Happy Halloween!

Well, the holiday season has officially arrived.  Our family, or more specifically my daughter and I, have a well orchestrated collection of traditions beginning with Halloween and Dia de los Muertos.  In past years my daughter has hosted a costume party on or near Halloween which involves smoke machines, decorations, scary music, scary food and scary movies.  I opt out of the scary movies (I'm too much of a chicken) and take care of the trick or treaters.  We keep a tally each year of the number of  trick or treaters and I spend the evening fretting over whether or not we have enough candy (that's part of the tradition too).  Dia de los Muertos  (Day of the Dead) is a Latin tradition honoring the dead.  We erect a small alter with pictures of the people in our lives who have passed away to honor their memory and celebrate their lives.  My daughter usually spends several days constructing an alter or Ofrenda, complete with colorful candles, skulls and pictures.  As my children grow, I realize how grateful I am to have holiday traditions each year that bring us together.