Trick or Treat Apartment Style

Our kids went trick or treating twice this year. On the Saturday before October 31st, the same day Grandma left for America, we organized a trick or treat party for our Japanese friends who we play with every Tuesday. We had about five families participate. We started here at our house and worked ourselves down the building. One family lives in a different building behind us so we went to their house last. The Japanese went way above and beyond the typical trick or treat candies in the US. Each house had prepared small gift bags for each child with several treats in them. When they returned to our house, all I had prepared was a big bowl of skittles for people to add to their treat bags. The husband confirmed it was the most organized trick or treat he had ever seen. The kids had some great costumes and had a lot of fun going to the different apartments. Afterwards, they all came to our house and did a craft with stickers and we showed them how to carve a pumpkin. It was the first time for them to see a pumpkin carved. We also turned on It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, and had it in Japanese, which they enjoyed. We have developed great community with these friends and have grown to love them in a special way. I am so thankful for a neighborhood type feel in our 50 floor story building. We are thinking through what we would like to do for Christmas and what kind of gift we can give them.