HALLOWEEN (Happy or Not)

For years I lived in a neighborhood where trick or treating was just too much work.  Up and down steep, curvy hills and the houses were far apart from each other.  In Oregon, it was also usually rather bad weather.  So we never got kids begging for candy (well, sometimes the neighbors ... 2 or 3 maximum).

Halloween in Maui is a BIG deal.  Our little neighborhood is the mecca for trick or treating.  It is flat.  We have sidewalks.  And the houses are very very close together.  It never rains (or snows). Last year was the first time we were on Maui for this holiday.  

Lots of people decorate their homes.  Several spend the whole month putting up stuff.  One city (Lahaina) has a giant outdoor party (often referred to as the Mardi Gras of the Pacific) where you can take a bus to and from ... if you enjoy the crazy madness of 30,000 out of control costumed alcohol controlled people.

We were advised by neighbors to have enough candy for 350+ children.  And we used every little speck of sugar on hand!  The young ones were so cute with many accompanied by parents who were also in costume!  The teenagers without costumes were annoying.  I resent giving them anything.  

Mr. Ralph had such fun sitting in the driveway with me.  He must have taken a photo of each and every person who came up to get candy.  Even asking their costumed parents to come closer so his iPhone would work.  We laughed and chatted and reminisced about our Halloweens past.  The neighborhood shuts down the candy at promptly 8:00 pm so then we joined our fun neighbors for a glass of wine.  And to watch their three beautiful kids reach a sugar high!

This year I'm going to join one of the parties or maybe hand out candy with a neighbor.  It's just not going to be the same.