I think if I were a kid, or I had a kid, I'd be frequenting the come-lately Harvest Parties that are now all the rage. Several years ago I volunteered at a Trunk-or-Treat at my church in California where the parking lot was full of cars decorated in various ways. All kids had to do was stroll down a couple lanes and their bags were overflowing with pre-screened-for-safety sugar bombs -- then they could hike over to the moonbounce or rockwall, grabbing a hot dog and cotton candy on the way.

I've sat at the kitchen table working all evening, getting up sparingly to hand out candy to the 25 or so hearty souls who've braved the brisk night air and I found myself wondering -- what are you doing wasting your time in a neighborhood? Half the neighbors aren't even home! Of course, we would have turned our lights out ourselves, but there's this new thing in Boise where the sexual predators are supposed to have their lights out...

There were a couple cute kids, several giddy teens and the standard smart aleck:

Smart Aleck: That's the scariest costume I've seen all night.
Me: I'm not wearing a costume.

...and always the ever-present, watchful parent waiting down on the sidewalk. Do you remember the Halloween scene in E.T.? That's how I remember Halloween growing up. You could wander the neighborhood with your little gang of friends and your parents didn't need to worry about you unless you weren't back by 9.

Ahh, the good old days. :p Well, at least I'm continuing one tradition -- my mother always signalled the beginning of the Christmas season by playing Christmas music on Halloween. I've had mine playing all night:

Just hear those sleigh bells ringaling
Ding, Ding, Dingaling Dooooooooooo