My favorite page of Southern Living magazine is the last page, which has, for years, contained editorial pieces filled with language that evokes memories and inspires hopes and dreams. In the October edition, Rick Bragg bemoans the fact that vampires are replacing the traditional symbol of Halloween, the “punkin.”
Bragg says, “Halloween has always been, to me, a time to smile at things that frighten us…,” and I totally agree.
My own memories of my long ago childhood Halloweens are filled with happy times. We dressed as pirates and gypsies, and majorettes and football players. I always had a noisemaker – some metal box that would spin around on its plastic axle and was painted black and orange. We went from house to house in large groups, sometimes accompanied by a parent or two. The most frightening thing was when someone secretly skipped a stop, ran ahead of the group, and jumped out from the bushes to scare the rest of us.
Phooey on all the blood and fangs and frightening horrors of today’s Halloween! Fortunately, there are many in our town who feel the same way. We have the sights and sounds of the Halloween of old – friendly and welcoming, celebrating the harvest and ushering in the holiday season.
If you visited my town this time of year, here are some of the sights you would see.
a welcoming greeter
more signs of the season
a porch full of costumes
Schools decorate for the season, too:
school spirits
A trip to the farmers market brings more seasonal delights:
bountiful harvest
scarecrow Willie
Our town celebrates Pumpkinfest annually, with sights such as these:
signs of the times
Many businesses decorate scarecrows to compliment what they are selling:
a swampy scarecrow at Puckett’s Boathouse restaurant
a pumpkin tree
gathering treats from downtown merchants
And we are all waiting patiently for the big night:
too cute for a costume
Happy Halloween!
Pumpkin lovers unite!
fireflytrails 
How fun! And I love Scarecrow Willie! Your town looks like a very welcoming place to visit!
Your town looks like a place that embraces the excitement of the season! I love the pumpkin tree. In Stormville, where I live, the holiday is mired in goons and candy; however, I have “pinned” that tree image. I might just have to do that next year!
It seems to a fantastic place to live and raise children.
While I’m not a Halloween fan, your town’s decorations bring smiles to my face. Thanks for sharing.
So many wonderful displays. Your town definitely feels like a place where the magic of Halloween is alive and well!