Cancelled Halloween

Walking around the neighborhood tonight, I felt bad that I had assumed that Halloween would be cancelled this year because it almost certainly wasn't.  These are the things I observed on our late afternoon dogwalk:

1) People who prepared safe ways for kids to get treats, whether as simple as a bowl (with instructions to save some for others!) or as complex as a barrier, usually a table, with little goody bags for each trick-or-treater.

2) People who were having parties in their front or backyards, probably for neighbor kids, although I am always alarmed by the lack of masks.

3) People who prepared something out in front of their house, somewhat like a block party, but probably a kind of mixing of ways 1 & 2.

Perhaps I was too busy this week, or perhaps too lazy, but at some point either I or the wife decided we wouldn't take part in Halloween.  We would pull our window shades down & not turn the porch light on.

What we did do was go out for food - pizza & donuts - & what shocked me was the number of people - adults with children - in costume in the neighborhood.  Didn't they know Halloween was cancelled?!?

Or rather, didn't I know you just can't cancel Halloween?

So right now I am full of pizza & a giant donut feeling guilty about not even trying.  When we first moved into the house I talked about doing something spooky for Halloween.  I wouldn't have presumed to do such a thing this year.  & I don't think I would have anyway - but jeez, I could've had a bowl in front of the house or something.

Sigh.