There’s something about this time of year, isn’t there? When the evenings grow still, the air turns crisp, and the world seems to lean just a little closer to the heart. Christmas has a way of stirring memories long tucked away — quiet moments, warm gatherings, and the gentle light of home.
As we move through December together, I thought I’d share a little holiday verse from Honey Hill Country — a simple reminder that Christmas isn’t found in the rush or the noise, but in the places and people who help us feel rooted. Perhaps you’ve known that feeling, too?
Please enjoy this Christmastime moment from Little Red Bear’s world.
“Christmas Lives On Honey Hill”
The moonlight drifts through the walnut trees, Soft silver on Honey Hill, And something familiar keeps whispering there In the quiet, deep, and still.
Down in the towns the lamplights glow, And wagons roll through the square — But my heart keeps turning to holler paths And to all my friends who gather there.
For Christmas lives in these winding woods, Where the creek runs slow and mild, And stories rise like chimney smoke From every home-bound child.
I’ve walked through cities dressed in lights, And felt the winter’s bite — But nothing warms a wanderer’s heart Like a hearth fire burning bright.
So, I’m heading back through the frosted pines, Where the evenings smell of tea, Where Little Red Bear keeps an extra chair At the table — just for me.
Where neighbors stray in two by two, Old tales are passed around, And laughter spills like fiddle tunes Across the snowy ground.
Where the young and old lean shoulder-close As the carols rise and fall, The golden glow of candle lanterns Shining hope for one and all.
And I’ll remember those gone on ahead, Their love still here to guide me — For love still lingers in these hills, And guides my spirit home.
Yes — Christmas lives on Honey Hill, In every heart and hand. A place where the season’s truest gifts Are easy to understand.
So let the moonlight drift through the walnut trees — It knows where I long to be — Back among friends in the quiet holler, Where Christmas comes gentle and free.
Thank you for sharing a few quiet December moments with me today. Isn’t it comforting how a simple poem can call up warm memories when we least expect it? Wherever you may be this season, I hope a little Honey Hill spirit finds its way to your home and heart.
— Jim (and Red!)
If this poem brought a little warmth or comfort your way, I’d be honored if you shared it with someone who might need the same.
And this Saturday, I will be sharing a brand-new Little Red Bear Christmas vignette — “The Lantern in Clara Thimblewick’s Window.” It is a gentle story of light, kindness, and the spirit of the season. I hope you’ll drop in and join us for it.
Pen-and-ink illustrations created with the assistance of AI and lovingly styled for Little Red Bear Land.
Look at that! Here we are, already past Thanksgiving. Santa arrived right on time, as he always does in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Black Friday and the initial holiday shopping frenzy is over for another year. The humongous Christmas tree has been lit in Rockefeller Center, and behold — it is officially Christmas and the Holiday Season!
With the holiday season in full swing now, I wanted to take a few minutes to remind everyone about all the holiday features available here on my Writing Pages. Freely shared, as always, because it is the holiday season and that is simply how we roll here.
I invite you to Like and Follow my Writer’s Page on Facebook and my Patreon Page to be notified and enjoy all the upcoming holiday postings not appearing here on my Writing Pages — Holiday Recipes, Christmas-themed Videos, Images, Wallpapers, and more.
You can access the Holiday Features listed below by tapping on the individual links or by using the dropdown menus at the top of the page. Please share with families, neighbors, and friends, because sharing and giving is what the holiday season and life are all about.
And, by far, the most visited holiday season page every year, a tongue-in-cheek, fun adaptation of “The Night Before Christmas” poem featuring the Little Red Bear story characters. But please be advised — many followers have informed me that young children insist on reshuffling the gifts after the game and replaying it repeatedly each year! Fun holiday times! →
For me, this year has raced past, and here we are already mere days before Christmas. How has it been for you this year? It seems the older I get, the faster the time goes by!
December can be a very hectic month, with the holiday season in full swing and so much to do. Holiday and event planning, parties to attend, shopping for gifts, wrapping, decorating, and more.
Not even to mention baking cookies, cakes, pies, fudge, and all the other holiday treats and goodies to share.
