Beetle Juice, BEETLE Juice, BEETLE JUICE! - Happy All Hallows Eve!!!!!!

The autumn air has a bit of a wintery bite to it theses days, it must be time for Halloween! We've already been threatened with the likes of snow and temperatures have dipped into the low negatives just in time to send the kids for possibly the last trip outside. (Before it becomes unpleasant...... And you have to dress the kids in their snowsuits to escape the cold.... And we all remember how much bulky, uncomfortable fun that was.) Despite the cold, Halloween kicks off the season of fun... It gives us reason to decorate the walls and yards that most of us be seeing a little more of in the coming shortening days. It gives us reason to mingle and socialize. (Not to mention, it gives adults a reason to go out in public in costume to "grow down" a bit and cut loose. Well, the adults that are brave enough to do so.)

I remember a few Halloweens growing up... I remember a few costumes, trick-or-treating neighborhoods and trick-or-treating mates. For the most part, I wasn't a creative kid... I remember being a witch, black cat, construction worker and gypsy, and all more than once. They might have been the same generic costume idea, but they were added to and twisted around so it wasn't the exact same every year. One thing that did seem consistant on Halloween nights... Supper before Trick-or-Treating could commence. Every year we'd have Lipton Chicken Noodle soup and Hot Dogs. It seems as though this was a tradition passed down by my Mummy. She and her siblings had the same thing on Halloween Nights.

I've trick-or-treated in a few different neighbourhoods. I used to live out in a subdivision out in "the country" that had a big long hill to the top. Of course, I lived at the bottom of that long hill, so we got our workout while trick-or-treating there. I'd obviously go with my younger brother, occasionally we'd join up with the neighbours' kid - who was my age. Grade 5, one of the last years I went out, I brought along my best friend. She was happy to tag along in spite of that hill. The year before she went with her neighbours and their Mum wouldn't go with them, but also wouldn't let them go any farther than the end of the block. (BOOO and not the ghostly kind!)

To give us a break from that torturous climb, we went with our cousins at least one year. (They were cousins through my Mum's sister, so we had some chicken dogs that night.) That was a LOT better. We had 4 cousins to wreak supervised havoc with and they were in a more suburban setting, which meant more loot! Like most parents of the day, our parents wouldn't allow us to eat the candy until they had "inspected" the stuff first... You know the Urban Legend, Halloween candy with razor blades in them or some how poisoned... Some how we all survived Halloween to make it to adulthood. =0)

My favourite houses to Trick-or-treat at were the ones that were decorated to the nine's. We still got the same mini-chocolate bars, or whatever other sugary goodness they had bought, but I did appreciate the effort they put out... I'm ashamed to say that my Hallows Eve decoration collection is pretty sparse, but I've got a few things out. I've had about six trick-or-treaters since I stopped candy whoring myself out on Halloween and subsequently moved away from home. (And I believe those kids were friends' kids, they weren't random kids out trick or treating.) I'm not sure why I've gotten so few but hey... I don't mind snarfing down the candy I had bought for the kids... I just make sure I only get a little and that I get those molasses candies... Mmmmm, My fave! =0)

Since out growing the acceptable trick-or-treating age, I've gone to a couple Halloween house and/or bar parties... But it just isn't the same for me. I've been known to watch "scary" movies on Halloween too. It just isn't the same. The movies aren't overly scary, cult classic or not... I just got sucked into watching Hocus Pocus last weekend. I hadn't seen it since it was considered a New Release. (It's the one with Bette Middler and Sarah Jessica Parker... And if there are any NCIS fans out there, McGee is in it too.... Didn't realize that until I watched it again.) It was a ridiculous movie but has the Halloween theme down. Call me immature, but I still catch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown if I'm around and it's on. Then, of course, you've got the rest of the Halloween "Classics" in Friday the 13th, Jason, Halloween (And all it's sequels and prequels), any Stephen King novel made movie (Carrie, The Shining, It, Pet Cemetery), The Exorcist, Beetle Juice and the Chucky Series. The list could go on..... Though they may not be "horror" really, I'd thought I'd mention Ghostbusters and Beetle Juice as well.

(The only movie that has ever seriously scared me, was Seven - the Brad Pitt/Morgan Freeman flick... I had to turn every light on in the house, then quickly go back and turn them off... Just to get from the living room to my bedroom.) There's also a load of TV shows dedicated to the idea of Halloween, though not directly. For example, there is Paranormal State, Psychic Kids, Ghost Whisperer, Ghost Hunters, Medium, Most Haunted, A Haunting , Ghost Stories and Unsolved Mysteries - has ghost/supernatural segments. (I've watched all and enjoy most.)

I miss the good old days... You remember the ones... Where the biggest concern in the world was what you wanted to be for Halloween and putting the costume together... Then hoping it wouldn't be too cold, not for our own sake by any means... So we could go in the first place and so we didn't have to wear the costumes under a big bulky coat, or worse - be uncomfortable because the costume was just big enough to be worn over the bulkiness. Carving pumpkins, there's another thing I miss. I could carve a pumpkin, but it's just no fun when it's just for my enjoyment. (If I got more dang kids looking for a sugar high, I'd definitely carve a pumpkin or two!) I hope the kids enjoy it while they can still get away with begging for candy from strangers!

It's not always about me; I hope y'all have a safe, fun and non-razor bladed Halloween!