I really enjoy Halloween. In fact, I enjoy it more now than I did when my girls were at the trick-or-treating age. Then it seemed as though there was always the pressure of getting costumes put together (with the hope that the idea that sounded great last week will still be a hit two days before the big night), pumpkins carved, candy bought, class parties planned and pulled off . . . I was exhausted before it even got dark on the 31st! It didn’t take too many years before my husband and I were trading off which of us “got” to go on the rounds of the neighborhoods escorting our princesses, cowgirls or clowns. Our enthusiasm for such jaunts waned in direct proportion with our daughters’  increasing stamina in seeking out candy further and further abroad. It also didn’t help that, living here in the Northwest, Halloween was almost always soggy AND cold. Once Jenny and Sarah grew out of that stage (as well as beyond the teenage “I wonder what they’re up to tonight” stage), I really got to enjoy the best part of the holiday: handing out candy to all ages of kids in all kinds of cute/imaginative/clever costumes.  Of course, the best in my opinion are the ones who are old enough to really relish the evening and love showing off their disguises–usually the four-to-eight year-old range. Younger kids often are too shy (or tired or confused) to do more than stare at you while their parents prod them to “Say ‘trick-or-treat’!” (and I often wonder if they aren’t just using the poor tykes to satisfy their own sweet tooths). Older kids seem mostly intent on getting to the most houses as quickly as possible to be able to brag about getting the biggest haul. At least most of those who are middle-school aged and younger still make a good attempt at costumes and make-up (certainly fueled by dress-up day at school). I admit to being a bit resentful of the big high school louts who show up at my door without an even cursory attempt at a costume, towering over me with often sullenly snarled “Trick or treat”s (and usually well after everyone else has gone home to count their piles of Baby Ruths and Butterfingers). No, not even they can spoil my enjoyment in interacting with the Ninja turtles, lady bugs, Little Mermaids, monsters, pirates, dirt bikers and Darth Vaders that ring my doorbell. They glow with pleasure at my compliments and comments about their outfits, and they will often drop delightful little tidbits of information that leave me chuckling long after they’ve passed on to the neighbors’ houses. “My sister wore this last year, and she got sick in it, but my mom cleaned it and it doesn’t even smell!”  “I was an angel but my wings fell off so now I’m a bride.” “I’m Alicia and I am a monster and I have three eyes and my brother is . . .” That one is going to be a politician someday. I hope you had a very Happy Halloween, and don’t get sick from all that leftover candy (anybody got a Three Musketeers bar you want to trade for a Mars bar?)! Patty Vanikiotis, proofreader