HALLOWEEN 2011 IN REVIEW

[Pumpkin_Man]

Hi Folks:

I thought it would be fun to start a thread reviewing all the fun we had the day before yesterday. If course, for me as I'm sure for many of you, Halloween isn't just one day in October. It's an entire season, so I thought I would write a little review of my Halloween season.

First off, my decorations were up by the 28th of September, and my first jack o'lantern was carved on the very 1st of October. I had to watch money, so I went with the "little" guys until it was closer to the 'big day' itself. BUT, I had a carved jack o'lantern every day this October, and I lit it every night, except for those nights I had to work late.

I watched a whole slew of "Dark Shadows" episodes, in addition to more horror movies then I usualy watch through out the rest of the year. On the 15th of October (Saturday) I had a Halloween party and barbecue. Again, money is an issue for me this year, as it would be for anyone with two vehicles to pay off, so it was simple fare. Hamburgers and hot dogs. Two of my best buddies came as die my older nieces and nephews.

I harped and hapred about going to a haunted attraction and going on a 'haunted road trip' this past October, but unfortunately I had to forgo it due to my strained finances. I am planning on setting aside a few bucks out of each pay check so by next October I'll have a little more to spend, and perhaps a special 'haunted road trip' on Friday July 13th in observance of that day of "Little Halloween." Anyway, back to my review.

My sister inlaw made home made taffy apples for the party on the 15th, and they were DELICIOUS!

Time rolled on, of course, and before I knew it, it was the Halloween weekend. Saturday was not much of a day, because I had to do some cleaning in my basement, but Sunday and Monday were great. Halloween was a bit chillier then usual, so I didn't get as many ToTers as I would have liked, but they were quite cute in any case. Two very young children came to the door with their father. The younger of the two, who apeared to be barely old enough to walk was a little scared by my vampire fangs, so I took them out. The older of the two who appeared to be about 5 commented "He's gonna make a killing with the tooth fairy."

My nephew and his kids came over for ToT. After they got back, we had a weenie roast and watched movies. They had to break it up early, though, because it was a work night for my nephew and a school night for the little ones. I watched a couple more movies while the fire died out, and then about 10 minutes to the "witching" hour, I hopped on my Harley for my traditional Midnight Halloween Motorcycle Ride. It was VERY COLD, but a lot of fun, and I saw quite a few great Halloween displays to boot.

So that's my review. How was your Halloween season?

Mike

[Jack Skellington]

We had our decorations up by the 28th September too! We bought a couple of extra ones too throughout the month as well as we had put some money aside to do that.

I wanted to do the 'Ghost Walk' in my city, but due to funding I couldn't. It's a regular thing though when they do it so i'll do it sometime early on in 2012 hopefully.

We have been watching various movies throughout the month.

My son went to a kids Halloween party on Friday 28th. We didn't start carving our Jack O'Lanterns until Sunday 30th. We did though have candles & lanterns lit throughout the entire month.

On the 'big day,' we cooked some food ready for the evening as we had a couple of people round. My wife's cousin took our son ToTing so that we could remain in the house to give out the candy for those that came to our door. We had 35 this year. During the day we watched 'Scared Shrekless,' then in the evening we watched 5 'Simpsons Treehouse of Horror' episodes & then when our son went to bed we watched 'Sleepy Hollow.' We had a great Halloween season!

[Murfreesboro]

Our weekend didn't go exactly to plan. On Friday night, my husband and kids went to the last regular season high school football game, but I stayed home to bake a cake for my husband's birthday on Saturday. It was cold and damp on Friday, but the weather improved throughout the weekend and was great for the big night itself.

Saturday was a downer for my husband. One of his former students, a beautiful 17-yr-old girl, had been killed in a car crash on Thursday, and he had to attend her funeral. Also, our daughter learned that one of her closest friends was moving to Texas on Sunday rather than on Christmas break, as previously planned. There was an impromptu and very well-attended going away party for this girl at a corn maze in the country. I was glad to drive my daughter there and back, but it did mean that my husband and I had to forgo the downtown ghost walk we had planned for his birthday night. (Attending the corn maze wasn't really an option for us, as it would have seemed too much like an intrusion to our 14-yr-old daughter, we felt.)

Sunday was Reformation Day in my husband's Lutheran Church, and, since he and I both sing in the choir, we had to attend both services that morning. That afternoon, he and our son had to attend yet another funeral, this one for my husband's co-worker (and son's chemistry teacher) who had died on Friday after a long battle with cancer. My husband said that he never wants another birthday weekend like this one. All he did was go to funerals.

Halloween itself worked out really well, however. Our daughter went to a party early in the evening and then TOTed with a church friend in the friend's neighborhood later, so she had a blast. We had lots of TOTers at our house, and my husband manned the candy station long enough for me to take a half-hour stroll down the "destination street" nearby, where every homeowner vies with every other one to see who can have the most amazing yard haunt. It was like a block party or street carnival, very festive. So I was happy.

I took my yard decorations down yesterday, as a storm front is pushing through today. We lit our jack-o-lanterns for the last time last night, as we grilled outside. They still looked great.

[Pumpkin_Man]

I'm sorry to hear about all those funerals your husband had to attend during the weekend. I know how sad that can be. I had to attend a funeral of a co worker of mine on Nov 1st. She was killed in an accident while vacationing in Mexico.

