I am a proud supporter of Halloween. I am not ashamed to admit that fact. We have a few "rules" when it comes to costumes and the ways we will participate, but I get a giddy feeling around the beginning of October knowing that Halloween is close.
The reason is simple. Halloween is bigger here than Christmas. More people decorate, more people come out of their houses, more neighbors get together to celebrate friendships within the community. Do I think this is right? I'm not sure. Do I care? Not really.
The fact that it takes a distorted Hallmark holiday to get the neighborhood to be neighborly doesn't bother me at all. Everything has to start somewhere. And truthfully, we need this event before we all go into winter hibernation mode.
Halloween here is more than just trick or treating on October 31st. It is a weekend long celebration. In fact, I forgot today was the actual day of Halloween because all our festivities are over. We've already attended the parties and already went trick or treating.
It started Friday night with trick or treating and a party at a friend's house. The friend had distributed flyer's to the neighbors saying the kids would be trick or treating. We have a rule about the kids and their costumes. We require them to be Saints. There's actually a fair amount of flexibility within this rule so there is never any whining or complaining. That being said, I let them dress however they wanted for this party. Michael was gone and I didn't want them messing up their All Saints Day costumes before that party.
Margaret was an adorable butterfly, thanks Grandma for sending the costume!
Henry was a transformer.
Margaret had her face painted for the first time at the party.
Isaac went to the party with another family, so I have no photos of him. James went the movies with a friend instead of the party.
So that was Friday night. On Saturday we woke up to this weather:
And Michael was out of town having been to this event:
So I had trick or treating and another party to go to with the five kids and no spouse. We went trick or treating in the snowy rain in a HUGE group so I had tons of friends pitch in and lend me extra hands.
Malcolm was a spider. For about five minutes. He wouldn't fit in the ERGO in the costume so we ditched it early.
Henry was Saint Louis.
Margaret was Saint Elizabeth of Hungary.
Isaac was saint Michael the Archangel, minus the wings because they would have gotten destroyed in the weather.
James is a beheaded friend of Jesus, disguised as Spiderman. Hey, you can never be too careful.
My company of Saints
And as I sit here munching a fun size Kit Kat, I know we are making the right decision about Halloween. Building friendships and community are very important, perhaps more now than ever before. I want my kids to foster relationships with those around them. 'Living' within their community is a good way to start.