The Halloween that almost wasn’t

First it was the wedding weekend, then it was the snow, where is there any more time to decorate….

Halloween is a day our household has always looked forward to for a number of years.

We must have more Halloween decorations than Christmas ones.   Every year the Halloween decorations seems to multiply…...   Scary masks, plastic spiders, monster goblets, scary music, hugh rubber rat dogs,  an animated crawling witch, so much stuff.  

Over the years, we have been called the Halloween House.   Neighborhood kids look forward to coming up and being scared.  The set up was usually the day before, usually taking the day off of work to set up the Haunted Tent.  Not this year.

Our tent is a 20 ft long, 10 ft wide , more of a canopy really.   The sides were enclosed using large black bags.  The inside had lots of decorations, including a strobe light.  In years past there was a flog machine too.  

Our Halloween goodies would include bags of pop corn, cans of soda (kids love the heavy stuff), juice boxes, packets of hot chocolate, anything but candy…..stuff that could be integrated into our daily lives after it is over.    This year there were snack chip pac’s and cheddar cheese cracker packets along with some hot chocolate and popcorn. 

But what will this year bring?  Some lawn decorations were put out late last week.   As I am driving home from work, I see some kids on the streets with their parents…..good sign….As I drive up the road, I see our house and there are just a few more decorations on the front walkway and on the front steps…..As I walk in the house, the resident “monster” states we have had about 20 children so far, “I got rid of the crunchy cheese doodles first  because I don’t like them”…..WHAT ! ! ! !   they are my favorite.   Ughhh.

The night draws on, a few kids here and there…..everytime the door bell rings, the dog goes crazy,  “hey Jake, you want a cookie”  seems to be getting his attention enough to get him away from the door.  (I love these ultra-mini-mini milk bones, the perfect little treat). 

By seven- thirty, Halloween seems to have wound down…..Should I shut out the light ?  No…. keep it on until nine.    By 8:45,  there were only two more kids.   That’s it, we are done.

So here in the morning, I reflect on this years Halloween.  All the left over Halloween treats, the little boy who was brave enough to come up for his treat this year and the one who wouldn’t ….Maybe next year he will brave the Haunted Tent.   Not too scary for some this year.  

But with the TV news on in the background this morning,  I hear of the continuing nightmare for some this year…….No power, no heat…..and I wonder when their nightmares will end.