By: Kendra Anderson

As summer fades away our minds begin to turn to fall and all it holds. Many of us enjoy watching the leaves turn the wonderful colors of autumn, as green changes to beautiful shades of gold, orange, and brown. We begin thinking about pumpkins and scarecrows and Halloween, which of course means Halloween parties and trick or treating.

No matter if you live in the suburbs, the city, or in a rural area, you are sure to enjoy this time of year. Many people gather in large groups and build bon fires. They may even roast hot dogs or other goodies and spend an evening telling ghost stories.

Then of course there are the many festivities that include haunted houses and even haunted forests that visitors are charged a fee to tour. Ironically people pay money to walk through these areas so they can be scared by either live people or make believe characters that have been created solely for that purpose.

While some people want to take an active role in the festivities, others prefer staying home and enjoying the sites of Halloween night as the children dressed in their Halloween gear come trick or treating. But even these folks often get involved in decorating. The fact is that many people work hard at making their homes inviting in an uninviting sort of way for this unique time of year.

From the use of purple, black and orange lights to artificial headstones and monsters, some homes truly do look scary during Halloween. And it doesn’t always stop there. It is not uncommon to see the family members that answer the door dressed in Halloween gear. Sometimes even the household pets get into the act.

These holiday uniforms are carefully chosen. Believe it or not, many people dress up in a way that demonstrates a hidden personality trait or that emulates a favorite movie character. The fact is that Halloween is simply a fun holiday that can be enjoyed by old and young alike.