2009 update: Not only is it a great excuse to eat candy, but we get to turn back the clocks 1 hour tonight (either that or get to church an hour early tomorrow). Doubly sweet! Better yet, we moved this year so I can try my stupid joke on new kids. And it is Reformation Day and the weather is beautiful! This is shaping up to be the 4th best day of the year (after Easter, Christmas and birthday).
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I like giving out Halloween candy (or Reformation Day candy, for those who oppose any costume/treat activities on October 31), but when our door bell rings 100 times then the dogs go nuts 100 times. Trend analysis is not their strong suit. One good thing is that this conversation gets repeated often:
Little kid: Look at the doggies!
Me: Actually, they are cats dressed up as dogs. Great costumes, eh?
Little kid: Really?
The reactions are pretty consistent. Little kids: laugh or look confused, adolescents: laughter, teens: (sometimes reluctant) grins. Try it if you have pets, free of charge.
Fortunately the production only lasts a couple hours. I just sit around playing my guitar in between visits.
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Variety bags of candy always seem to have something objectionable in them. It is a conspiracy to dump their bad candy by packaging it with good stuff like Butterfingers. This year one bag had Almond Joys and another had chocolate Laffy Taffy. I’ll have to sneak those into their bags or my house may get egged.
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My wife bought the movie Alien for the girls to watch. I heard a great comment on that last year. Most horror films (I’m not a fan of the genre, BTW) leave you saying to the characters, “Get out of the house, you idiot!” But with Alien that wasn’t an option, so it made it scarier.
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Here’s a good perspective on Halloween and Christians by one of the most conservative blogs I read.
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The dogs. Or possibly the cats.
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Some oldies.
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For your parody pleasure, this is a great send up of The Shining by The Simpsons.
Eternity Matters 
We put up a baby gate and let the dogs wander around the house with the door open.
I’ll have to try your line about cats dressed up for halloween. I love it!!
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Thanks for sharing Neil. It is always fun to see others having fun.
Edgar
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(Laughing) That’s a good line.
My dad always buys candy that he likes. Sometimes, my stepmom buys boring candy, and he gets all upset. His rationale is that he wants to enjoy any left-overs; of course, you need to be sure you have enough, so he buys extra.
Then again, this is the same guy who gives out beers to the dads, so whaddya gonna do. 😉
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Ha! Beers for Halloween parents? I bet you had one popular house!
I bought some “bad candy” over a decade ago and I’m still hearing about it.
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(Laughing). Yeah, well, the dads were hanging around outside while we handed out candy. My dad asked if the parents wanted candy (because we have good candy), then asked if they wanted a beer. Then he started handing out beers to the cool parents. 🙂
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Those pics are REDONKULOUSLY prosh! And those puppy dorgs are killin’ me. When I get a house (someday, oh the dream!) I plan to rescue a couple greyhounds. They are such beautiful animals.
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So very cute Neil! You are truly blessed with these precious children!
I have a friend who loves dogs, particularly greyhounds. She has rescued several greyhounds over the years, and when one died a few years back it was difficult for her. But she just goes on and rescues another.
Loved the pic with the hand in the left corner! 😉
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Hi Neil!
I know I’m slow to arrive at the party … but those pictures are cute! Also, I completely understand hoarding the Heath bars!
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Those ARE awesome dog costumes! Man! Those cats should win a Halloween Prize or something 😉
You kids are adorable! Thanks for sharing.
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Haha, jokes that you can repeat all evening long are the best! I wont be handing out candy this year as we are living in a gated apartment complex, but maybe it is for the best… our pumpkins melted (melted???) a couple days ago. They only lasted 4 days before being taken by the humid San Diego coastal air.
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Those pictures are ADORABLE! I had a 3-year-old Sleeping Beauty Princess, a Pablo from Backyardigans (which looked perfect on my 5-year-old, as he has great cheeks), and a Batman. 11-year-old is too cool and bored with the whole thing.
I’ve noticed the same thing about lame candy in with the good stuff.
I wore my Luther is my Homeboy” t-shirt in honor of Reformation Day.
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I often say to my wife during horror/suspense movies when she is telling the people what to do – “Honey, if they weren’t that stupid, we wouldn’t have a movie”
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Ha! I need to remember that to share with my oldest daughter.
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Cute story! Love it!
We didn’t do Halloween with our children for years, but when my youngest got it in her mind to dress up, I let her celebrate Halloween with a group.
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thanks for the interaction over at Beneath the Cross. I checked out your site and I enjoyed it. I have added you to my blog roll.
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Thanks! I enjoyed as well. Great blog of yours. I’ll be adding it to my reader.
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Some good Halloween tips from Marie — http://theo-geek.blogspot.com/2009/10/is-halloween-kosher.html
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