Halloween 2011 - Passing Out Candy

I set the pumpkin out at around 5:15.

The first trick-or-treaters didn't come until 6:45. We ran out of candy at 7:15. About 30 kids come to the door during that time.

Dale and I went to Pepitos for dinner after we closed the house down. The skeletons you see below were on display in the main dining room.

Halloween 2011 - Setting Out the Candy

It's about 5 p.m. The candy's been set out and we're just about to open up for trick or treaters.

Halloween 2011 - Happy Halloween

Halloween 2011 - Halloween Candy

Went to Walgreen's today to pick up candy to pass out tomorrow night. My favorites are Snickers and M&M's.

Halloween 2011 - Pumpkin Carving

This was one tough pumpkin. Still, I think he turned out pretty well even if I do say so myself.

Halloween 2011 - Treehouse of Horror

Watched the Simpsons tonight. The episode was the gazillionth Treehouse of Horror.

Spooky Sounds

We had this recording when Sam, Pete and I were kids. It was released in 1962 but I remember listening to it in the 1970's. It was full of spooky sound effects and I loved listening to it at this time of year.

Halloween 2011 - Plastic Pumpkins

Was at Walgreen's the other night and there was tons of Halloween stuff on display. These plastic pumpkins have been around since I was a little kid.

Halloween 1970 - Sam's First Halloween

1970 was Sam's first Halloween. Here he is with a couple of pumpkins.

Halloween 2011 - Squirrels Keep Attacking My Pumpkin!

When does it end?

Halloween 2011 - The Great Pumpkin

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown was on t.v. tonight and what a trip down memory lane it was to watch it. All the themes of the comic strip were there - Charlie Brown getting rocks in his trick or treat bag and just never being able to catch a break, Linus and his existential questioning and trying to make sense of the unknown as he waits for the great pumpkin, Snoopy's sense of playfulness as he pretends to be a World War I flying ace and his sentimentality as he listens to Schroeder play the piano, and Lucy, well, let's just say Lucy didn't look out of place in her witch costume. As a kid I loved watching this special on television every year.

Halloween 2011 - Squirrels Attacked My Pumpkin!

Halloween 2011 - Card for Emma

Halloween 2011 - Card for Xander

Halloween 2011 - Card for Abby

Halloween 2011 - Card for Cairic

Halloween 2011 - Card for Cashel

Halloween 2011 - Card for Calvin

Halloween 1974 - Halloween Candles

As a kid I liked having Halloween themed candles. The top two pictures I found online after doing a google search. The candle on the top left can actually be seen in the photo of me as a clown and Sam as a leopard. It's on the far right on the radiator cover. I seem to remember having some candles that were similar to the ones pictured on the top right. The bottom photo is of Halloween 1974.

Halloween 1977 - Halloween Shopping

Joe, Pete, Sam

Mom would take us Halloween shopping once per year. This usually involved heading to the Woolworth store at Southdale in Edina. Southdale, by the way, was the first enclosed shopping mall in the country. Where else but Minnesota, huh? Anyway, I loved going there and looking at all the Halloween costumes and Halloween decorations. The above photo is from Halloween 1977 and shows Sam, Pete and me dressed as pumpkins. Mom made the costumes. In the room we're standing in you can see some of the Halloween decorations that we bought. We'd always get a few new ones every year.

Grandma Alice

Not often, but once in a while, I found myself in Two Harbors around Halloween. This is where my Grandma Alice lived. She always passed out candy for Halloween. The other day I found myself in an antique store and found these little bags for sale. Grandma Alice had some just like these. She'd stuff them with candy to pass out to trick or treaters. Of course she'd give my brothers and me a bag even if we weren't staying for Halloween itself.

Halloween Masks

While shopping yesterday I came across these masks. Mom used to take us Halloween shopping years ago at Woolworth's at the Southdale mall in Edina, Minnesota where they sold lots of masks like these around this time of year. I wasn't really a mask kind of guy so I never wore anything like this but I loved looking at them in all their bright colored splendor.