It can all be overwhelming if we allow ourselves to get too caught up in it all.
Let’s resolve this year to pace ourselves, pause now and then, live in the moment, and truly enjoy the holidays, family and friends, and all the joys and happiness they bring. And the fresh memories and connections we make.
The Christmas season should be a time of peace and togetherness. With the events of the past year, let’s hold on to that thought, shall we?
We hope you can take a few moments now and then to visit with us here and enjoy the free holiday features and activities listed above. And watch for a new feature on Clement C. Moore’s “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” poem coming soon!
I invite you to Register Today to be notified of every new upcoming post and feature throughout the coming new year because it is always an ever-expanding list!
Wishing everyone the very best of the Christmas & Holiday season! — Jim (and Red!) 🤠🐻 🎅 ❄️ ⛄🎄
When not out fishing or gathering honey, Little Red Bear and Cinnamon Charlie love to color in their spare time!
Download and color as many as you like. And remember to color up some extras for the grandparents to decorate their refrigerators. We love that sort of thing!
Happy Holidays & Happy Coloring!
(image credits — “Christmas Toy Shoppe” artwork by Jim Mitchell. Banner image “Christmas Tree Hill” artwork by Bonnie White)
This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone. We freely share all content and do not generate any income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating the site.
If you enjoy your visits and time with us, I invite you toJoin our Patron Communitytoday. Together, we can do so much!
With the help of patrons, we offer Seasonal Coloring Pages, Writing and Poetry Selections, Holiday Features and more for free, and we can donate print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Seniors, Libraries, Classrooms, and individuals who may not otherwise be able to afford or get a copy.
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Do you occasionally get a sudden flash of a distant memory that suddenly pops into your brain, seemingly coming from out of nowhere? And then it is right there, as though reliving the moment with all of the colors, feels, and aromas as though it was just yesterday.
That happened to me last week when clear out of the blue, I was remembering and thinking about all the storefront windows that were painted and decorated for Halloween by students and other local groups when I was young.
Many years ago, but let’s not go there today, okay?
Every fall the brightly painted windows added an additional entertaining and festive flair to the Halloween season. Local department stores, hardware stores, grocery stores, florists, drug stores, and more were all decked out in colorful painted window displays of the season.
For some reason, images of Fisher’s Department Store are foremost in my mind. The store’s long, all-windows storefront facing the street was gaily decorated every fall in vivid Halloween colors and depictions, one window glass after another from one end of the store to the other.
Across the street, the Rexall Drug Store and other local merchant shops were all painted in various Halloween-themed designs, as well,
Does anyone still do that anymore? Anywhere? If they do, please tell us all about it in the Comments. I would love to hear it! I haven’t seen any painted store windows locally for many years and miss that now that I am thinking about it.
I may be wrong, but seem to recall the words “Insurance Risks” being offered by my parents as an explanation for why the annual Halloween tradition of painting store windows stopped, at least in our area.
Maybe around the same time some folks started suing for coffee and hand pies that were too hot, advertised “Foot-long” sandwiches that were not exactly 12″ in length, and because Jelly Beans contained sugar.
And, not to be left out, suing a restaurant for sustaining permanent injuries from a flying dinner roll in a location widely known as “The Home of Throwed Rolls” where part of the appeal of going there and what the restaurant was famous for in the first place was the entertaining atmosphere of waiters tossing dinner rolls to guests. Forget about ghouls lurking in the shadows on Halloween night. Can you even begin to imagine the sheer terror and horror of being conked in the head by an errant dinner roll while eating your salad?
(Gallery images via Archive. org)
Growing up in a rapidly expanding suburb of St. Louis years ago, watching the young student art groups and others at work painting store windows all over the area in the weeks leading up to Halloween in October was fun, and added to the excitement before the ultimate event — trick or treating on Halloween! In a way, I suppose, the decorative store windows helped whet the appetite for the coming bounty of treats and goodies to be garnered on Halloween night.
The good ol’ days. They weren’t always as good as our memories would sometimes lead us to believe, perhaps. But some things truly were — and better.
Like the tradition of painted storefront windows for Halloween.
