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Halloween Fun

I love Halloween Night.  As much as I hate carving pumpkins I love the actual night of halloween.  A friend summed it up for me when she also stated her dislike of pumpkin carving when she said that she hated all the preparation for halloween, but halloween itself is great.  I fully agree.  I don't love the halloween parades at the school, or all parties at school.  I do love the magic of the night.  There is something magical about eating a nice warm dinner pulled out of the crockpot or some simmering soup then getting all costumed up and hitting the streets. 

I love the honest to goodness trick or treating.  The kind where all the neighborhood heads out going door to door begging for candy.  I could do without "trunk or treat" or all the trick or treating in offices, or local businesses.  It is fun to see all of the children, and adults, dressed up in classic, or scary, or clever costumes.  I love the excitement of the littlest toddlers who just can't believe that you can knock on someone's door and the people inside just hand you candy.  I love the older kids running from house to house to see who can get the largest cache.  There really is magic in the air on halloween night.  I love our neighbors who decorate their garage and set up heaters and serve scones and hot chocolate to the kids--and the adults!  Thanks Chad and Brenda Skinner for a halloween tradition we all look forward to.  I love the good manners that our neighborhood has.  Many people put out a bowl if they are going to be out and not once did we get to a house where the bowl was empty because someone dumped the whole bowl into their bag.

Last, but not least, I love the great candy exchange that takes place in our basement when the trick or treat bags are too heavy to carry and everyone dumps out their bounty and makes trades for the things they really want.  This part is a great bonus for Taylor, and the rest of my kids for that matter, because they get to trade all their peanut laden goodies for something else instead of having to toss them out.  It is an exciting sugar-laden late night on a school night, but its only once a year and the magical memories make even the pumpkin carving worth it.

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