My fantasy Halloween

Matthew sent me this cartoon last week.

I wrote back: “I wish!”

If you’re a new reader, you might not know that I’ve tried lots of things to
deal with this holiday. I love the costumes and macabre fun, and hate the
candy.

What has worked best for my family is that my kids go trick-or-treating, and
when they come home, I pay them $20 for the privilege of throwing their
candy away. My kids have never balked at this—they like money more than
candy.

If you have very small children or don’t have kids yet, remember, it’s not
wrecking their childhood if you opt out of the candy-collecting part of the
holiday, unless you decide to take them door to door asking for junk food.

I was raised doing it. And then I’d be sick for weeks after Halloween. I
don’t know what’s good about that rotten tradition.

Some friends of mine take their kids out to dinner on Halloween every year,
opting out completely and making their own memories in a different way.

Posted in: Relationships