The Great Pumpkin, and other Halloween myths

I was planning to write a spooky, carefully crafted Halloween monologue today, but the inspiration escapes me.  Halloween was always my favorite holiday.  One that embraces childhood and fun, without getting too commercial.  Sure, we buy costumes and candy, but it always seemed to be an equal opportunity fun holiday.

Long before I had kids, I would drag the husband to the pumpkin patch, carve pumpkins, and decorate the house.  Somehow this year, I forgot to do these things with my seven year old.  Bad mom, I know.

So what changed?  Too busy with football season?  Have I done all these things too many times?  Should I consult a therapist about the all too painful memory of the perfect jack-o-lantern that was smashed 12 years ago?

Halloween, like most things in life, is eventually jaded. 

Love taking the kids trick or treating... but they have school the next morning. 

The best costumes will usually leave your child complaining they are too cold, or they will destroy it in the first mud puddle they find.

Candy leads to the argument of how well teeth were actually brushed.

My daughter is allergic to peanuts, so 1/3 of her candy is a loss anyway.

Jack-o-lanterns get smashed.  Houses get egged.  Someone steals all the candy in your bowl.  Half the neighbors turn their lights off.  Some of your neighbors don't even celebrate, leaving you to explain how this holiday is super fun, but some people think it's evil.

And every year, without fail, Charlie Brown gets a rock... again.

Ugh.  Happy Halloween.