So, What is this Halloween Countdown Anyway...

...and what do I need to do in order to participate?

These are the two questions I've been most frequently asked about this endeavor.

The Halloween Countdown is something of a virtual neighborhood to go trick or treating in. Imagine a neighborhood where all of the neighbors really got into the spirit of the holiday and went all out with decorating their yards and homes and on top of that also handed out the coolest treats whenever some kid in a costume rang their doorbell. Well, you are that kid in a costume, and the participants in the countdown are the neighbors with the cool houses and candy. When you visit their blogs, you will essentially be ringing their doorbell and shouting "Trick or treat." rewarded by a solid thunk at the bottom of your plastic Halloween bucket which is their post for the day. In a way that's even better than the actual Halloween (no way! I hear you saying) you get to ring their doorbell and trick or treat every single day throughout October. Not only that, but there is bound to be over 100 houses for you to visit each day as well.

As a participant, I suggest thinking of the Halloween Countdown as something of a virtual Advent calendar, only devoted to Halloween. Each day, throughout October, a blogger posts something new pertaining in some way to Halloween, or something emblematic of the season. This can be anything, photos of you as a kid dressed up in your Ben Cooper costume, recipes, crafts, horror movie reviews, holiday reminiscences, board games and children's books of the past, artwork, traditions, anything at all. The daily aspect of this is something to strive for, but is not expected. Veterans of the countdown will tell you how grueling it can be to put together a daily post without much advance preparation. The goal is to have fun, and if you're spending every spare moment composing a daily post, you won't have any fun, nor will you have time to see what everyone else is doing. Do what you can.

Whether you are a blogger participating with a countdown of your own, or someone who just wants to trick or treat without having to decorate their own home, all are welcome. If you are not on the list of participants, but would like to be, just let us know, and provide a link to your blog. If you have more than one blog you'd like to include (you're insane) provide links for both (or more).

Dusk is upon us, and the Jack O'Lanterns are lit and being set outside. Nows the time to put on your costume, grab your trick or treat bag and head off down the street to ring the doorbell of the first house. Happy Halloween!