Halloween for the Middle-aged

We have morphed this year - into parents of non-trick-or-treaters! Gone are the days of searching through our dress-up boxes in the basement for the right costume for a finicky five year old. Gone are the days of applying the sticky make-up for a dead soccer player. Gone are the days of rushing to the school with two and a half dozen orange frosted cupcakes for a class party which follows the traditional costume parade through the school halls.
Now, we have girls running off to teen-age costume parties, or helping with the neighborhood spook alley. The dress up boxes are still in the basement, but now I have a group of 12 teen couples - on a date - rummaging through them looking for the perfect silly or scary costume to wear on that date. And, luckily, Dan will always be a kid and heart - so we still have him!

He still sneaks into the Halloween candy days before the festivities begin, trying to look innocent as his cheeks bulge and bits of chocolate cling to his lower lip. On Halloween night he greets each and every trick-or-treater that rings our doorbell, asking, "Trick-or-treat??",  "...and what are you?", or, "OOHHH, you are SCARY!!, and, "I know you! You live down the street!". The trick-or-treaters love him and he loves all the little goblins who come begging for treats and candy. He jumps up each time the bell rings so that he is the first to answer the door (even though I made it to enjoy a few of the tiny goblins and their squeaky "twick-o-tweets").
I had imagined our first Halloween alone to be a quiet one, sipping hot cocoa while reading a good book, side by side in a darkened room with little halloween candles lending their ambiance. That, I now know, wouldn't have been any fun. It was a great Halloween just enjoying Dan enjoy the holiday! Maybe next year, we'll be the ones rummaging through the dress-up boxes!