Halloween 2020 Style

 

Halloween in Madison is a very big deal.  Our yearly traditions include, a big BCCN (Badger Childhood Cancer Network) party, a Downtown Trick or Treat event, a neighborhood costume parade, and that's not even including the MAIN event, trick or treating.  Halloween this year did not include any of those activities.  What I adore about trick or treating is the community feel it engenders, chatting up neighbors and seeing classmates all dressed up.  And some people go ALL out, decorating their homes and wearing costumes, really creating a mood. I figured with the current raging pandemic, the usual vibe would be ruined. 

The Switch Witch is a concept introduced to me by my friend Jennifer.  Her son was allergic to just about everything, including corn (which is in pretty much every candy product).  She had her boys write to the Switch Witch detailing which toy they would like on Halloween night after trick or treating.  Then, the morning after Halloween the Switch Witch would have traded all the candy for a toy.  This year, Zibbi was really concerned about how she would be compensated with a toy if she did not have candy for the Switch Witch.  She has hypothesized that the Switch Witch magically turns the candy into a toy.  Last year, Zibbi began to cry when she dropped her bucketful of candy in the middle of the street, she was so worried her Switch Witch payment was destroyed.  All that work.  Luckily, all the adults formed a human chain to make sure no automobiles ran over the candy or people collecting the fallen candy.  This year, the Switch Witch wrote a note explaining that everything is different this year and thus she hid candy and already gave out toys, but NEXT year she would expect her compensation.  

After waking up to such a surprising start to Halloween, where nothing much happens typically until night fall, Zibbi declared this, "The BEST Halloween ever".  She doubled down on the assessment when she received a boo bag (filled with candy) from Lotta's best friend AND from our neighbor.  Her mind almost exploded when she realized that she would get a toy AND get to keep the candy.  I will take that as a win.