One of the gifts of growing older is I’m no longer bored. When I was a child, it seemed like many days dragged by in a slow-moving haze. Now, weeks fly by in a burst of activity. So it is, one day, we’ve just entered school, and suddenly, we’re already celebrating All Hallows’ Eve, the day before All Saints’ Day, otherwise known as Halloween.
Only my youngest child dresses up anymore. You might think it sad, but, although I enjoyed providing costumes for three, squirming children, not having to anymore is a relief. Also, Bear, being the youngest of four children (our oldest is grown), always knows exactly who or what she wants to portray. Last year, she went retro as a ghost, and she took home a haul of candy. Parents loved her in an inexpensive sheet because they said it reminded them of their childhoods. This year, she is a banana.
Don’t ask me why. I don’t know.
The Halloweens of my childhood were pretty innocent and low key. Imagine the Halloween scene from E.T., and you’ll have the idea. We usually made our own costumes from things in the scrap basket. We were gypsies and ghosts, pirates and witches. Being a mix of dress-up and begging for candy, it was my favorite holiday.
Anymore, the celebration of Halloween is a close second to Christmas in the U.S., and it takes on a more macabre flavor every year. I don’t know what that says about us now, and I don’t want to ponder it.
Instead, I just try to make Bear’s trick or treating experience her best ever. For us, that means going to my BFF’s house where we’ll hand out treats while the kids trick or treat her neighborhood. Sometimes we’ve made mummy dogs, popcorn balls, and other kitschy treats. This year, we’re going the easy way out with barbecue and hot apple cider.
I hope you and your families have a very happy and safe Halloween.
Hope you had fun with your ‘Bear’ and Halloween fun. Your photos were great.
.-= Mary Delle´s last blog ..Honestly, Scrap Me, If You Must =-.
Looks as if you had a sweel Halloween, your blog looks like a party.
We get no visitors, either.
.-= Nell Jean´s last blog ..Scrap, Honestly: Me Again, Marge =-.
House pretty, banana scary! 😉 Really Dee, how could you not grasp the utter scaryness that is a banana?
Love the violets!
Alas, no childhood memories of Halloween as we didn’t celebrate it then over here. It’s done now (started a few years ago) but on a very modest scale so far, just like Valentine’s Day which isn’t a big thing either over here.
BTW Bear is so right; Dolly is beautiful, both inside and out.
.-= Yolanda Elizabet´s last blog ..Still Glowin’ and Crowin’ =-.
Dee, Your front door is beautiful and inviting~~too bad the trick or treaters miss your house; I suspect the treats would be wonderful! We never have any either; and we live in the suburbs. Our neighborhood has no sidewalks and all the kids go elsewhere. I am wondering how Bear’s banana costume turned out! gail
.-= Gail´s last blog ..It Was A Dark & Scary Walk! =-.
Dee,
Where do I begin?. How about your photo of that inviting front door? I love it. It looks like you live in a cottage from a storybook fairy tale.
I also enjoyed the childhood memories you shared. I just finished a not-as-charrming post where we connected on a couple of dots — the fact that we have quieter Halloweens due to location and that I too believe Halloween is second only to Christmas in the eyes of a child.
I love that Bear is going to be a banana. And that you didn’t bother to asky why. That pesky question of why can make one so defensive. Which may be why RFK said — why not?
Happy Halloween to You.
Janell
.-= Janell West´s last blog ..Ghosts of Halloween Past =-.
I use to be a witch every year. You are right about us never being bored anymore. I am loving this adult life. I hope it’s a bit cool there cause that looks like a very warm banana costume.
.-= Anna/Flowergardengirl´s last blog ..Meet a delightful local NC artist, Gail Morris =-.
I am trying to answer the door and read blogs at the same time tonight. We usually don’t get many, or I should say any Trick or treaters. This year we have our carved pumpkins lit and it is bringing them in. At least we have had 4. That is more than we have lately. None the past two years. The dogs go crazy every time the doorbell rings. Have a happy one. That apple cider sounds good.
Dee, you have a very pretty house.
.-= Kathy from Cold Climate Gardening´s last blog ..Lady-Slipper Seed Pods =-.
I’d trick or treat at your house if you were my neighbor, especially if the treat was a glass of wine! the photos and your house are gorgeous. best time of year, this!
We don’t get any kids knocking on our door either. I love your fall pics they just make me smile! Kim
.-= the inadvertent farmer´s last blog ..Silent Saturday The Camel Edition =-.
It’s still bittersweet for me that the kids are now Trick or Treating with friends instead of me and my husband. I really enjoyed going around with the kids, talking to neighbors the next block over whom I never see otherwise. But I’m learning to enjoy the peace. And even though I live in the suburbs, surrounded by lots of houses, we have very few Trick or Treaters, so it’s very quiet. Time for a scary movie I think.
.-= Mr. McGregor’s Daughter´s last blog ..They’re Taking Over! A True Scary Story =-.
Happy Halloween to you, too! We used to dress up as hobos, wearing my Dad’s old clothes and smearing “dirt” on our faces. I’m not sure if we chose those costumes, or if my mom gently persuaded us that those would be great costumes, yet again. We always got a lot of candy and ate too much of it at once.
.-= Carol, May Dreams Gardens´s last blog ..When A Gardener Plans A Halloween Party =-.