My decorations had to come down yesterday, too. I normany take then down on the 3rd of Nov, but I have a late night photo shoot tonight, and tomorrow, and then on Saturday I have to start my Christmas cleaning, so last night was the only time I had to get everythign taken down and put away. I lit my Halloween "spookies" for the last time on All Saints Day afte I got home from my co workers wake, and then I attended All Saints Day Mass, and then I lit a fire in my fire place and roasted a couple of hot dogs to give Halloween of 2011 a good send off.

[Jack Skellington]

I'll be lighting my Jack Skellington head tealight holder all year round. (Except when i'm woking night shift, but every night i'm at home it'll be lit)!

Sorry about all those funerals your husband had to attend Murf!

[Pumpkin_Man]

The only Halloween things that I do year around is watch horror movies, and I have this tiny ceramic jack o'lantern in my bathroom where I store razer and tooth brush. I turn the face towards a wall when it's not Halloween, and I turn it towards the frond when it's the Halloween season.

Of course, this web site and my plans for next year are allways there, too. And let's not forget the observance of "Little Halloween," which 2012 will provide us with 3 oportunities to observe.

Mike

[Pumpkin56]

My Halloween was fine. It always seems like the build-up is better than the actual night because I make all these grand plans and while everyone in my family is more than happy to participate, no one seems to want to help out. I went with my niece up the block to TOT but I was informed later that her mother was a little miffed that she preferred to hold hands with my sister and I instead of her. I guess she felt like we were intruding and she was in a territorial mood or something. It was bizarre and confusing to me because I'm thinking, 'what difference does it make?' All that mattered was that my niece had fun but I guess somehow that got lost

I didn't have as many TOTers as I would have liked, but given that it was on a Monday, I kind of expected that. The ones I did have seemed to really like my pumpkin patch and I got lots of compliments on my jack-o-lantern army and animatronic scarecrow I was a little disappointed that no one seemed interested in the scary movie that I had playing (The Wolfman) and although my sister and I planned to watch Trick r Treat that evening, we never got around to it. I put a lot into the preparation and everyone seemed to have fun even if I was slightly disappointed in how the night was going. I suppose if I were to give my Halloween a grade, I would probably have given it a C+

[Jack Skellington]

My Halloween was fine. It always seems like the build-up is better than the actual night because I make all these grand plans and while everyone in my family is more than happy to participate, no one seems to want to help out. I went with my niece up the block to TOT but I was informed later that her mother was a little miffed that she preferred to hold hands with my sister and I instead of her. I guess she felt like we were intruding and she was in a territorial mood or something. It was bizarre and confusing to me because I'm thinking, 'what difference does it make?' All that mattered was that my niece had fun but I guess somehow that got lost

I didn't have as many TOTers as I would have liked, but given that it was on a Monday, I kind of expected that. The ones I did have seemed to really like my pumpkin patch and I got lots of compliments on my jack-o-lantern army and animatronic scarecrow I was a little disappointed that no one seemed interested in the scary movie that I had playing (The Wolfman) and although my sister and I planned to watch Trick r Treat that evening, we never got around to it. I put a lot into the preparation and everyone seemed to have fun even if I was slightly disappointed in how the night was going. I suppose if I were to give my Halloween a grade, I would probably have given it a C+

I agree with you, as long as your niece had fun, it doesn't really matter who she went with.

We also had compliments on our Jack O'Lanterns - that's always nice!

Can't wait for next year though!

[Murfreesboro]

Did your niece's mom not go along at all? Or was she only upset because her daughter didn't hold her hand?

See, as a mom, I have adored TOTing with my kids. This Halloween was the first time since 1990 that I hadn't done that. However, I was just delighted that my daughter did still TOT. She did it with her friends this year, in neighborhoods other than ours, but that's OK. I can't expect a teenager to want to go around with her mom.

Happily for me, we have a Halloween-mad street within easy walking distance of us, so I still costumed and strolled down it at the high of the festivities. That way I got to enjoy the Halloween celebration, even though I wasn't going up and collecting candy.

[Pumpkin56]

Did your niece's mom not go along at all? Or was she only upset because her daughter didn't hold her hand?

See, as a mom, I have adored TOTing with my kids. This Halloween was the first time since 1990 that I hadn't done that. However, I was just delighted that my daughter did still TOT. She did it with her friends this year, in neighborhoods other than ours, but that's OK. I can't expect a teenager to want to go around with her mom.

Happily for me, we have a Halloween-mad street within easy walking distance of us, so I still costumed and strolled down it at the high of the festivities. That way I got to enjoy the Halloween celebration, even though I wasn't going up and collecting candy.

I think she was just irritated that the little one didn't want to hold her hand

[Murfreesboro]

Well, that's just silly insecurity on her part. Your niece obviously loves you and appreciated the time you were spending with her, but no one is ever going to replace her mother in her affections--not as long as she has a good, loving mother, as I'm sure she does.

[Pumpkin_Man]

I don't know what the situation in your family is, but in my family, a visit to an Aunt or an Uncle's house is something that only happens once a week ro so. Kids live with their parents and see them every day. It's a "special treat" when they get to go visit Uncle Pumpkin Head or who ever, so they tend to milk it for all they can get. The mother should have been a little more understanding fo that.

Mike