Halloween is almost upon us and I have to say it is my favorite time of year. Since I live in the Valley of the Sun, the heat finally breaks in October and the morning temps drop into the frigid low 80's. Heck, sometimes I even wear a jacket. I drag out my plastic bins and decorate the house. My Department 56 miniatures inspired my Halloween book Some Enchanted Autumn and the fall leaves are the only way to get a little color in the valley (Cacti thorns don't change color).
But my Halloween celebrating has changed over the years. As my children have gotten older, there's no more kids pouring over the Party City ads looking for costumes and dreaming of what they want to be. We rarely carve pumpkins for Jack O'Lanterns, so there's no more pumpkin seeds roasting in the oven. No hot spiced apple cider or pictures to scrapbook. No fresh popped popcorn and hissing and giggling as we made popcorn balls.
Nowadays, my children go to parties with their friends. Sometimes, if I'm lucky I can catch them on their way out the door.
Of course, there's still the Halloween candy. Yum. I love those snack sized pieces and last Halloween, I even found small sized Big Hunks at Wally world. Sadly, they're not carrying them this year. But they still have my other favorites--Skittles, Rolos and Blowpops.
And the kids still eat my stash.
So has Halloween changed around your house through the years, and which candy is your favorite?
