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Halloween marks the first stop on the holiday season highway. It is a time of great excitement and fun for young and old, with costumes, tricks and treats brightening up an autumn day. Hard core Halloween enthusiasts may spend hundreds of dollars each year on decor, costumes and other accessories. But what if there were a way to save on favorite Halloween items?

As Halloween draws near, homeowners decorate their porches with jack-o’-lanterns and make sure their scariest costumes are ready for the big day.

Halloween in 2020 figures to be unlike any other.

I wear a mask when out in public because that is what I (and we) are asked to do. The experts tell us that masks help stop the spread of COVID and I usually follow the advice of experts; they often know more than I do.

Educators are among the many on the frontlines of COVID-19. During a time of immense disruption, they are quickly adapting their teaching methods, testing new skills, and discovering solutions to advance learning in profound new ways.

Your neighbor is selling fashion masks. Your uncle – expert at everything – wears a sophisticated respirator with a valve. Your dental hygienist wears a medical mask. Your kid is running off to sports practice in a team-supplied neck gaiter. Is there a difference between these face coverings?

For most of the year, playing pranks on loved ones and neighbors may not be met with open arms. But attitudes tend to relax on or around October 31, when millions of people celebrate Halloween. For some celebrants, Halloween is as much about tricks as it is treats. But why are tricks even involved with Halloween? According to Smithsonian.com, the tricks played on Halloween can be traced to 19th century celebrations of the holiday. Even though Halloween can trace its roots back thousands of years to the Celtic countries of northwestern Europe, the notion that it was acceptable to prank one’s neighbors is a relatively recent addition to Halloween lore. Smithsonian.com notes that, in the 19th century, Halloween night was a time for pranks, and it was not uncommon for older children to jump out from behind bushes to frighten young kids. Communities were generally smaller and more closely knit back then than they are today, which made it safer to pull pranks on Halloween. However, as the United States became more modern and urbanized, the once-innocent mischief gradually transformed into mayhem, prompting many people to call for Halloween celebrations that were safer for young children. Modern Halloween celebrations are not nearly as mischief-heavy as those of centuries past, though many celebrants still find it fun to play a mischievous prank or two on their loved ones come October 31.

Many years ago, while hosting a Christian Coaches Clinic, North Forney Head Football Coach Randy Jackson asked for coaches to share something, not X’s and O’s, that had impacted their program. One of the attendees, a coach from Sulphur Springs, spoke about his “Coffee with Coaches,” a game day morning meeting where men from the community gathered with players and coaches.

Nutrition and Halloween do not necessarily go hand in hand. While many parents may go to great lengths to ensure their youngsters’ Halloween treats offer at least a little nutritional value, the bulk of costumed kids’ hauls still tends to be candy.

The economic downturn caused by the pandemic has created widespread housing insecurity for both renters and homeowners. However, advocates say that free and low-cost legal assistance and other support is helping people remain in their homes.

Halloween is a great time to indulge in horror movie marathons.

“It is far easier to forgive an enemy after you’ve got even with him,” wrote Olin Miller.

At birth we inherit the nature that Adam received when he disobeyed GOD and ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. We are seeing some of that nature being poured out on cities and country today. No matter how well we were raised or how good we live we all have that nature inside of us. I always thought I was a pretty good old boy until I started reading the Bible and received the Holy Spirit when I was saved. I soon learned what all humans are capable of. Every “GOODY GOODY TWO SHOES” in the world is capable of violence when put in certain circumstances. We all try to hide our “little” fibs and shady actions. We think that they don’t really hurt anybody. LOL.