It’s the one night of the year that you can be Clark Kent, Phyllis Diller, Edie Sedgwick or any other character you want to imagine yourself as.

At the helm of this fantasy evening is my friend Annie, now joined by her husband Frank.

For the past 9 years, Annie has embraced Halloween, creating a place for us in her home to be silly, catch up with each other and life, and put away our cares for an evening.

We have a friend, who we toasted last night. His life was cut short and his seat was empty this year. But every year that he did sit around that dinner table, for that evening, he was illuminated and enjoyed the moment, putting aside his day-to-day struggles.

Annie’s yearly rituals for the holidays have created an enduring tradition that we look forward to and find comfort in. Her new husband Frank has also embraced this history and he welcomes us into their new life together.

There’s something great about Annie’s persistent holiday evenings, where she transforms her home into a winter wonderland or a haunting table setting for our Halloween feast.

It’s easy to get cynical about the holidays and the marketing  madness that they have become. But Annie brings it back to life, like when we were children.  She reminds us of the simple pleasures/joys of life. She reminds us to simply enjoy the moment and be grateful for what we DO have.

I’m already looking forward to Christmas.