Angela Jamison is a native Montanan and she grew up in beautiful Bozeman. I'm the mother of two girls and write a blog about our life here and taking in the simple pleasures of family and food.

The fun of Halloween is for everyone. It is different depending on what stage of life you are in, but always a good time. I remember enjoying it as a child, getting so excited to dress up and then having to completely change my costume because of the cold Montana weather. Covering my ballerina tutu or princess dress with a full-on snow suit so no one really knew what you were dressed up as. I remember sorting candy with my sisters at the end of the night, trading to get the best possible assortment. When I got a little older I remember going trick or treating with friends…carrying pillowcases to fill, getting skeptical looks at the door…knowing we were pushing the envelope of being trick or treating age appropriate. Halloween during the college years are appropriately a blur. Now, with my own kids I find their excitement for Halloween contagious. It’s a day about make believe and candy, what’s not to love?

How to have a happy Halloween, at any age…

1. Get a pumpkin. Carve it.

Maybe it’s been years since you’ve done this, but turning a pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern is a sure way to get you into the spirit of things. Kids love it for obvious reasons. It’s the one time they’re allowed to play with knives and get ridiculously dirty scraping all the gunk out from inside. For them, it’s a chance to turn the pumpkin into something different. Freedom to do it how they want…scary, traditional, intricate, simple…there is no wrong face to put on a pumpkin. I have never had a Halloween go by that I didn’t carve a pumpkin. The years between my childhood and having children were still filled with this October activity. That’s the beauty of it, whether you are 6, 16, 26 and so on, it is fun. There is something so gratifying about digging the seeds out of a pumpkin. The smell alone the moment you cut into it brings out memories of childhood.

2. Decorations.

I’m not into going crazy with Halloween decorations as much as Target wants me to be. However, I have accumulated some over the years and slowly the Halloween box is becoming a thing to get excited about bringing out in October. Throughout the neighborhood I see people going all out with Halloween decor. Adults covering their front porches with spider webs, skeletons and fake tombstones. It all seems a bit dark but so fun at the same time. Kids love it because they like to be scared in this safe way. Knowing the blood and gore is creepy, but also realizing it’s just their silly neighbors having fun with this so not actually getting scared. I’m never going to be the person who creates a haunted house outside our door but I can appreciate what others are doing. Except on my dark early morning runs…I do not dig the glowing red eyes of a giant spider in someone’s yard when I’m not expecting it. Not at all.

3. Costumes.

Here’s what sets this day apart from other holidays. You get the chance to be someone or something else. A day to play make believe, to let your creativity or sense of humor soar. Each year we have a Halloween party with my entire family. From the youngest child to my parents - everyone dresses up. I sometimes think the adults enjoy this more than the kids (they just want the candy after all). Dreaming up the best costume and then showing it off. For kids they get to be their favorite super hero, princess or whatever their imagination dreams up. And, what fun to see what they come up with each year.

4. Trick or Treat.

For the youngsters trick or treating is the highlight of Halloween. They go door to door, simply say trick or treat and come home with more candy than they can carry. This is good stuff. Once you’re past the age of trick or treating you get to hand out the candy and see all the fun costumes. I do believe sometimes my kids enjoy handing out candy as much as they do the actual trick or treating. If you don’t have kids, or they have grown and gone handing out the candy can still be fun. Especially if you can give out the good stuff. Who doesn’t want to be known as the house that gives out the full size candy bars? We all remember and appreciate those houses. They are the best.

5. Getting your candy fix.

If you don’t have a sweet tooth, this will mean nothing to you. However, if you are the other 95% you get the excitement of all the perfectly wrapped little candies that end up in your kids trick or treat bags, at the office or leftover in your own candy bowl. Feel free to indulge. It’s only once a year. And…as a parent it is absolutely okay to steal your favorites out of your kids bag. Consider it one of the unspoken perks of parenthood. At our house no Twix is safe.

6. Take it all down on November 1st.

As soon Halloween is over I take down all signs of this day. As excited as I get about it I just as quickly get over it. Down come the spiders and witches. Away go the costumes. Come November there is no place for these things. November is the month of calm and gratitude before the big holiday season begins. Come down from your sugar high and enjoy the quiet.

Happy Halloween friends!