Monday confessional

I have never carved a pumpkin in my life. 

I have also never trick or treated in my life. 

Shoot, I haven't even eaten candy in my life. 

Ha ha, YEAH RIGHT! But the first two are totally true.

I know, some people would find this shocking and even horrifying. But when you grow up in New Zealand, where Halloween is barely a celebrated holiday (I think I saw trick or treaters ONCE my entire childhood, and wondered what the heck they were doing dressed up), and it's actually spring there this time of year so pumpkins are nowhere to be found, it really was NO BIG DEAL. 

When we moved to Oregon, we (my brother, sister and I) were enrolled in a private Christian school that did not celebrate the holiday with class parties or a dress-up day, and we lived out in the country where no one came to trick or treat, so we didn't start celebrating the holiday then either.

And now my own children attend the same private Christian school, and live out in the country where no one visits to trick or treat, and we choose not to celebrate still. Did I ever feel deprived? No I did not. Do my children? No they do not. They've never once asked to dress up for Halloween and go trick or treatin'. When we drive through neighborhoods in town with decorated yards they say that they don't get what the big deal is and don't understand why people like ghosts and witches, or other scary things. 

Basically they have no idea of the candy windfall they are missing out on :)

But Kendall got to carve her first pumpkin last week at a friends and she loved it. It is sitting proudly on our front step and I think it's darling, so I think that is one tradition I am ready to begin with our family. 

Once I get over the grossness of the pumpkin gizzards that is :)