Halloween is a time for witches and gorging on candy (10/30/06)

I brought all my little witches out of hiding last week. They had been keeping company with assorted Easter bunnies and even a leprechaun but now they have been set free. They are clustered on a shelf in the kitchen where they can enjoy whatever cooking aromas my cauldrons (formerly known as pots and pans) produce.

Not a single one is dressed entirely in black. Only two have broomsticks and a couple are accompanied by friendly black cats. I don't think they know how to read or they would know that they don't fit the stereotype. There aren't even enough of them to form a proper coven. I suppose they could be considered a coven if you go by the second meaning in our dictionary, "a collection of individuals with similar interests or activities." By that definition, our book club is a coven!

I just have them because they are cute. Each and every one is a happy little witch. They are not at all like the witches in fairy tales. Those creatures are always grumpy and evil. They seem to live on a diet of small children in search of candy houses. Others get their kicks by locking up maidens in towers or casting spells that cause all kinds of mischief.

In spite of all their evil-doing one rarely reads about witches actually killing anyone. One would think that a lifetime of being mean would include death of some kind but it is always the witches who die.

When I was in third grade our teacher had a series of witch stories she read to us before Halloween. They were nice stories and the witch was a sympathetic character with a host of animal friends. If I could remember the name of the witch I might try looking them up to see if I still found them entertaining.

I have a witch book that I'm sending to Emma, my granddaughter. The gist of the story is that witches are afraid of humans because humans aren't green. It is a cute story and has a hidden message about skin color being irrelevant.

I don't think the characters in the book have seen my little witches as they are all different colors. Some have pink skin and some have green. One has a beige face and one looks like a bear dressed in costume. The only things they have in common are pointy hats and smiles. I'll take all the smiles I can get.

Gracie, the cat, keeps stretching towards the little group. I don't think she wants to play with them. It's just that they are standing in front of the cans of cat food that are her weekly treats. She much prefers to play with errant bugs or balls. Lately she has been seeing ghosts. Apparently they hide under the kitchen rug and she has to fly across the kitchen and slide into the rug to dislodge them. It has to be ghosts because neither I nor my husband can figure out what she is chasing.

Halloween brings out the witches and ghosts in our house and is a bit of frivolous fun. I rarely decorate for the holiday and the only celebrating I do is in indulging in a bit of halloween candy.

My little brother goes all out for Halloween. They frequent a campground close to home and every year they go trick or treating. This year they happened upon a giant mechanical spider that rose up into the trees. His entire family stopped and stared. Almost with one voice they declared, "We have to make one of those!" Knowing them, I have no doubt that they are capable of doing just that.

They have also vowed to take me to a haunted house next year as I have never been to one. This is mainly so they can make fun of me. They know how jumpy I can get. I am looking forward to it even though I don't much care for being scared.

Halloween is a time for a bit of fun before the dreary days of winter. What better way to celebrate than by hosting a tiny witch convention in the kitchen and gorging on candy.[[In-content Ad]]