Halloween

Out here in the country, we were pretty certain we wouldn't get any trick or treaters.  It's not that we don't have an abundant group of neighbours, but that most are from a different generation...who's children grew up a long time ago. 




 
Cookie, an eager trick or treater, was chomping at the bit yesterday.  She designed the pumpkins and helped carve them.  In town, the merchants get together with the city officials and block off the main road, encouraging kids to come for tricks and treats downtown.  I piled my kitty cat in the car and headed downtown.  Have you ever seen a single file line of children in costumes, waiting their turn to beg for candy?  The kids weren't the only ones getting in on the act, as some parents dressed up, trick or treating for themselves, and held a bag chock full of loot from their efforts as well.  It was the strangest thing i had ever seen.

In talking with some of the merchants, the numbers varied from 10 pounds of candy given in an hour to 2000 suckers with coupon offers attached handed out.  Wow!

Afterward, we headed into the homes of the city folk, who were amazed at how few goblins there were. Cookie was happy that there weren't as many scary things here as in our old neighbourhood. At half a bag of candy, she was ready to go home, where we sorted (only one piece didn't pass the "have we heard of that before" test!" She found 3 coupons for ice cream from our favourite merchants downtown. And to cap the night, we watched the great pumpkin and Cookie and Moose had light saber "fights" with glowsticks. :) It was a calm Halloween without worry...quite nice!