Halloween Secret Santa

Yesterday in my driveway, something sparkly caught my eye. It was at the top of my driveway, sort of resting against the house in the rocks that surround the bushes there. It was one of those orange plastic pumpkins with the black handle that we all used as kids when we went Trick-Or-Treating and it had a couple of things poking out the top. Hmmm, I thought. Did someone get the date wrong and wanted to Trick-Or-Treat early but then decided they didn’t want their stuff and tossed it aside?

I opened the note that was also sticking out the top. “You’ve been BOO’D,” it said. Chain letter?? NO. Apparently there’s a “social committee” in the neighborhood (WHO KNEW?????) This is sort of a Halloween “Secret Santa.” COOL!! The note had a ghost on one side with the “You’ve been BOO’D” and on the other side the explanation:

1. Enjoy your treat/s.
2. Place the BOO sign (on the back of this sheet) on your front door.
3. Within two days, make two copies of this note/sign and make two treat buckets.
4. Secretly deliver the copy and treat bucket to two neighbors who don’t have a sign on their door.
5. Keep an eye on nearby front doors to see how far and fast it spreads by Halloween.

In my bucket (Libby, hand me your bucket) there was a box of “Fiddle-Faddle”, a Christmas theme note pad, and a little baggy of candy. It’s the thought that counts....(don’t eat candy, don’t like Fiddle-Faddle.) I love the idea of giving to our neighbors, and I especially like the “secret” part of the Secret Santa concept. I get to observe the joy of the person given to, without them feeling like they need to reciprocate.

Today at Target I stood in front of the trial size section and thought I’d get my goodie bag stuff from there, instead of candy. Soooo, I got toothbrushes, toothpaste, Kleenex, miniature first aid kit, Halloween paper towels and individually packed compact fluorescent light bulbs. I don’t like the whole commercialization of holidays. So this is my way of making use of the gift giving of this time of year. I made my copies of the sign and the note, put all the stuff into cute Jack-o-lantern bags and made my deliveries this afternoon. FUN! It will be interesting to see how many signs go up in the next few days. :-)