Traditions

Traditions are like royal icing on a special birthday cake, an afternoon at the movies on a rainy day or a trip to a museum with a good friend. They're the potatoes you serve with your favorite pork roast recipe. You expect certain traditions to be there and when they're gone you can tell something very important is missing.

As a kid, one of my tippity top favorite traditions was coming back home after a wild frenzied night of trick or treating. I used to be really good at trick-or treating. I could cover a vast expanse of territory in a short amount of time. I didn't waste my time on tricks. I was all business.

I arrived home loaded down with treats. My sisters and I would each mark a spot on the living room rug and pour out our treasures. In my mind's eye this lasted for hours. We'd comb through each and every peice of candy. First we'd put our candy in like piles. The nestle crunches together, the snickers side by side, etc.

We'd chat about all the places we'd been. How we thought one neighbor was so cheap she only gave out one little sweet tart or single dum dum pop. We'd talk about the old lady on the corner who gave out full-size candy bars! We talked about her as if she were the most rich, generous person in all the world! We'd say how scary a particular house was decorated or we'd wonder why some houses had no lights on at all.
Then we'd begin our trading. NYSE would have been proud. I ended up with a hefty portion of my most favorite candies. I got rid of the ones I didn't much care for.
Tomorrow night my kids will continue our tradition. My oldest feels too old to spend it with his mom and younger sisters so my husband will bring him to trick or treat with some friends. It's ok, he'll still want to meet us back at the house afterwards for some good trading time. My girls and I are going to share pizza and cupcakes with candy corn and drink apple cider before we head out to trick or treat.

I am so grateful for traditions. They make life a lot easier. There is always something special to look forward to.
I have jumbo chocolate chip cookies in the oven right now for my farm delivery. They will be delivered first thing Wednesday morning. It's becoming a new tradition!