I LOVE Halloween. This isn’t a new obsession. It started as a kid. Something about dressing up as something as someone I’m not… When I was younger I was a pirate, a cowgirl, and a punk rocker. 

I’m happy to report that my love of Halloween has seeped into my home. Did I help facilitate this love? Yes. 1000%.  And, I’m not sorry about that at all. 

Every year, I have a little pre-party before the kids all go trick or treating. Typically, we have a house full of neighborhood kids and families, and the place is buzzing. And this year, my sister is here for the Halloween fun. 

I like to make spooky things like hot dogs that look like bloody fingers or stuffed peppers with spaghetti dangling from them that look a lot like brains. I usually do goodie bags for the kids who come over too. But, the truth is that as these kids are getting older, the idea of a “goodie bag from Jersey’s mom” probably isn’t as thrilling as it used to be. So, this year, I’ll put together cute containers so kids can choose what they want. I’ve picked up fun things like spider rings, pumpkin glasses, fake fingers, and glow necklaces.

One of Jersey’s friends, who has trick or treated with her since four years old, gets so excited about Halloween night at our house. That alone makes me want to step up my game every year.

I love Halloween, and I‘ve been thinking a lot about why it makes me so happy… 

It’s so much more than the idea of fun costumes and treats. Everything about the entire week makes me happy.

I believe that it is all the wonderful memories associated with it that have made me latch onto it. 

One memory that always makes me smile is how, when we were kids going back to Saturday morning league, my Grandma Betty would come dressed up like a witch. She had such a great sense of humor, so what made her costume especially hilarious was that she would add a big, fake booger hanging out of her nose. Then, she’d always go to the counter and fake sneeze, asking for a Kleenex. I just told Jersey about that the other day and even the retelling of that story made us both smile. 

Overall, the real gifts of Halloween are the memories, the experiences and the sense of community created by it.

To have an annual celebration that encourages generosity and kindly interacting with strangers is another part of what makes Halloween special. Sugary candy aside, I also think there is something powerfully symbolic in the gesture of giving something nice to a stranger knocking on the door, as well as being able to receive something from a stranger. In this world we’re living in right now, having a day of the year that is fundamentally about generosity, happiness, and connection to strangers is important.

That entire experience is something I love about Halloween.

Community is another aspect of the Halloween experience that I love. As I’ve written about before, John and I have settled into a tight-knit community in Chicago. This community has become a bit like an extended family. Throughout the year, we have so many gatherings – from Halloween to New Year’s and more. And this month, everyone has been getting into the Halloween spirit.

Overall, our community steps up and puts in so much effort this time of year. All of my neighbors have such incredible Halloween decorations outside. A few doors down, a neighbor has a huge, larger-than-life skeleton. Like, 12ft high! It’s the kind of thing you look at and think, “Man, that’s awesome! I wish I had one in my front yard too!” 

The truth is that people put up those kinds of decorations for the benefit of others. They are for others to enjoy. They do it for the community and to help inspire people to feel a certain way. And I love that so much.

I also hauled stuff down from our attic to decorate the front of our house. Jersey gets so excited about decorating. We put out fun things like a giant skull on my front door. 

So, all that effort decorating is about contributing to the feeling people have – my kids and the rest of the community.

And becoming part of this uplifting community has been so fulfilling — for our entire family.   

I’ll also say I’ve been incredibly grateful these past few months for the warmth within this neighborhood.