Trick or Treat on Halloween

Halloween. It's the time of year when you get to traipse around the neighborhood and knock on doors for candy. Every stop means a chance for your favorite kind. You walk the streets in a costume you spent hours searching for or making in your room, with or without the help of your parents. It's the one time of year when it's acceptable to take candy from strangers. After a few hours of briefly visiting the neighbors with your friends, siblings, or parents, you go home and look over the glorious bounty of your haul.

Halloween Costumes and Parties

The entire day was fun when you were a kid. You went to school knowing assignments would end early so everyone could get into their costumes. When everyone was changed, it was time to pass out the candy. Everyone walked around the room leaving some type of sweet on everyone's desk. You were allowed to have food in the classroom. You got to dress up. If you were lucky, you had the coolest costume in the entire school.

More often than not, you would keep your costume on when you went home. Your parents might make you take it off for dinner, but that was just a minor inconvenience. You didn't even think about it because you were fixated on the candy you were about to score. Some kids used plastic bags, some used schoolbags, some used pillowcases. Sometimes you would get a brand-new bag specifically for Halloween and trick-or-treating.

Getting Candy from the Neighbors

It's the one time of year when it's acceptable to take candy from strangers.

You weren't out there for long. After all of the houses had been hit, you went home and checked out what you got. Maybe there was a trade to make. You got too much of something but not enough of your favorite candy. Try a couple of pieces before bed and one more on the way to school on the next morning.

Halloween with my Children

Halloween was a great time when I was a kid. It's fun today, but for different reasons. Now that I'm a parent, it's fun for me because of the things I do with my children. My two youngest children like to decide what I will be for Halloween. My costume includes a beard. Not a store-bought beard, but one that I grow. I can grow a good beard, and I proved that last Halloween when I was Hagrid at the behest of my children. This required me to forgo shaving for two years. It got long and did my best to make it look somewhat respectable and presentable. That's not always easy to do when you look like Rip Van Winkle.

Growing that beard wasn't easy. Beards can irritate your face sometimes. However, I sucked it up for my children. I'm a wonderful father. I just wish the people responsible for doling out the "Father of the Year" award would hurry up and show up at my house. I've been waiting a long time for my trophy.

Keeping Children Safe on Halloween

There are other things I do for Halloween with and for my kids. When they come home from trick-or-treating, I check the bags of loot and make sure everything is safe to eat. I love my children. Of course, there is also the "Dad Tax" that I take as a little reward for my parental duties. Not only does this benefit me because I get a little something for my efforts, but I am also doing them a favor. Too much candy is bad for your tummy and your teeth. By taking candy, I am making sure they don't eat too much and get a stomach ache.

I won't be home on Halloween. I will be at work dropping knowledge on my guests and entertaining them with my wit. Lovie will be on candy duty. I am hoping there will be a couple of candies left over for me to sample when I am done with my shift. If not, I can always see what the children have brought home for me - I mean - themselves. There is also the chance there might be some bonus kids hanging around, possibly for the night. Coming home from work on a weekend means there might be an extra child or two who will be sleeping at my house. That's something that doesn't require a holiday. Candy doesn't need a holiday either, but it's a nice way to celebrate.