Halloween is digging down into the costume chest and pulling out something to dress up your imagination. It is a breast plate, shield and cape, with a worn grey sword that wilts more than jabs. It is a cowboy vest, sherriff’s badge, and a frayed cowboy hat that has seen more than its fair share of fights. It is a bumble bee, leopard or Peter Pan. It is a dressed up witches hat or black cat ears, black smudged nose, and painted whiskers.
It is hot chili on a frosty night, sprinkled cheese, and grilled dogs. Worms in the pumkin patch cupcakes sloshed down with hot apple cider or hot chocolate. It is fun games that make laughter, goose bumps, and adventure.
It is knocking on neighbor’s doors who brought your mama “Welcome to the neighborhod” cookies or the little red-headed girls house who has a crush on your brother. It’s a door opening and friends spilling out of the dark dank, dreay night into the golden warmth of the Pumpkin House(which is what I called our old house because it was orange brick with black shutters). It is filling jack-o-lantern buckets with candy for your neighbor’s children who share school rooms, teachers with your children, who stop by for hot chocolate on fall afternoons.
It is laughing, teasing, savoring childhood – no presents, no pressure, no soporific lethargy. It is fellowship, loving thy neighbor and generosity to strangers. Big and little pumpkins, Little and big. Halloween is a holiday from a too busy schedule, a moment to live joyously.
Then, after the pumpkin lights are blown out, the costumes tucked away, the candy stored out of reach, then it is time to thank God for the blessings of children, family, and fellowship, the joy of giving, laughter, and imagination, for a moment where the daily struggles dissipate in the steam of good food, respite from the world that figuratively buffetts each day. Thank you for a moment to enjoy, refreshing myself in the gifts you have given me and the gifts given out.
Trick or Treat
My sons looked at me blankly. Hmmmmm, apparently, I needed to put this into the U-14 venacular.” Passing houses with pumpkins filling door ways, black cat flags, and other ghoulish festivities, I pulled an idea out of the figurative candy basket of my brain.
I countered my 8th grader, “But he is your Dad, you have to do what he says. Just like the president is the president-you have to do what he says, too. Socialism is like your dad telling you you must share, whether you want to or not. Socialism is when the leader of your country decides how many other people you have to give your hard-earned halloween candy to.”
I love Fall. The smell of crisp, musty leafy air. The crunch and skittering leaf sounds. Blustery wind that sasses. It is the only time of year that I orange is my favoarite color. Otherwise, I abhor it. It is the only time of year a black cat gives me pause.
When autumn comes, I pull out my very favorite autumn children’s book, “When will the Snow Trees Grow?” by Ben Shecter. The little guys and I wrap up in our blankets, snuggle up with some hot chocolate for them and warm apple cider for me. Because the “lemonade isn’t as sweet.” The blankets feel just right. And the wind rustles around the house trying to find a way inside. Shector poignantly shows how tastes and needs evolve with the seasons.
Another favorite book pulled out, for the older, more adventuruous among us is The Oxford English Edition of Classic Ghost Stories. The stories collected in these pages are to horror movies what Belgian truffles are to cheap chocolate. No gimmicks, just stories passed own through folklore, sprung out of supersitition, imagination, and a dark night. It is one of my husband’s favorite books to read, too I heartily enjoy it, but don’t like reading it if he is out of town–BOO!
Of course, since lemonade doesn’t taste as sweet, it’s time to pull out the crock pot and stir up some mulled apple cider, topped with homemade whipped cream and Starbucks Caramel Sauce. My favorite hot chocolate recipe is the way my aunt used to make it when I’d spend the night. Milk warmed with Hershey’s Unsweetened Cocoa and made just like it says on the back of the box:
One of my favorite parts about autumn will be different this year. For years, the boys and the neighborhood kids would stop by in the midst of their afternoon play, no matter how cold the weather. I would pull out my S’More indoor grill. The gaggle would pull up the stools to the counter, and S’More Snacks for everyone-a regular autumn event! The neighborhood kids might be in another state, but the S’More Maker is with me! 
Blue Cotton Memory 
