Those of you who have been following me for a few years know that my family is big on Halloween. We have a traditional Halloween party that literally goes back around 45 years. In 1980, Dennis and I went to the party as Cone Heads from Saturday Night Live. The little kids in the family who attended those first parties now have grown kids of their own! Can you spot me in the group shot?

I think the caption for this photo should be “really bad wine”. I was going for a female version of Jacob Marley (Scrooge’s dead partner from A Christmas Carol). I thought I was pretty scary, but absolutely no one else did. The question I got all evening was “Is that your real hair?”. Um, yes….

I completely failed to get close-ups of everyone, but will share what I did manage to capture. The photo above is of my sister Kate (an Oompa Loompa), brother-in-law Robert (Willy Wonka), and family friend Sue (fairy godmother from Cinderella).

Cousins Paul (a sheriff) and Claudia (Cruella de Ville).

Niece Lizz (champagne girl in six-inch platform shoes) and Sue the fairy godmother again. The skeleton photobombing the shot? I have no idea, but I hope someone gave him a sandwich.

No matter what kind of gathering, have you noticed how the men always gather on one side of the room?

Brother-in-law Greg as a beat-up businessman. I didn’t know everyone at the party, but there were some great costumes. Have you noticed how guys tend to wear non-costume costumes? Whereas the women go all out with crazy outfits and makeup like this gal in the photo below.

I think she was supposed to be Margo from the book “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” in one of her Only Fans get ups. I “got” her costume because I’d read the book, but some of the younger people’s costumes were a mystery to me. Must be getting old.

I thought this Dinosaur family was pretty cute.

How clever was this Toy Story family? The mom’s Stinky Pete the Prospector costume is an absolute riot.

Here’s Queen Elsa talking to a Xylophone.

Nephew Scott won the prize for Best Costume. Here’s the story: About 30 years ago, Cousin Paul (the sheriff on the left) attended the Halloween Party as King Paul. All the kids in the family called him King Paul for years (they still do lol) and would shout “King PAUL” whenever he entered the house. So all these years later, nephew Scott wore a king costume, and in case anyone didn’t “get it”, he wore a name tag that said “PAUL”. It might not seem hilarious to anyone outside our family, but I’m telling you, we all got such a kick out of it and I know the original King Paul was totally honored.

So, that’s a wrap on Halloween 2026. I didn’t get everyone’s pictures, which is a shame, but getting people to stand still in a family group was practically impossible!