It's that chilling time of year again, when all sorts of ghosts and goblins wind up rounding the corner and scaring the beejessus out of you, fun times to be sure. Walking around our neighbourhood lately, we've been amazed at how expansive (not to mention expensive) Halloween has become vis-a-vis the prep work involved. I won't even mention the aisles in the stores dedicated to these events.

Almost every single house is decorated, inside and out, with not only a spooky window here, but a creepy yard there, and a walkway and front entranceway that is indeed worthy of a few camera pics. Neither one of us recall families going to these great big lengths in our youth-dom. And the expense ? Temporary Halloween costume shops rise up on every street corner a few weeks before the big event with unbelievably over priced costumes on the rack. Combine that, with the cost of the decorations and the over-priced bags of candy... now THAT's enough to have you digging a grave...

Haven't all events escalated into gargantuan proportions lately ?? Valentine's Day ? I won't even mention Christmas. I guess I'm discovering how insanely old-fashioned I am in that isn't it, shouldn't it, be all about family and time spent together ??

I am admittedly a lover of celebrations (hence the very fitting name of Banyan for our home), and one who will find any excuse to make a celebratory food feast to be shared with friends for any and all calendar holidays, but especially non-calendar occasions. This year we are having a private celebration-à-deux. The plan is to have a hauntingly good time feasting on a fantastic meal while watching some not-so-spooky movies (Mothman Prophecies, The Fourth Kind) perhaps, and Dave will be happy to hear he won't have to dress up.

And all this makes me wonder how we will celebrate next year on our 40 foot Banyan ? Hang a ghost-sheet from the mast ? Where will we put the Christmas tree? I don't quite think that the galley oven will fit our usual turkey en famille and I'm sweating even thinking about basting a turkey under that hot Carribean sun. And the "en famille" will be a whole new way of doing things...

Superstitions vs Traditions on this one folks. Scream your way through a most haunting Tricking and Treating time !!