It is officially fall, and I for one, could not be more excited. There is something about this time of year that quite literally fills me with the type of joy that you would imagine only exists in a Disney Princess. I’m talking old school Disney… Like Snow White Disney… Yeah, now we are on the same page. Maybe it is because it’s the start of the holiday season. Maybe, it’s the smells and scents that come around this time of year. Maybe it is the leaves changing colors or the cool breeze that allows you to bust out your cosiest blanket. Maybe it’s all the above. Whatever the reason…I love it. It even contains my favorite holiday: Halloween!

Halloween is a pretty big deal in the Wynne household. The entire downstairs gets decorated and the front lawn gets turned into a graveyard. My husband even takes a day of vacation on Halloween when he can. It is a day full of Cider, PSL, and spooky movies. (Of course these days it is very family friendly. Hocus Pocus all the way!) Halloween night, we cook a big pot of chili and make Frito Pie. The evening beverage is Wassail that has been slow simmered for hours and makes the entire house smell like fall.

I get mixed reactions when people find out my favorite holiday is Halloween, and I’ve gotten asked why it is several times. I had never thought to think about why Halloween was my favorite, I just knew that it always has been. It caught me off guard the first few times that I got asked that question and I didn’t really know how to answer it. So I gave it some thought. The best conclusion that I came to (other than all the awesome reasons listed above about the fall time frame) is that Halloween consistently was a great day growing up. My memories of Halloween are all happy. Everyone always got along and my mom always made a big pot of chili (which is also the only tradition that I can think of that we had.) For me, it was a day that I could count on to be great. It was a tradition (Frito Pie) that I could count on. So the two things I take away from this are Positive Consistency + Tradition.

I’ve seen this same principle carry over to my own kids. And not even with just big things (like holidays). My oldest knows that when he comes downstairs on Saturday mornings, that my husband and I will still be in bed, ready to greet him with a smile and a phrase we always use (Which is some variation of, “Make some room for this big ole boy,” while we move alllllllll the pillows out of the way.) My husband and I shared a smile this past Saturday morning when our big boy came into our room with a smile on his face (holding his Pooh Bear) and then climbed up into his spot as he said, “Make some room for this big ole boy!” It has becoming something he looks forward to. It is a time full of smiles, tickle fights, and planning breakfast (which is usually cinnamon rolls).

My baby knows that when I open his door after a nap, I’m going to be singing something silly (that is specific to him). He quickly stands with enthusiasm, in his crib, when he hears me open the door now. I know that once he hears his door, he will begin smiling and making excited noises. (At least I assume that’s what they are, because he can’t talk yet.)

Both of my boys have learned (I say “learned” because it used to scare the baby…) that chase/hide-and-seek (These two go hand-in-hand in our house. We play a fast paced run and hide game. As in my heart rate goes up and it definitely counts as cardio.) are for giggles! All I have to do is hold my hands a certain way and they both start laughing while walking and/or crawling away.

These are just a few examples, but the list goes on. There is just something special about having a family tradition or something that you can count on to happen (even if it’s something as simple as a game of chase). It is important to me to create a fun and positive atmosphere for my kids that they will remember and look back on fondly. To this day, I know that if I call my mom around dinner on Halloween, that she will be making Frito Pie. And that still makes me smile.

If Halloween isn’t your thing (or maybe you are just looking for something that’s more frequent than once a year like our game of chase), try a Sunday evening dinner with the family. Make it a time that has no electronics and where everyone is expected to share something about their week. The key here is to invest in one another in an authentic way. Engage in conversation and laugh together as a family. Before you know it, a simple Sunday dinner will have become a favorite family gathering point. (Positive Consistency + Tradition)

xoxo