What To Do With Unwanted Halloween Loot?

Pumpkins, costumes and treats.

The shops make sure you don't forget about this upcoming event because they want you to spend money again on frivolous costumes and masks. Why can't we keep the same look for a number of years? Once a witch always a witch... Does anyone still remember what cloak of disguise was donned the year before?

The kids in our village do enjoy Halloween and the spoils that come their way. A few years ago I was privy to a conversation among a group of local boys ( ages of 7-11 ) discussing the amount of money they had collected the year before and how they meticulously planed their route for that year. They knew which houses were more lucrative for them to trick or treat...

Ever since we've been here Bob and I have stocked up on huge bags of Mars bars, Bounties, Smarties and chocolates because we didn't want to be caught out without anything to offer the Trick or Treat'ers. Suffice to say that by the 2nd of November of each consecutive year the two of us were hyper beyond measure from a sugar overload. How does one say no to an open packet of mini-mars bars?

The other day while we were at Tesco's in Hungary we saw a few young parents buying super sized pumpkins with their offspring excitedly hopping from one leg to the other in anticipation. Carving a scary face out of a pumpkin must be a highlight for any kid and a bit of a nightmare for their parents. Imagine cutting too much and having to redo a carving on another pumpkin?

Halloween is a sort of precursor to Christmas, cold weather and hot Glühwein. The start of winter hibernation, reading books and living life in the slow lane. A recharge indeed and a time to reconnect with the important parts of life...family.

Biggi