By Julianna Ruiz
LifeAtStart.com Repoter
The air outside is crisp and the sun has already begun to set. The shadows are long, and the wind whistles softly through the trees. The house before you is littered in skulls and pumpkins, spiders and their webs. Stabbed into the dirt is a cute, spooky little sign that reads ‘Happy Halloween’.
You enter the house, joining the party. You turn your nose into the air, inhaling the scent of Fall. The air is warm and the whole house is buzzing with Halloween spirit. You say your hellos and sink comfortably into the homey fall atmosphere. Children run around the living room, half their costume sitting with their parents, waiting to be shown off. The parents chat distractedly, awaiting the night’s candy adventure.
“Can we go now mom?” a tiny, sandy brown haired girl asks.
“Yes. I guess I have made you wait long enough.” the mother smiled, saying it in her sweetest mommy voice.
The kids slip into the rest of their costumes and stand eagerly by the front door. Jumping up and down in excitement, their parents bundling up for the long Halloween night ahead. The first step outside they are greeted with a gust of fresh air. The night air nipping at their noses. They pull their hoods tight around their faces, their cheeks flushing pink in the freezing wind.
Enthusiastic children dash back and fourth, their parents chasing tiredly after them. Fallen leaves crunch underfoot as parents and children make their way through the neighborhood. Before anyone knows, bags become full and tiny feet begin to ache. They trudge back home, where hot chocolate and a warm dinner awaits.
The kids gather on the floor, admiring, comparing, and trading their best or worst scores of the evening. Giggling freely, and sharing tales of scary encounters and spooky run-ins, as the night begins to end. Full tummies, warm hands, and sleepy eyes consume the house. The night closes thickly around All Hallows Eve and it’s time to lay the kids in their beds. The candy is hidden and the costumes are stored away. The parents sigh, exhausted, glad this only happens once a year.
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