Happy Samhain/Halloween!!

[Aquarius]

Let's start with Urban Dictionary's Word of the Day for Today: Deja Boo. I thought that was hilarious!

We don't get any trick-or-treaters in my new neighborhood, so I haven't bought any candy. The extent of my Halloween festivities are the Twitter RP party I dj'd for, having my nails done and painted orange, wearing my spooky kitty glow-in-the-dark shirt, and probably watching Zombie Land with my mom later.

As for Samhain (pronounced a little more like "sau-wen") traditions, my family isn't down with the "alternate religion" thing so most of my observance is likely to be private. I will likely go through with my tradition of making a meal to honor our dead--my family just won't know that's the reason I made it. Coco and Mr. Boo will be in my thoughts all day, particularly Boo since I had adopted him on October 30 ("Devils Night") in 1995, so Halloween-time always held special significance where he was concerned.

And that's about it for me!

So what about the rest of you? Taking the kids trick-or-treating? Parties? Scary movies? Observing the Sabbat? Tell us about all the fun you're having today!

[Honeybee]

I bought some candy, and I might get a few trick-or-treaters at the door! So, I'm ready.

I'm not dressing up. And my little Chihauhua has sadly outgrown his Godzilla costume.

But I've also got a netflix of the swedish vampire film "Let the Right One In" and am going to watch.

Happy Halloween/Samhain everyone!

My ex-boyfriend comes from Ireland - and a family of "sighted" people that were only nominally Catholic - and kept to all the old ways. This was what inspired my little Malcolm drabble. I heard from him that he's doing a few rituals in his apartment. He's got the "gift" too, you see. He just doesn't like to admit it!

Oh, and everyone should watch The WITCH MIX.

[crystalswolf]

We have our candy for the little visitors. This is the first year daughter's not trick-or-treating and it hurts a bit. Was the only childhood tradition she held to fiercely.

Other traditions broken this year, no Native American pumpkin and rice dinner, but thank goodness no one has died in the last year to set an honored place at the table. Last year our table was quite full.

Will probably meditate a bit before bed. Nothing big this year.

[Aquarius]

CW--would you care to share your pumpkin and rice recipe? Always looking for things with a more authentic feel to have at my traditional dinner, but I usually do a mixture of "favorites" of the departed. Problematic when honoring the cats since I can't see myself or my friends choking down Fancy Feast, but Coco and Boo did enjoy fried chicken and cheese, so those usually end up on the menu.

Tonight it was spaghetti (yeah, real traditional, right? lol) because that's what I had all the ingredients for without having to go out!

[Misplaced]

In a little bit we'll all be dressing up and hitting the neighborhoods. Obviously my husband and I won't be holding out bags for treats ourselves, but we're still going in full costume becaus that's how we roll here.

Last weekend we took the kids on a "haunted hayride" that was fantasticly frightening. Perhaps, even tramatizing to a couple of our brood, but well worth it. 2 hours spent in line. Whew! At least one guy (full-grown man) showed up in a perfect TOS costume, complete with phaser. I totally geeked out then.

Friday was the "haunted house" and games for the kiddos. Then last night was a "trunk-or-treat". I don't know when Halloween became a several-day experience, but I'm enjoying it!

[Honeybee]

So, what are you and hubby dressing as this year, Misplaced? And the kids?

[Misplaced]

What we go as every year: A Lord & Lady.



We made the costumes about 4 years ago. Yes, that is real chainmail (realish -- aluminum rather than steel) that my husband actually made. That is a real sword. (We're going to get him the proper boots eventually.) I sewed the rest.

This is actually a photo from another year (though we looked the same this year in our costumes). The batteries were dead in both cameras, so I only took pictures of the kiddos this year with a cell phone. And they turned out, meh. My boys were superheroes, and the girls were all forms of princesses. LOL

I'm ready to try something different though. I might make me some Vulcan robes next year!

[Reanok]

Misplaced I like your costumes in that photo.

[EntAllat]

Wow! Great costumes! Even more impressive that you sewed those.

Halloween and Thanksgiving are my favorite holidays. Ever since I was a kid, I'd dressed up for Halloween and handed out stuff at the door -- until the late 90's when the crowds trick-or-treaters started dwindling and then just seemed to vanish. It seems to me there's less and less of door-to-door anywhere anymore and for me it's kind of sad; I loved surprising and entertaining the brief little audience at the door.

Nowadays I do the Halloween parties with my colleagues and friends, which is fun too since geeks come up with some of the most creative costumes!

[Kathy Rose]

Those are fantastic costumes, Misplaced. I envy your ability to sew something like that -- and your husband's for making the chain mail! I once saw a program on how that was done, and it isn't easy.

*sigh* My kids are too old to go trick or treating now. Yep. We used to be some of "those" people who live in the country who bring their kids into town for trick or treating. Now my kids go to parties with their friends to celebrate. And where we live, we don't get any trick or treaters... no close neighbors, no sidewalks, and a state highway is our street.