Editor’s note: The following is a regular column written by the Partnership for Children of the Foothills.
Do you have any family traditions? Family traditions create memories, togetherness and can be the glue that keeps a family together.  We all have busy lives – adding a small tradition here or there can make a big difference.
Why not start with Halloween? Here are a few suggestions:
1. Boo Your Neighbors or Friends – This is a fun tradition that is sure to get your entire family in the spirit of Halloween.  Put together a Halloween goodie bag filled with treats and leave it on a neighbor’s doorstep.  Ring their doorbell and run!  Include instructions for them to pass the Halloween spirit along by doing the same to another neighbor. Include a “boo” sign for them to hang on their door so that everyone can tell they’ve been boo’ed!  Who knows, maybe everyone in Polk County will have a “Boo” sign on their door!
2. Visit the Library for some Spooky Books – There are some really great, fun Halloween books at the Polk County library. A few that are worth reading are The The Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Steven Kroll, The Little Old Lady Who was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams and Megan Lloyd, and Ghost with the Halloween Hiccups by Stephen Mooser. Reading Halloween books is the perfect way to gear up for the big night!
3. Plan a Deliciously Frightful Dinner – Halloween pulls out all of the stops when it comes to creative recipes, so why not plan an entire meal full of Halloween recipes – you can make this a Halloween Eve tradition in your family! You can magically transform the most ordinary foods into their spooky counterparts – spaghetti is brains or guts, olives become eye-balls and nuts become witch fingernails. Or, make some homemade pizza dough and decorate it as a jack-o-lantern using cut up veggies. For dessert, a covered in “dirt” will be a hit.
Resource of the Month:  The Tryon Halloween Stroll – of course! The annual stroll in downtown Tryon will be on October 31st from 4:30 – 6 p.m.  Trade Street merchants will decorate their shops to welcome all the creepies and cuties with sweet treats.  Don’t forget about the costume contest – 6 p.m. at the movie theater. There’s a new category this year:  best witches cackle. The other categories are:  best group, funniest, scariest and cutest – for all ages. Be safe and have fun.
– article submitted by Barry Gold, executive director of Partnership for Children of the Foothills