Halloween is Coming!

Halloween is coming, then we'll see

Faces in the windows smiling at me

Candles on the door step shining bright

Oh, we'll have a good time on Halloween night!

Oh, we'll have a good time of Halloween night!

I think I told you last year that Halloween is and has always been one of my favorite holidays. My Mom tells great stories of Halloween from when she was a child during the depression, of mischief and pranks and a night that belonged to the children. I have fond memories of bundling up and going out with our wagon lined with an army blanket though the crisp fallen leaves in our neighborhood in the dark night in Maine.

We are busy preparing for Halloween, working on a space man costume. Over the years, the boys have been a gnome, pumpkin, a Continental Micronesia airplane, a lamb, a cowboy, ghost, vampire (older child) baker, prince, knight, Robin Hood.

We're having the story of the Sugar Sprite and preparing a drawing for her.

The Sugar Sprite

Halloween is coming and parents often want to avoid the huge consumption of candy that comes with trick or treat. When we began trick or treating some twelve or so years ago, I learned this story from a Waldorf teacher who heard it from another teacher. It has helped us manage the sugar load over the years and gives the children a sweet story of helping too.

As the weather becomes colder, the Sugar Sprite requires more sugar to keep her warm than she needs in the summer months. So, on Halloween, when children all over dress up in costumes and go to their friends’ and neighbors’ houses for trick or treat, they remember the Sugar Sprite.

The children sample some candy along the way while walking around in the cold night air, and choose some favorites when they arrive home, then they place their candy for the Sugar Sprite outside the front door before going to sleep with this verse:

 Sugar Sprite, Queen tonight

 Need sugary treats for your heart's delight?

Come to my doorstep, candy awaits,

Linger not at the garden gate.

Sugary sweets to warm you well,

to help you weave your magic spell.

Winter days are coming soon,

Keep warm 'til next Halloween moon.

During the night, when the children are fast asleep, the friendly Sugar Sprite comes, takes the candy and leaves a gift of thanks. The Sugar Sprite knows what all children like, but sometimes the children write letters or make pictures for the sprite about a week before Halloween so she doesn’t get confused as you can imagine she has to visit a lot of children to collect enough sugar to keep her warm through the coming winter.

We're holding off on carving the pumpkins because the rain disintegrates them if it comes after we've carved them.

What are you doing for Halloween? Any fun costume ideas you'd like to share? Say hello and leave a link below to your Halloween activities. I love to hear from you.