We really do it up for Halloween, as you can tell. And it's not because we have grandchildren. They're really too tiny to appreciate it. We've been doing this since our kids were little. And we do it because we love it.
It's just a lot of fun to delight the neighbors and passers by alike with Halloween cheer. The thing is, we have one rule for our decorating. No scary, violent stuff.
And believe me -- that's hard to achieve if you are buying decorations from the store these days. All the decorations in the big box stores are VERY scary, or bloody, or something worse. Just this weekend I passed by a house that had draped a banner of bloody meat cleavers across their front porch. Ugh.
Plus, I know of lots of people who love being scared, and who can't wait to see the newest scary movie, or who go to Amusement Parks or Haunted Houses specifically so that they WILL be scared, and have someone pop out and give you a fright! That's not for me.
And besides, Halloween is for the little ones, and the little ones don't need to be around all that scary stuff. Our Halloween decs are the gentle kind -- but we do play some scary sounds on Halloween night that sometimes make the little ones hesitant to come up to the door!
Before Covid, Robert would answer the door wearing a horse's head - and that was really a hoot. A horse's head is not exactly scary, but certainly unexpected, and always provoked a reaction from the trick or treaters.
Last year, we had an outdoor trick or treating station - with a curbside pick- up of candy. It was a big hit - so we will probably do something similar this year.
We hope to continue our Halloween hi-jinks for as long as we can. It's joyful for us as we plan and decorate, and it brings joy to the neighbors and the little ones that live near. Last year on Halloween, we had lots of cars stop in front of our house to take photos with the kids on our lawn.
What could be better than that?