Okay, that title sounds worse than it really is. I'm a Halloween hater, or maybe I was. I really can't find the draw in spending oodles of money on costumes that are worn for one day. I did like Halloween when I was a child, but I got to go door to door and get candy. Unless one had a phobia of candy or strangers, I can't imagine a kid who didn't love Halloween. So how did I get here?

Eight years ago, Al was working late on Halloween. I had to open the door and hand out candy to kids--never my favorite thing. A group of rather rambunctious boys came to the door and decided to have a wrestling match on my front porch. I opened the door to hand out the candy and they pushed and shoved to be first. They pushed me back into the house and then proceeded to wrestle in my living room! I was furious. I had to yell at them to stop--of course the parents weren't with them--and to get out of my house. They thought they were tough. They cussed and then proceeded to stomp all over my newly planted flower bed, kick the garage door, and attempted to break a porch light.

Now, do you blame me for hating Halloween?!? I'm still a curmudgeon. I refuse to hand out candy. I turn off all the outside lights. I put a note on my door that says "No tricks and No treats!" I have allowed my children to go door to door, but only for two blocks. They are young still and don't know that I may be cheating them out of the whole experience. But I'm not one to break that silence.

However, in the last two years, I've learned to open up a little bit at a time. This year Alyssa is getting ready for the first Halloween she'll remember. And she's already practicing playing the part. I can't deny her that.