It's Halloween again and I could not be more excited about it.
You'd think a mom who teaches healthy eating and doesn't allow candy in the house would be horrified by this holiday.
But it's quite the opposite this year because I feel like I've so got it under control. Yes, my kids love candy - I mean LOVE candy - more than most, I think!
But even though they are obsessed with candy, they still choose to trade it in for toys {AKA a trip to Target} each year. It's a problem no matter which way you go about it: candy and rotten teeth or toys and a greedy, material driven excitement? Oh man! Welcome to motherhood, negotiations and letting kids make their own choices, right? Either way, we can't avoid the holiday. We can't live in a bubble and pretend the holiday doesn't exist and let's admit - it's SO fun to dress up and laugh and tell scary stories and watch horror movies. It's THRILLING!
I like decorating the house with all sorts of scary decorations. We start early and just overdo it with the icky creepy dead stuff all month long.
Like all of the holidays, I want the boys to start traditions and create fond memories but not around food per se instead the experience as a whole.
It seems around these holidays we focus too much on junk food and less on the experiences and feelings that are being had. In other words, it's NOT the candy the kids love so much {they do love it though, don't get me wrong} but the experience of collecting the candy, dressing up, being outside when it's dark, cold nights, community, friends, family, laughter and all the feelings around the holiday as a whole.
Hot apple cider and warm chili stir up a lot of Halloween time memories for me.
Stockings, peppermint, the smell of pine trees and hot chocolate remind me of Christmas.
Family, walks in crisp cool air, fallen leaves, lighting the fireplace, vegetables, and toasted pecans remind me of Thanksgiving.
All these smells and decorations bring back the feelings created during holidays - it doesn't have to be unhealthy cupcakes, candy and turkey. You {as a parent} are in charge of these traditions {not society, your mom, your grandma or your aunts or your kids} - create new ones and keep some of the old ones, too. Think about your values and desires for your kids - to implement your own personal style of memories and traditions for years to come.
For us, we focus on costumes, spooky stories, warm comforting {but healthy} foods, and then collecting candy to eat, share and trade in for a toys.
I'd like you to meet Skelly {This is the day we met}.
He's become a member of the family - this time of year.
He wears all kinds of different clothes and hats and masks.
We think he even walks by himself at night and makes himself tea and snacks.
He even was in the car at one point - with his backpack and hat on - ready for school.
He loves the computer and tries to watch TV.
My kids still can't figure out how he does these things and we laugh about it everyday:
Where is going to be this morning?
Happy holidays!
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