Treat.

I discovered something. If I don't go into Halloween stores - Halloween is a lot more fun.

I have a lot more money in my pocket.
My head is not full of bizarre images of horror or sexualized kids costumes.
My home is not full of plastic junk that will inevitably end up in the landfill.

Pulling a costume together from the dress up pile or closet is really funny and usually more creative.
The kids might not always be on board with that but ordering online or making it still allows me to skip the madness of the store.
Actually my kids were on board - I just couldn't pull off a realistic dinosaur so I purchased one.

We walked passed a Halloween store and the six foot 'Jason' figure at the door was enough to cause the two year old to burst into tears. I know that some people love that stuff but can't it be in the back so the 'littles' can get by mentally unscarred?

That experience aside - we had a great Halloween. We carved pumpkins and roasted the seeds. We trick and treated without scary incident. We overdosed on candy.
We like to do a family theme so this year we were the Flintstones.
Listening to a sleepy two year old muttering Yabba Dabba Do! in her car seat on the way home was priceless.

I am always aware that this is it - my children's childhood and I feel the weight of responsibility to 'get it right.'
If I do say so myself - job well done.