Halloween, next to Christmas, is my favourite time of year. I love to dress up, trick or treat with the kids and decorate. I have always loved carving pumpkins and decorating the house even before we had kids. The few years that the smell of raw pumpkin gave me a migraine were the saddest few years of my life and I resorted to carving up green and red peppers. Aside; the green peppers were very cute and the littlest trick or treaters at my mom’s house were enchanted with them.
When Anthony and I moved to Vancouver we lived in a condo for the first few years an didn’t get any trick or treaters, but we still carved a pumpkin. When we lived in an apartment we decorated and got a few kids. When we moved to the townhouse in Vancouver we really expected some trick or treaters. Now seven years later we don’t expect any. We do however get the place decorated, the kids costumed up and leave candy out for whomever decides to come while we go out trick or treating with our two boys. Halloween, though fun before the boys, is so much more fun now.
Since Aidan was a baby we have taken time before Halloween to take pictures of the boys in their costumes. I love this tradition and I really hope they don’t grow out of it. We also have gone to the Richmond Country Farms Pumpkin Patch for the last 4 years. It is a little expensive but the boys have a wonderful time. This year, like last year, we are having Quinlan’s birthday party at the Pumpkin Patch. It is a lot of fun and has music, a maze and of course tonnes of pumpkins. This year we are adding the Stanley Park Ghost Train to our traditions.
The best of our traditions is our trick or treating ritual. We go down to a housing co-op near our place that is right next door to an elementary school. We usually drop off candy to some of our friends living in the co-op and then go around. We take lots of pictures and let the kids stay out a little bit later than usual bedtime. This is the best place near us to trick or treat because the co-op goes all out. They decorate to the nines and all the kids in the co-op and nearby elementary school are there. We come home with a tonne of candy and have hot chocolate by candle light and jack o lantern light before bed. Once the boys are in bed it is chocolate o’clock for the grownups, just like it should be.
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Disclosure: I am participating in the Allan Candy Company program by Mom Central Canada. I received compensation for my participation in this campaign. The opinions on this blog are my own.
Allan Candy Halloween treats are all made in Canada and are peanut free and their line-up includes: Allan Intense Jubes & Jellies, Allan Chewy Rascalz and Allan Fruit Buddies.