Fall and Halloween Traditions

I just wanted to share a new fall page. I picked up this digital quick page at http://freebiesandscrapsbymajula.blogspot.com/ Digital scrapping makes sharing my photos on my blog so much fun. We have been having fun enjoying the fall season playing in leaves, visiting the pumpkin walk, picking out pumpkins and then there are fun things to come this week with Halloween being celebrated.

One of our family traditions is to enjoy a mixed up dinner. It comes from a family home evening lesson we did once where there is a scavenger hunt each night for a week leading up to the dinner. We are now just doing the dinner. I place an invitation in each of my children's rooms the day before which reads, "Tomorrow night you're invited to the 'happily haunted house' to dine, so don't be late, be right on time. Mom is planning a special family night and using magic spells to make things just right! Right now, she's brewing her special brew... She's doing it all especially for you! See you tomorrow night at 6:00 pm."

On the night of the dinner they are presented with a special menu and a menu card where they list 6 choices for three different courses. Of course on their menu they don't have the items defined as I am doing for you. The menu selections are:

1. Jack the Ripper (knife)
2. Witches Brew (apple cider)
3. Haunted Hash (french fries)
4. Rat's Revenge (cheetos)
5. Black Cat Eyes (olives)
6. Scary Scooper (spoon)
7. Worm Delight (jello)
8. Cow Pie (sloppy joe)
9. Chip Off the Old Block (slice of cheese)
10. Owl Eyes (mini donuts)
11. Goblin Crunch (potato chips)
12. Stringy Scarecrow Blood (celery sticks)
13. Bat Wings (fruit roll ups)
14. Skeleton Bone (fork)
15. Chilled Vampire Blood (ketchup)
16. Broomstick (pretzel sticks)
17. Witches Fingers (mini dill pickles)
18. Pumpkin Curls (carrot sticks)

The kids sometimes remember what some of the crazy named things are, but most of the items are not remembered from the previous year. They are served the courses as they ordered them and it often means that they don't have things in the way that makes much sense. They love it! I usually do this meal the day before Halloween since the actual night of Halloween is too crazy. So we will be doing this on Tuesday night. I like to create atmosphere by playing spooky music in the background and eating by candlelight so that it is dim and spooky.