I am still carrying this tradition with my youngest daughter now, who is 11 and it began when my oldest daughter (23) was about 9. On October 1st, or the first business day of October if the 1st falls on a weekend, I would take the day off and let my daughter stay home from school and we spend the entire day on the couch watching horror movies while snacking on junk food and drinking endless Cokes and Dr. Peppers. This year will be different because my 11 year old wants to play hooky on October 13th so we can go watch the new Exorcist in theaters, but nonetheless, the tradition continues.

Sure, some have judged me as a bad parent for this, but who cares? My oldest told me while she was away at college a few years ago, she told some of her friends about our Halloween tradition growing up and they were all jealous that they didn't experience anything like that as a child/teen.

Any Halloween traditions in your family that anyone would like to share? Spooky season begins soon!