C is for Community

Halloween is a big event at our house. At best count, we celebrate this holiday for at least 14 days straight. There are parties and trick or treating, but my children's favorite event is Trunk or Treat at Bethel Presbyterian Church in Cornelius. We don't attend church there, but our neighborhood is down the street from the church. As soon as my kids see the Trunk or Treat sign go up, they begin counting down the days, as this as been part of their Halloween celebration all of their 7-year-old lives.

You don't have to be a church member and you don't even have to live down the street to attend, as everyone is welcome. Bethel puts on the festival to share a good time with the community. It's free, and there are always fun activities. Obviously, kids get to walk through a parking lot of decorated cars and score lots (and lots) of candy. Then there are all shapes and sizes of bounce houses and slides, free food, and live music. The church's boy scout troop magically transforms their scout hut into a haunted house, and hay rides are offered the entire time.

My favorite part is that we get to see our neighbors and friends. We might see people we see all the time, and we might run into other folks we haven't seen in years. Either way, it's fun to catch up as we watch our kids play and enjoy the sense of community that the Lake Norman area still manages to offer. That's a trick in itself.

Above, my daughter, Margot, aka Super Hero Barbie, enjoying the slide at Bethel Presbyterian Church's Trunk or Treat for the 17th time.