Halloween is a favorite time at our house.  It's a time to let your inner id out to play and get a little crazy.  Hey, the world can be a scary place, so Halloween is the perfect time of year to really get into the spirit of spooky gouls & scary stories with children, knowing its all make believe.  Kids love it - so let's do it up good!  What was your favorite costume?  Do you remember when witches, devils and sword carrying pirates were embraced at school parties?  Sadly, much of that is now banned.  To me, Halloween is pure fun and I think it's deserving of a.....

Joseph Phelps Insignia Cabernet Sauvignon
Insignia is full of black cherry jam and allspice aromas, with luscious notes of boysenberry, ripe plums, toasted oak and tobacco. The exceptionally elegant mouthfeel coats the palate with layer after layer of tannin, followed by a lengthy, textured finish containing sweet oak notes and a hint of blackberry.

BOO!

Readers Note: A recipe for peanut butter eyeballs follows this blog. Its a family tradition in our house and a neighborhood favorite!

Remember when you were a child, picking out your Halloween costume?  What did you want to be?  A witch, a ghost, a werewolf or a pirate - or how about a princess, a scary goul or a vampire?  Those days are gone in many public schools and around the country, kids are no longer 'allowed' to dress in costumes deemed scary.  Sad isn't it?  Many can't dress in outfits that are politically incorrect (my youngest was sent to the bathroom to take off his mother's bathrobe & a wig a few years ago when he dressed like a desperate housewife).  You can't even be a SuperHero in my children's district if your hero uses a weapon to fight crime.  Wow - this makes me really sad. The political correctness of our schools is robbing kids of an American tradition!

Today, this would be completely Verboten!

But here's the rub: I've never seen a greater attempt to sexualize our youth, especially the girls at Halloween.  Little Brittney Spears' flocked the hallways a few  years ago, wearing their store-bought bare mid-driff costumes and shaking their little booties.  Is this an outfit you'd buy your daughter to wear in elementary school?

Let's see - when I googled little girls costumes, this is what I got.  Would you let your child out of the house looking like this?  What was the Art Director saying to these girls as they posed for this ad?. "Come on honey, get your inner freak on".   

Even the grown up costumes are all about being sexualized when you shop at stores.  They seem to go hand in hand, but consumers drive the industry so what does that say about the evolution of Halloween?  Why is the combination of make believe identities and sex so alluring.  Ok, nevermind.  I get that.  But it would be nice to shop with the kids in a store that doesn't blur those lines. 

Now don't get me wrong.  I loved all my costumes as a kid, but as I got into junior high and high school, the costumes morphed to funny and bizarre. A toaster, a mannequin and a box of Cheerios.  Once I got to college, things got even funnier!

College halloween parties were the best!  My freshmen year I had a date that went as a spoon.  His two roomates were the fork & accompanying knife.  They even painted themselves silver and bought out all the reynolds wrap at the local grocery store.  But it was all about hilarious, outrageous & using pure imagination.   By this age, totally inappropriate costumes get you bragging rights all the way through spring term.  It's age appropriate and I'm the first one to enjoy a good laugh - and we worked for weeks coming up with the right costume.  I give this next guy points for his....bravery.  But don't you kind of wonder where he got his idea?  Was he was sitting around, watching the football game one day when it came to him in an epiphany?  I hope he wasn't watching American Pie! 

The Delivery Man

or what about this:

This rocks!  Planning a team costume is so much fun!

I had a Simon & a Slinky - this is great!

So are you the type that looks forward to Halloween?  I know I am.  The Hubster and I go to at least one party every year.  Last year we won "Best Costume" by going as a pregnant nun & a priest  (a pic is on my site).  Yup, not politically correct - but worn with a sense of humor and a great respect for the serious side of the faith.  Then there's the scary costumes.   The gross ones where everyone makes that face:

This is usually followed by sincere flattery and total "How'd ya make that" kind of fascination.  Costumes like this:

A  headless number of  Mary Antoinette is great

Or how about the unexplained accident

Or how about a little mummy action?

A walking accident

Or the classic Zombie

Ah Halloween.  It's a smorgasboard of creativity, mixed in with a little ingenuity and oozing with personality.  Are you celebrating Halloween this year?  Are you shopping for that perfect outfit or are you at home, whipping up something special?  Do you have scary music creeping out an upstairs window? Have you paid your kids in snickers bars to  jump out of the bushes at neighborhood children? 

That just may be my house.....you'd just have to ring the bell & cry:

I wish these were around when my kids were babies!

Halloween Peanut Butter Eyeballs

1/2 C. peanut butter (creamy)
3 T. butter, softened
1 C. sifted powdered sugar
4 oz. vanilla-flavored candy coating or almond bark
20 M&M's in eye colors (blue, green, and brown)
Red and black decorator gel icing 

1. In a mixing bowl stir together peanut butter and butter. Gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until combined.  The mixture should be firm enough to shape  into a ball.  Add additional powder sugar if required.

2. Shape into 1-inch balls; place on waxed paper. Let stand about 20 minutes or until dry.

3. In a small saucepan melt candy coating (almond bark) over low heat.  Be careful to stir because Jill has burnt it in the pan & it smells! 

4. Using a spoon so you don't burn yourself, dip balls (one at a time) into coating. Let excess coating drip off peanut butter balls.    Place on wax paper.

5.  Before it dries, press an M&M  into center of  ball.  Voila!  It's an eye :)  When it hardens,
use the black and red icing to add a pupil and bloodshot eyes if desired.

** Note - before you hand these out to strangers, make sure to ask a parent if the child has a peanut allergy.