Halloween horror or natural happiness?

Now that the obsession of a holiday filled with tooth decaying candy has passed I feel safe to admit my true feelings on the day.

Let's face it, this whole eating healthy all natural, no processed diet thing was NOT my choice! Sure, I like the idea of being healthy, and want to do what is best for my family but seriously? no frozen pizza? no bag of honey bbq corn twists? NO THANKS!!!!!and how exactly do I celebrate a beloved holiday of candy, costumes and mischief? Don't get me wrong, I am embracing the new lifestyle with open arms and have felt better about myself and better about the health of my child since this started then ever before.

I love halloween, as a kid my sisters and I would completely transfrom the front room of our parents house on that special day, moving furniture out of the room, bringing special items to allow our "guests" dressed in costume and smaller than each of us the ultimate scary moment of knocking on our door that was clearly "haunted" if only they glanced in the window to see the glases of "blood" on the table and the bride of frankenstein floating in the dim light of the corner. Yes, I LOVE halloween.

The challenge this year was how to celebrate the day, give K the expereince of the holiday (especially since this was the first year we were not in the hospital of just released) without the candy that has obviously been rejected by her body. My solution, celebrate at a friends party Friday night in costume. Then on the actual day, invite a couple special friends over to party with her at home. Again in costume, but with activities that are VERY Hallowen centered but not candy focused. By the time her "party" was over she was exhausted and felt satisfied with her Halloween and not aware of the tradition of trick or treating she missed.

I hope this is the last year of avoiding it. I believe by next year she will be old enough to partake in the tradition knowing that any candy she gets will most likely be traded in for something safe for her to eat or a special toy. That is my hope.

There is a strange confliction of spirit doing what is best for your child while also feeling that by keeping them safe you are with holding important traditions from them. I am sure this will be it's own entry so I will not elaborate ont his one. Flexibility and creativity, that is the new motto of Holidays and all the forbidden foods that tag along side them. We have entered the fall/winter holiday season and this will be an often revisited theme.