It’s Halloween – my absolute favorite holiday!
I don’t know what it is about this spooky day, but Halloween has been my favorite holiday since I was a little kid. It was so exciting to pull out the Halloween window decorations and display them in our home. Mom would take us to the library where I’d check out the yearly selection of Halloween books. Dad would take me and my sisters to pick out our pumpkins each year, which we’d carve together Halloween night.
My flair for Halloween decorating started early in life. I had these shoe boxes in my closet labeled for each holiday. The Halloween box was, by far, the best one. In it contained little candles, grab bags, and my famous “guess what’s in the box” contest for my sisters to enter. (I’ll save you the suspense; it was always a candy pumpkin.) Once October hit, I’d dig out the shoebox and start decorating.
Even in college, Halloween was a big deal. My friends and I still dressed up, sometimes going trick or treating, and other times heading to a party. I’ve tried to keep up the spirit of Halloween at my workplaces as well. My office is decorated, and my staff is fully engaged in our yearly costume contest.
Halloween is magical! Something about the pumpkins, witches, scarecrows, ghosts, candy, dressing up, decorating, and trick-or-treating was the highlight of my year. Okay, it still is. And now I get the added joy of instilling my love of Halloween onto Sophie. She is fully versed in Halloween — from decor to costumes. She helps me decorate the house and loves the pumpkin patch.
We watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, thinking every year this will be there year Linus sees the Great Pumpkin. This year, I’m introducing Sophie to The Worst Witch, a very old pre-Harry Potter movie about a girl going to wizardry school. Thanks to my fellow Halloween-loving friend, Polo, for burning me a copy of this classic!
And once October 1 hits, I head to Target to pick up my annual bag of Brach’s mellow cream pumpkins and candy corns. They have to be the Brach’s brand too. No rip-offs in my house. I also carefully select our trick-or-treat loot to hand out. After all, it needs to be tasty enough for Bryan and me to eat if it’s not all given out. We also start burning our caramel candles, making the house smell just like Halloween candy.
I have gone way beyond a shoe box to two very large totes in the garage. Not to mention the boxes that won’t fit inside the toes. I like to add one or two new pieces each year. Here’s a glimpse of just a few pieces of the Halloween décor that’s adorning our house this holiday season. Happy Haunting!
Let me know if you’re interested in seeing more Halloween décor. There’s a entire shelf devoted just to The Great Pumpkin and lots more! Trick or Treat!