Pumpkin Schmumpkin

Back in the olden days when I was a kid it seems to me there was just one way to celebrate Halloween. An idea for a costume was borne and I spent weeks trying to create it from items around the house. A pumpkin, which seemed to emerge magically, was carved and seeds roasted and enjoyed Then the finale. Trick or treating followed by chocolate indulgence. But I came up during the time when kooks began doing crazy things to candy and that changed everything.

Now, perhaps to make up for all the bad associations people have with Halloween, it seems like its a never ending production. There's this thing called "You've Been Boo'd" where you get an anonymous bag of treats on your doorstep in the weeks preceding and you're expected to duplicate this random act of kindness. Then there is the trip to Butler's Orchard which is a fall festival with petting zoo, slides, face painting and food. That's followed by school field trips to two different farms at two different times for even more fun and pumpkin picking. Then there are the parties at school including parades in costume. Doesn't that seem like a bit much?

Oh well I hate to sound like a Scrooge. That's for Christmastime.