Preparing for Halloween

Halloween is uniquely American.  And we do it up big.  We plan what the children are going to wear, sometimes allowing them a say  : )  We decorate our houses, sometimes inside and out.  We buy pumpkins and carve them up into ghoulishly comical faces.  We buy candy to give out when children come to our doors and say "Trick or Treat!" 

Now that it is fall, there is a little boy in my house whose mind has turned to Halloween. . .truth be know, it turned to Halloween in August and has now become a daily mantra of "pumpkin, costume, witches!!!"  He convinced me two weeks ago that it was okay to decorate the inside of our house with some little Halloween decorations that we have.  And last weekend I caved and allowed myself to be talked into putting the witch in the tree out front.   (My mothers voice keeps after me saying I'm going to have to decorate more now that Aidan is here.)

It has been suggested, and I tend to agree, that Aidan loves Halloween so much because it really was the first big holiday he experienced after coming home.  There was the Fourth of July, but that wasn't really about kids and it was pretty soon after.  I did make a big deal out of going to the store in August and buying the material to make his costume and then, of course, we have a HUGE town parade right in front of our house and then there is the trick or treating. . .outside. . .in the dark. . .a totally different thing that isn't usually done.

Anyway, he has already found which houses have some decorations out in the yard and points them out every chance he gets.  His current favorite is a house down the street with pumpkin lights outside. . .of course we can only see it when it is dark out!

I have promised him a trip to Pumpkinville during Columbus Day weekend where he can run and jump and play in the big straw bale hills and fly on the rope swing and pet the animals and toss a pumpkin or two and paint a pumpkin AND pick out any pumpkin he wants for our porch. . .he's been saving his allowance and plans to spend it all on that pumpkin. 

Pumpkinville isn't cheap, but it is fun.  We go every year and spend a couple of hours of pure heaven--for Aidan.  I do enjoy going into the little farm market afterward and browsing the local wares. 

But. . . .

Last Sunday, I had to stop at Harris Teeter on the way home from Aidan's hockey game for some crackers.  Outside the store were mounded pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. . .with a big sign that said "2 for $10.00".  Okay, I know a bargain when I see one.  And although it still seems early to be buying pumpkins, I gave the go ahead nod to Pat and the two of them were off. . .

And look at the pure happiness that resulted!!

And so, we now have two nice sized pumpkins on our front porch. . .a third will join them in a little more than a week after we find it at Pumpkinville!

And yes, we do have his costume. . .it arrived yesterday and is totally cool. . .and we will reveal it on Halloween!!!