) and headed outdoors in order to make it to as many houses as we could before we were expected back home. It was usually pretty predictable. There was the 'lady who cries', the sweet old lady who passed out info on Jesus with her bagged candy and begged us to be safe (we always dreaded this place, but went out of guilt, thinking she was just sitting there, alone, waiting for us) and there was 'the King-sized house', no 'fun' sized candy bars here! And there were the ones who gave three or four pieces at a time and then there were the cheap skates....we knew them all.
Upon our return home, we sorted, traded, and ate...and ate....and ate. It was fun times had by all.....or was it?

20 years later.....

The air is crisp, the leaves are bright, some have already fallen. "I'm running late", and "I've so much to do!" were the emotions of the day. The house was decorated a few days ago after Hunter pleaded and begged me to dig the 'Halloween stuff'' out of the garage. The kids fought over who got to put what, where, so I finally had to regulate who did what...and..."if this is how it's gonna be I'll do it myself next year!". Oh dear, did I actually say that!? I still didn't know what the kids would wear to the Cub Scout Trunk n Treat the day of the event..."If you want to dress up, you need to put something together out of the dress-up box." And, I didn't even know what two of the boys would be wearing for their All Saints Day costumes the evening before that event! On top of it all, I had three sick children, one who had been keeping me up for three nights in a row. Although the kids would be with their father on actual Halloween night, we still attended three parties, and by the third, I was done with the holiday altogether....and done with candy!

Now, after having written the second Halloween account, I feel like this holidays' version of Ebeneezer Scrooge! The truth is, the children and I had a wonderful time at the pumpkin patch, and an even better time carving our pumpkins with our closest friends. I enjoyed seeing the kids in costume and marveled over how it all seemed to come together...even though I procrastinated to the last possible minute. And when the kids were gone for the night, I enjoyed a quiet evening at home with two of my closest comrades, Emily and Aaron. We watched uber cheesy 'Hocus Pocus', practiced the dance moves to Michael Jackson's Thriller (until I threw my neck out), and then settled down to watch the once-scary-now-super-goofy movie Ghostbusters.

Although maybe not as much as long ago, I still enjoy All Hallows Eve, and I'm even planning my costume for next year....stay tuned.

Side note: If you drove to my house, don't come a trick-or-treat'n....BAH!. (Is it just me, or are trick-or-treaters getting older?)