I love Halloween. It's second only to Christmas for me. There is a spooky, daring spirit to Halloween. Not the opposite of Christmas spirit, just different.

I enjoy seeing the kids in their costumes and handing out candy. Even though we hardly get any kids coming on our street and it does get boring sitting there for three hours, waiting. Still, I like sitting there in the dark, trying not to eat the chocolate and looking out into the night sky, thinking, absorbing the spirit.

I like the air on Halloween night. When we were kids my brother and sisters and I would all go out together. Whatever we dressed up as, it didn't really matter. Once my Mom got to kid #4 the costumes melded until we were all hobos. She did make costumes for each of us when we were young. I remember a princess that I was. One year I wore a grass skirt and Hawaiian style shirt and won first prize for my costume at the community centre.

My sister kept her angel wings from a Halloween costume. She even wore them in a Christmas school play later. My brother went as a hockey player more than once, he actually was playing hockey at the time. I don't really remember the costumes, just the fun of getting ready, looking forward to getting out there and then being out there.

There was always something in the air on Halloween night. An element of risk. That seems the best way to pin it into one word. Halloween felt like something could happen. Something unexpected and daring. Not so much scary but certainly fresh and exilerating.

The night would end with my baby sister and myself home first. The other two would stay out until the last house closed up for the night. They walked all around the neighbourhood and would come in after 11:00 some Halloweens. I'm sure they had more fun than I did. But, being the big sister means you bring home the little sister. I didn't mind too much. By 9:00 I'd already had time to feel the charge of Halloween. At home I could look for spooky shows on TV or the radio.

Halloween is still fun. It's still an adventure every year. Always, there is that element of risk. When you go outside taking a deep breath of that night air. Scanning the shadows, to make sure something isn't lurking out there. That Jackolantern's grin seems just a bit more spooky. Are you sure you left it sitting just that way on the step? It couldn't have moved, could it?

No, surely not! Halloween is just a bit of fun, right? Don't let it scare you.

Go out and get spooked.