| Halloween is just around the corner! It's time for | | | | trick or treaters, so we want them to know that |
| fun and festivities... without all of the gift buying, | | | | ours is a house that is ready for visitors. Of |
| wrapping and holiday baking that so many other | | | | course, we always have our carved pumpkins, |
| holidays bring. That leaves time for decorating and | | | | but we put out other decorations too. We put out |
| being with friends. | | | | a hay bale with mums and gourds on it. We put |
| There are a few Halloween gatherings with | | | | out some orange mini-lights and even some of |
| friends that my family and I look forward to each | | | | our clear twinkle Christmas lights. |
| year. The first is always a few days before | | | | Sometimes we put home made fabric ghosts on |
| Halloween...one of our friends has a family pumpkin | | | | the trees. We put a large plastic pumpkin head |
| carving party. She sets up tables on her patio and | | | | over the lamp on our lamp post by the street, so |
| everyone brings their own pumpkin and their | | | | it glows when the light is on, and we put a |
| favorite carving tools. We all also bring food to | | | | Halloween mail box cover on our mail box. We try |
| share. She has a pot of hot apple cider and the | | | | to pay special attention to the mailbox and lamp |
| fun (and sometimes competition) begins. It's a | | | | post area, as our front door is fairly far from the |
| great way to kick of the holiday. | | | | street. We want to be sure people see that our |
| Then on Halloween itself, now that our kids are all | | | | home is ready for Halloween visitors, so the |
| older and go trick or treating without an adult, we | | | | mailbox cover and lamp post decoration are |
| go to the house of the friend who lives in the | | | | especially important. |
| busiest neighborhood. (My oldest child stays home | | | | If you are looking to make your home Halloween |
| to hand out candy at our house.) The parents all | | | | ready, see for quality Halloween (and autumn) mail |
| have wine and hors d'oeuvres while kids come to | | | | box covers (as well as decorative mailbox covers |
| the door. We all go to the door to ooh and ahh | | | | for other holidays.) My mother always to make |
| over the really cute costumes. Then our kids | | | | every day a celebration... here's a holiday that can |
| come back and trade candy while the grownups | | | | be lots of celebration with very little effort; it's |
| try to get a few pieces of their favorite types. | | | | perfect for the way my mom urged me to live. |
| Unlike the way we approach getting our home | | | | Hopefully some of my decorating ideas will be |
| ready for other holidays, for Halloween we | | | | useful in getting your home ready for Halloween |
| concentrate our decorating efforts on the outside | | | | and perhaps you will try some of the ways we |
| of the house. After all...most of our guests are the | | | | celebrate. Have boo-tiful holiday! |