Halloween

When I was a child, Halloween merely consisted of apple bobbing and church the following day. In the intervening years it’s grown hugely as an “event”, almost unrecognisable now in its commercialism. Although we didn’t go overboard when Miss Glis was a little girl, we always had a few scary cobwebs and a pumpkin so over the years, Mr Glis has developed a talent for pumpkin carving. But this year, ready for our local trick or treaters, he has surpassed himself. With a nod to his own hirsute appearance, he has created a vision of orangeness complete with curly moustache. 

Halloween

We may no longer have a small person living in our house but we can still participate in some Halloween fun as several  children on the street will be “trick or treating”  tonight with their parents.  The recent, over commercialism of Halloween is something that still sits uncomfortably with us but when it’s limited to small children dressing up as witches or ghosts  coming in search of sweeties, we actually quite enjoy it.  There’s a sparkly spider’s web on the front door, a small, carved gourd glowing in the dining room window and packets of sugary treats ready for distribution!

Halloween

Despite feeling exhausted after just 5 hours sleep last night, I’m still buoyed up with positive energy gleaned from Judith’s Halloween literary gathering in Cockermouth. As always, the food and company were excellent and the choice of poems and stories, well chosen.  The fire lit room provided a blanket of warmth to envelop us, shadows creeping from dark corners as we shared old favourites from Walter De La Mare, TS Elliot and Stevie Smith among others. I feel very blessed that I’m part of a generous, sharing community that takes pleasure and enormous satisfaction in celebrating the small things