Halloween ’26

Another season for the books. It is a month long celebration, the actual night is usually bittersweet. I am left with the joy of an evening well spent and the sorrow of fall being almost over, of pumpkins and fog, of fallen leaves crunching underfoot and beautiful decorations being rapidly replaced with red and green and Christmas things.

Halloween is wonderful not for the gore and ghosts that people sometimes want to celebrate but for the beauty of fall and the joy of dressing up.

We spent the evening in our small town, children turned loose to run with us parents trailing slowly behind. Not because they need watched but to share in the enjoyment of the night. They ran and shrieked dashing house to house. They disappeared inside of houses without a worry or care. They left us far behind as we old folk needed to sit and rest a moment watching as Halloween passed us by.

Children came and went as we tried to keep a basic count on the children we were supposed to have along trying to figure out who various extra masked creatures might be. Night fell and fog rolled in drifting over lights and decorations. Having covered most of the town and lost the majority of extra monsters we staggered exhausted back to the car, ready to be home to rest.

The children chattered excitedly recalling friends they had met and houses they had visited. No demons just joy. Plans for the next year. And sadness as we say good bye to the beautiful pumpkins, fall leaves, corn, all the best things in life until next year.