Looking Back on Halloween...

Here are a few random tips that made Halloween run abit smoother at our house:

We visited the pumpkin patch yearly, but it took me awhile to realize I shouldn't carve the pumpkin immediately. Pumpkins rot quickly once they are carved. I learned to use a felt-tip marker to decorate the pumpkins a week or two ahead of time and then carved them on Halloween night.

Go Green! Use the whole pumpkin! One year I made a pumpkin pie from the rind. That gave me a whole new appreciation for Libby canned pumpkin!
We saved the seeds to roast. I would refrigerate them when we carved the pumpkin and roasted them a few days later.
Quick Recipe:
Wash and drain the seeds. This is a messy, tedius job but do it at least once with your kids so they appreciate the whole process!
2 cups pumpkin seeds
2 Tbsp butter or oil
1 tsp salt
Saute for 3 minutes in a skillet until all the seeds are coated with butter.
Bake for 30 minutes. I usually baked them longer to get the seeds crisp.
Eat them up!

I served pancakes for dinner the night of Halloween every year. It really cut my kids' appetite for sugar!

We tried to have the kids stick around and answer the door several times before heading out for their treats. It helped them to see the importance of thanking the giver.

The kids could 'pig' out on candy the night of Halloween. I monitored their selection after that. I offered to 'buy' candy from my kids. They willingly 'sold' me what they didn't want and I put it into a big jar that we had out for the babysitter to munch on. They liked having some spending money rather than all the candy once they got used to this plan.

I know Halloween has changed alot since my kids were young, but I still think it is a great time for fun. Focus on their imaginations and get involved!