Five Tips for Halloween

Halloween is the child’s New Year’s Eve, the mother of a friend of mine observed, and it’s true. A night starry with a number of significant points: unlimited candy, free candy, dressing up, roaming around, staying up late. Some kids spend most of the year anticipating Photo/Jill Cornfield Halloween, but mine don’t. Ned occasionally pipes up with a costume idea in July or wonders in September if it’s almost here, but he doesn’t stay on message for too long. And Alex, of course, ignores the whole thing until it’s time to dress up. It’s a good thing we make our own costumes in this family, because I don’t think Alex (a boy who refuses to wear any trousers but khakis these days, who for about three years would wear any t-shirt as long as ...