I hate Halloween.  Except for the fact that I met my husband for the first time when he was  “Mr. Tomato Head”, nothing about it seems right to me.  It has become a holiday about sugar and candy and nothing else.  I’m all over holidays that celebrate food but I can’t see any actual food in this one.

It’s ok. I can take it. I have been chided for handing out whole grain crackers and pencils before. Funny thing is that the boycott that ensued pleased me.  I’ve tried finding healthier treats, at-least-there-is-no-transfat treats, oh, screw it, just give ‘em what they want treats…one year I hunted down bite-sized healthy rice crispy squares made with brown rice and salba.  (a neighbor told me they tasted pretty good, “like fish bait”). None of the options were quite right. If I were allowed to make homemade treats and hand them out, I would! I am happy with brownies, caramel corn and candy apples but that’s not allowed. I know there are psychos out there but the commercialization of this spooky evening makes me want to opt out all together.

This year, for the first time since I became an adult, I did try the curmudgeon technique.  My daughter did not go out (c’mon, she’s a teenager!) and I felt justified in pulling the curtains, turning off the lights and ignoring the door.  Here’s the thing-it also felt wrong.  We live in a very chummy neighborhood where all the parents are out, wine in hand, for the fun.  The community going on out there has more impact on keeping our kids safe from the psychos and speeders than any school board, church or town hall meeting.   

On the other hand, my family, under my imposing orders, felt scroogy and stressed. I thought it would be a relief.  Instead, we sat downstairs and watched 60 minutes and ate a few of the terrible commercial tiny treats I bought so J wouldn’t feel left out.  But she did. And we did.  Plus, we missed a chance to see our neighbors.

It turns out that I don’t hate Halloween, I love the fun and community (and Mr. Tomato Head) that it comes with. But I still don’t have an answer to the crappy candy debate! Has anyone ever figured out how to reconcile that? I’ll try someone else’s plan next year…

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Hallowed Halloween jazznlaughs 2010-11-07 01:11:07 I only have half a solution to this. The half is that it only works for the really little trick or treaters. To them we hand out non-food treats. This year it was little disney card games we got from cotsco (each cost the same as a mini-chocolate bar); last year it was little tubs of play-doh and the year before that it was stickers. As for the older kids, well, we give them a little of the junk food, as per tradition, and then let their folks sort it out. My kids survived it and though they are nostalgic, they generally have fairly healthy eating habits. I wonder if you could hand out packets of pumpkin or sunflower seeds; I'm sure I've seen them packaged somewhere...

Healthful Halloween Kristin 2010-11-07 03:23:54 I heard a couple of great hand-out ideas this year: trail mix packets (Costco sells smaller serving size packets) and dark chocolate squares. Hey! At least they're getting the healthful antioxidants!

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