Halloween

You know what is amazing to me about Halloween? How elaborate some people get in decorating and or dressing up for it. I mean there was one house I saw last night that had everything from a mad scientist to poker playing goblins, flying ghosts to fog machines and grave yards. It was cool and all and I am looking forward to seeing what they do for Christmas...I hear they go even more out for Christmas. Some of the costumes were pretty simple a what do I have in my closet or a what can I do with hairspray type thing. But there again some were amazing. But it wasn't the kids ones that I found most fascinating it was the adults who took the time to dress up that had some of the best costumes. There were, of course, the playboy bunny types, the jailbirds, and the witches out there most of whom were out with their little bees, bears and princesses. You also had your rock stars, zombies, and political figures ( scariest in my book) all out there enjoying a night to remember their youth. I am old enough to remember when you could give out home made treats and if you were lucky enough to get a homemade treat you could eat it. I remember homemade popcorn balls, candy and caramel apples, even cupcakes and cookies. Now we were living in Singapore during much of the time I was trick or treating age but I remember having fun and being worry free until one year in the late 1970's ( maybe 76?) some wacko in the US put razors( or was it straight pins?) in the treats ( I believe it was apples) they gave out and then the next again it happened someone did something mean and nasty then suddenly in the 80's I remember (we were back in the US by then) all the hospitals were offering to x-ray your kids candy suddenly what was a safe fun activity was scary and became kind of out of style for most. Churches and others started having thing fall festivals with trunk or treats so your little ghouls and goblins didn't have to risk their life going into neighborhoods (80's also saw an increase in crimes against kids) We lost a lot of our innocence when we lost Halloween of the past...
With Halloween being over it is now time to fully embark on the lovely stress filled "holiday season" Thanksgiving is just 26 days away with Christmas just 28 days after that. Where has the year gone?