Halloween is always a little different in Alaska. Usually costumes are bought a little (or a lot) larger than normal to accommodate parkas and snowpants. The temperature is a little 
lower (-6F this year...a new record low for us) and most of the houses a little more spread out (there's lots of land up here in Alaska). Carved pumpkins also last weeks as they freeze overnight after being placed outside and will really keep until spring if the temperature stays low enough although I wouldn't recommend eating it at that point.
The part that is the same is the free candy. 
The little packaged concentrated sweetness fills young hearts with excitement here like anywhere. Our kids look forward to the day certainly for weeks and they may have even brought it up in September this year. Dressing up is also fun, but really I think it pales in comparison to the sugar goodness.
Carol makes fantastic costumes which cannot be equaled. This year she was out of town for a bit (see NY post) and is trying to get a big program together at church, so the dress up for '08 was the box store version. I think there's a video in a previous post, but Beth went as Cleopatra, Isabel as a bride (changed 
Halloween night to Belle) and Owen as a knight (changed Halloween night to en elephant).
It was quite cold this year. Our previous 
Halloween record was -2F three years ago and this year it was lower. We made it down to -6F and I was pretty darn chilly, but the kids kept warm and probably gone for another hour of door-to-door. It did take a good half hour to get them all bundled up appropriately, but it does make for much happier kidlings.
The take from the trick-or-treating was actually much larger than I would have thought this year. We 
went to a decent number of houses, but from the amount of candy the kids brought home, it looked like 500! I think the houses were doing more handfuls of give outs than single pieces. The kids loved it, but it will mean a much longer on the sugar titration before the stash runs out.
Overall it was a great Halloween and I'm sure the kids are already looking forward to the next one. There's a small video posted below. Enjoy!
5 comments:
hysterical!!! LOVE the costumes! the pic of beth with her candy is just so funny! all she needs is a boa!! :)
Oh, the memories it brings back! Don't berate the box store costumes. Sometimes making them (while lots of fun) is pressure packed. Carol, remember, Oscar the Grouch, Ewok, Snow White, Cinderella - even witches? And trading candy with the sister and brothers. There's nothing quite like Halloween.
Wow. You are a lot nicer than I am. If it were that cold here I would have told my kids there would be no trick or treating this year. But then again, I am a huge cold weather wimp. (I'm still angry that I had to move back from St. George.) Great costumes too.
Wow! That gives a whole new meaning to the word COLD. That candy needs to be pretty yummy to motivate me in that kind of weather. I am so impressed! The costumes are adorable!
This warning might be a little late, but I noticed your gas light is on. You may want to fill it up.
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