Halloween

The neighborhood yards have been transformed into graveyards, ours included. The rain began yesterday, so it's a real change of seasons as we move out of October. "It's the most wondrous day of the year!" I woke up saying. Sophie proclaimed it the best holiday of the year and both kids were ready in their costumes to get to school early. Let me tell you, that doesn't happen often.

Why? Why is this THE holiday? In our neighborhood, it's especially big, and kids and parents come from all the neighborhoods around to trick or treat on our flat, sidewalked, decorated streets.

It's not tied to anything religious, at least not in this country. People get to embody whatever character they want -- and often, the darker the better. My kids left as a Dark Skull Warrior and a Vampire. Anything goes. A house on our block is transformed into a haunted house each year, actually too scary for most kids -- those that go in come out crying.

Is it more about candy or roaming the streets in the dark, with access to every house's front door, and the only requirement to say thank you for the candy, at least when prodded with your parent's glow stick?

What IS it? I think that's what great about Halloween -- there's no hidden agenda or message -- it all flows from the subconscious out onto the streets, something out of our deep pagan past, and so satisfying.