Halloween Etiquette

The boys were really pumped up about Halloween this year. They knew enough to be really excited about trick or treating. They knew that they were going to wear their 3 little pigs costumes. They knew that they were going to carry a bag and collect candy in it. They knew that John and I were going to walk around the neighborhood with them and that Keith was going to stay home to watch Shane and pass out candy.

We practiced saying "trick or treat" and "thank you" and "happy Halloween" a lot before Saturday. Unfortunately there were a few pointers that I forgot to share with the boys.

For example, I didn't tell them that you don't knock on the door knock, knock, knock, ring the door bell ring, ring, ring, ring, peer in the window, and then open the door and walk right in to people's houses.

If you manage to stay on the porch until the person opens the door you don't shove them aside and walk into their house like you live there.

You absolutely don't get to make requests about the candy that you would like to have. "I want M&M's, but not the ones with peanuts". "I want candy in a box". or "I want suckers".

When the neighbors hold the candy bowl out for you to choose from, be polite and pick one or two things. You don't take EVERY piece of candy in the bowl at lightening speed like you have never eaten candy before in your life. Otherwise your mom is forced to shout "only 2 pieces please" while explaining to the home owner that the kids were "in character" for their three little pigs costumes.

When the neighbors sit in their driveway or on their porch to pass out candy, it is not because their "house is broken". You do not need to keep asking everybody if they are sleeping outside because their house is broken. Daddy is not going to come over and fix their house for them either.

Finally, the last thing that we want to hear at 7 am on Sunday morning is "we forgot to trick or treat at those two houses across the street. Let's go over there right now and get some candy!".
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I met our new neighbors on the corner Sunday morning at 8 am. They are a 50ish year old gay couple from New York. I guess that they are technically not empty-nesters so it's a step up from the old neighbors, but not quite what I was hoping for. I was hoping that a young couple with 2-4 year old boys would move in. Instead we have Bill and I forget the other guys name and their dog "Cassidy". Somehow I don't envision them wanting to spend a lot of time hanging out at our house unless Cassidy want to come over for a playdate with Maggie!

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Shane is starting to sit up by himself. He is still pretty wobbly but it's a start.