I’m not a huge fan of trick or treating, there I said it! I love decorating the house up with scary things, choosing pumpkins (from Aldi this year!), dressing up and Halloween food. It’s the knocking on doors that I don’t like. And the cold hands, tired legs, worrying about the sweet overload and wondering if enough “pleases” and “thank yous” have been said.
Its become more of a ‘thing’ over the last 10 years, with more and more houses decorating, with skeletons, bats, pumpkins, lights, cobwebs, smoke machines and much, much more.
We have a little tradition now, we dress up and meet Mr T from work in our costumes and take some photographs before it gets dark. Then we visit Nanna’s house, before walking down the street trick-or-treating until we get home. Its just far enough to go to without overloading with candy or tiring our little legs.
I have to admit that once I am out on the street with the kids I have a brilliant time, it’s always better than I expect. This year the weather was mild, and the atmosphere on the street was one of just pure excitement, you could feel the buzz in the air. Lots of children were shouting Happy Halloween to each other as they passed, and everyone seemed to be obeying the unwritten rule that you only call at houses with pumpkins or decorations outside.
My favourite part of the night was when we returned home, and put our pumpkin outside (the one that had been carved by Mr T at the very last moment) to welcome the tricker or treaters to our house. We said the children could be in charge of opening the door and they made us really proud. They said Happy Halloween to everyone, they commented on costumes they loved and they were really polite and helpful.
Gone are the days where we shut the curtains and hide in the dark hoping that we don’t hear that knock, but really it’s nice to be involved and be part of the community. We moved schools just over a year ago, and the children spotted a few of their old school friends they really enjoyed.
Halloween
What a difference a year makes!
These are our photographs from last year. I can’t believe that Ava is now wearing the costume that Amy wore, and Amy is wearing Lily’s old cat costume. Where did my cute little pumpkin go? She has grown so much!
Bonfire Night
Last year we missed bonfire night when Amy had hurt her elbow, and we told it was broken when we took her to the hospital the following day. On our next visit to the hospital, we were told it was okay (and not broken), but afterwards, the x-ray showed that she had fractured it.
This year we decided to buy tickets to an event and WOW it was amazing. Ava loved the fireworks, she fell asleep on the way there and I thought she might miss them, but she woke up just in time. She loved watching them whilst in the Tula carrier, nice and close to mummy. It also made me feel a hundred times better knowing she was safe and not at any risk of wandering off in the crowds!
We made a huge flask of hot chocolate, squirty cream, and a packet of chocolate finger biscuits to share to warm us up when we returned to the car. Amy loved drinking her hot chocolate with squirty cream!
Time really races by so fast, it’s crazy how much difference a year makes. I am so lucking forward to these next stages of our lives, with Ava and Amy a little older and our adventures a little bigger. At the same time I know I will miss these days when hot chocolates with squirty cream are their favourite treat and fireworks/sparklers the highlight of their night.
Gosh, what a difference a year makes! They look so grown up compared to your photo from last year. Sounds like you have a lovely balance for Halloween, we’re still firmly in the ‘trying to ignore it’ stage for trick or treaters. I like the community side but I hate the idea of knocking on strangers doors etc. Still I agree, it’s getting bigger and it’s lovely for the kids to be involved! Looks like a fab bonfire night as well, the sparkler shots are perfect! #livingarrows
It’s crazy how fast they grow, we stayed at that stage for as long as we could manage it! I still don’t really like knocking on strangers doors, it still feels odd. But saying that its much better now the people who want to join in have pumpkins outside, and we know we aren’t disturbing anyone ill or elderly, that would be awful!
The kids look absolutely awesome in their spooky costumes ! I love Halloween but I send hubby trick or treating with the kids as it’s my least favourite part. I’m happy at home answering the door and dishing out the candy. It looks like you’ve all had a wonderful time this year. Have a great week x #LivingArrows
The trouble is that Mr T feels the same, so we make each other suffer it together! Thank you 🙂 Hope you have a great week too xx
Oh how amazing are those costumes! The kids look fantastic! I’ve never been a massive fan of trick or treating but we did take little monkey out on her first trick or treat outting this year to surprise some of our family, it was lots of fun! They really do grow up so fast!
Thank you, hope your little lady had a good time dressing up! It’s really crazy how fast they grow xx
Wow a year is a huge difference when it comes to kids isn’t it! Gorgeous photos! We took ours this year but only to houses that were obviously celebrating Halloween. Looks like you had a fab time xx
We do the same, it’s our rule and the children love spotting houses that are joining in. At least we know we aren’t disturbing anyone ill or elderly. I remember when I was young a few of the elderly people used to dread Halloween and I felt so sorry for them. Hope you have a lovely week x
I love their outfits, especially the matching ones, so cute! I’ve saved my daughters costume, can’t wait to see her little sister in them next year x #livingarrows
We have saved ours too, I hope we have at least 1 cat next year too! I really think its lovely when clothes are passed down to siblings! Thank you xx
Such gorgeous photos! And oh my word they really have all changed so much in the past year haven’t they! x #LivingArrows
Its crazy, but it happens so gradually that I don’t think I really ever notice until I look back, I guess that’s the beauty of photographs! Thank you xx
These photos are so fun! I’m loving the Halloween outfits! #LivingArrows
It feels like we didn’t really put much effort into our costumes this year, but I think pulled it off in the last few moments. We only bought Lily a new Halloween outfit, but I still love the cat outfits, and the children wear them all year long! Thank you x
I feel very much about Halloween as you do – but the children absolutely love dressing up. We haven’t been trick or treating with them though x
We first took the children years ago with their cousin who is four years older and its been something that they have remembered and looked forward to since; we can’t really escape it now! I think I like the dressing up part best, they wear their cat outfits all year. I loved yours and Athenas matching Halloween dresses!
I’m not a halloween fan. Thankfully N hates dressing up, although he did want to go trick or treating this year (to his gran’s, until I told him he’d have to dress up. Easily averted). They look sweet though, and so funny to see last year’s photos to compare #livingarrws
Haha, glad you managed to avert! We had some trick or treaters which didn’t dress up here, some children really don’t like it, I don’t think I did when I was little because it felt uncomfortable!
They look amazing! We did trick and treating for the first time this year, but only because we moved to a small village and we knew everyone we knocked on x
I bet that was much better, with fewer houses and more familiarity. My SIL moved to a village and said the same thing. We have 3 members of Mr T’s family who live on our street, people joke we are taking over! Hope your girls had a lovely time, I loved your photographs x