FOR THE FIRST TIME in decades, I haven’t purchased candy to give to trick-or-treaters. It’s not that I’m a meanie. Rather, we have so few kids come to our house that it simply is not worth even flicking on the outdoor light. The candy I buy each Halloween typically ends up consumed by us. And we don’t need it.
Plus, some 15 area businesses, organizations, churches and schools are holding Halloween-themed parties for kids, enough to fill any kid’s candy quota for the year.
If you’re protesting, “but, Audrey,” I offer one more reason. Cost. Candy is expensive, especially the mini chocolate candy bars I choose. (Hey, I don’t like gummies or suckers or Tootsie Rolls.) Randy and I are living on a retirement budget. And we all know how costs have risen on everything. It’s a scary time to retire.
I find the loss in investments, the price of groceries, the childish behavior in DC, the horror unfolding in our country and around the world much scarier than anything Halloween-related.
The scary of Halloween rates as fun fright. And maybe that’s what we all need right now—scary diversions not based in reality.
If a lounging skeleton, a swaying ghost, a face in a window, Gothic art or whatever can divert thoughts from truth, then good. For a moment or more, the mind has managed an escape.
So Halloween evening, I will escape into When Books Went to War—The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II. I’m only pages into this nonfiction book, but already the burning of books by the Nazis is scaring me. The book ties nicely with The Librarian of Burned Books, a novel I read a few weeks ago. If a trick-or-treater rings my doorbell, I won’t answer. My mind will be elsewhere, plus I will have nothing sweet to offer…except a handful of chocolate chips.
© Copyright 2023 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Yes, the number of kids trick or treating has dwindled over the years, so we too no longer buy any candy. Back in the day, we’d take what ever was left over to work where others would eat it – thus sparing ourselves the temptation. 😉
That was a good plan, to take the extra candy to work. Quite the Halloween treat this morning, huh? Not ready for snow yet.
The night of reading sounds great. We don’t do trick or treat in our very hilly neighborhood but do trunk or treat instead. I missed that due to Theo!
I know you had lots of early Halloween fun with dear Theo.
This is the first time not handing out treats either on Halloween for us. The kiddos get plenty and this Halloween feels like it is going on day 5 or something like that with the weekend festivities thrown into the mix. Happy Halloween – ENJOY!
Halloween is definitely getting stretched out to like a week-long event here also. Yes, enough candy already.
Hello! I am trying to send an email to Audrey at Minnesota Prairie Roots to inquire about purchasing some photos. Roxi Wils
Roxi, I’ve edited your comment so as not to share your message and email address. Please go to my About page to find my email. You will see it behind YOU MAY CONTACT Audrey… Just replace the word “at” with the @ symbol. Type my first name before the @ and then type the remainder of my address as shown. I look forward to hearing from you.
Your book choices sound interesting; enjoy your evening of reading.
An exhibit about banned books at my local library prompted me to check out these titles.
My yellow bowl is filled with chocolate. We will probably have two maybe three groups of kids all night. My street is very creepy at night. I figure kids tough enough to make the trek need empty calories. Left overs are packaged in a zip lock bags and taken across the street to a house containing an indeterminate number of teenagers. Halloween is my favorite holiday.
I bet your neighborhood teens love the leftover chocolate. What a thoughtful idea. And, yes, I imagine your street can be a bit creepy at night.
We chose not to hand out candy too. We’ve been sick. No energy.
I’m sorry. I hope you feel better soon, Valerie.
I see nothing wrong with your decision to not hand out candy. We only had 6 kids last night and they all came at the same time. When our kids were little we had 28 littles in our culdesac, now we have none and we are at the bottom of a giant neighborhood of homes, nobody really want to come down to the first street…they all go up the other way. Your book sound interesting by the way.
Neighborhoods change. All the kids we knew are now grown up.