A (s)POOKY Season Tradition

When our first grandchildren were toddlers, we decided we wanted to host a night of halloween fun to spend some more meaningful time with them other than just trick or treating. We invited them to the very first SPOOKY NIGHT! Well, sweet Penelope, our eldest grandchild, couldn't quite say her S sounds so she called it POOKY NIGHT and Pooky night it has always been.

Jeff and I, excitedly prepared a blanket fort filled with bowls of brains (cooked pasta), eyeballs (peeled grapes) and electric paper lanterns and candles for the perfect ambiance. We told (not so) scary stories, ate fun ghostly treats and let them win in monster mash musical chairs.

Our Spooky blanket fort. Blankets draped over the hammock.

The squealed with delight, their eyes big with wonder as we played and enjoyed our time together. It was a simple night that created lasting memories. It quickly became a highly anticipated event as each year we added new food, more grandchildren and activities. Family members who lived far away would plan their trips to be able to attend! It has become a very big deal. Every year is a little different. Some years are full to the brim with new spooky ideas and creativity, some years are more mellow with tried and true traditions and some years are so busy Pooky night is packed in along with Halloween night festivities but all of them leave a lasting impact of togetherness.

I found this decoration that came with 2 blocks: An "S" and a "Pooky". We, of course, only display the "pooky".

This year, I didn't have the time to decorate full out like I usually do. I had ordered a few extra of our paper decorations from Sugar Maple Trading Company and had intended to add them to our collection but that ended up being all we did. I thought it looked pretty fun until the grandkids came in and exclaimed "WOW GAMMY!! You went ALL OUT!". I laughed. Here I was thinking it wasn't enough but they loved it. It reminded me that simple can be just as impactful. Consistency in our celebrations matters more than having everything just so.

We had an amazing Pooky night this year. It was slightly stormy and less activities than normal but lots of laughs and giggles as we played card games and chatted the night away. Here are some of the our spooky foods. If your interested in hearing more about Pooky night, give a listen to episode 28 of our podcast to learn more about how little traditions can promote deeper connections.