Thank you for visiting with us for some Halloween memories and a bit of 1950s and ’60s nostalgia with us today!
I hope you enjoyed your visit and your time with us, and will return often as new features and posts are added during the coming Holiday Season.
Be sure to Register and Subscribe Today to be notified of every upcoming post and feature and never miss out! Because that would just be sad.
Wishing everyone a Fun, Safe, Healthy, and Happy Halloween this year! Happy Trick or Treating!
And a very special note of “Thanks!” to my dear friend, Children’s Author Rosie Russell of“Books By Rose”for helping in the search for vintage images for this post!
Until next time — Best Wishes & Blessings! — Jim (and Red!) 🤠 🐻 🎃 🍂 🧡 🍎 🌻 🍁
In A World Where You Can Be Anything — Be Kind. Because Kindness Matters!
“A person should always choose a costume which is in direct contrast to her own personality.” – Lucy van Pelt from “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”
“Halloween is not only about putting on a costume, but it’s about finding the imagination and costume within ourselves.” – Elvis Duran
“On Halloween night, the Great Pumpkin rises from his pumpkin patch and flies through the air with his bag of toys to all the children.”
– Linus – from “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”
This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of developing new materials, maintaining, and operating.
If you enjoy your visits and time with us, I invite you toJoin our Patron Communitytoday, because together we can do so much!
With the help of patrons, we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear” stories and books to Senior Citizens, School Libraries, Local Libraries, Classrooms, and those who could otherwise not obtain a copy.
Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to continue this as a Non-Monetized site free of distracting and questionable advertisements allowing for speedier loading and a more enjoyable experience for visitors, dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of Happiness, Inspiration, Kindness, Compassion, Positivity, Environmental Awareness, and Conservation with everyone.
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“There are three things I’ve learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin.” – Lucy from “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”
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“Have you come to sing pumpkin carols?”
– Linus from “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”
Shareable new materials have been in rather short supply here for a spell while I stepped aside to attend to some pressing personal health (non-COVID related) issues. In the interim though, I have nevertheless been working on background items and new features to be revealed in the near future, so please do stay tuned, as they say.
We will talk about some of those issues that kept me away along with some other things in a coming post soon. But for now, although while still not fully back in the writing saddle quite yet, with it being “Back To School” time and my favorite season of Autumn on the horizon, let’s get it all rolling again with one of those new features I mentioned, shall we?
Now at age 71, “Back to School” in my day many years ago was special. It was almost a season in itself. An abbreviated period as compared with the traditional four seasons, no doubt, but with the exception of the still-hot and humid readings on the thermometer each afternoon, “Summer” had officially been declared “over with” by my Mother, and school preparation activities dominated each day.
There were new school clothes to shop for, along with new shoes and required gym outfits to acquire. (I missed the memo when they stopped calling it “Gym” and began referring to it as “P.E.”, short for “Physical Education.” I simply kept calling it “gym class”, but digress.) In addition to clothing items, there were notebooks, pens, and Number 2 pencils to stock up on, along with erasers, scissors, crayons, rulers, Elmer’s School Glue, and who knows what else.
And not to leave out the mandatory end-of-summer haircut, of course. My best friend Rick lived down the hill in a corner lot about two houses down in the back. Rick, the oldest, came from a family of five kids consisting of four boys and one severely outnumbered sister. The night before school restarted each year, we would watch Rick and the other kids all line up in the backyard as their mother gave one after another the annual Start of School Haircut. Then in for a bath and off to bed for an early rise in the morning.
We had strict dress codes back in the day, even in the public schools I attended. Girls were required to wear a dress or skirt, the shortest of which could reach no higher than mid-knee. Tee shirts, sweatshirts, and sweat pants were not allowed for anyone. For boys, all shirts had to have collars and buttons. Hair on boys was not allowed to touch the shirt collar. Socks were mandatory and gym-type shoes were only allowed in Gym class. At the same time, no soled shoes were allowed anywhere near the pristine wooden gym flooring.
All pants were required to have belt loops and be held at the waist by a belt. Failure to wear a belt resulted in being sent to “The Office” for a visit and attitude adjustment session with the Assistant Principal, or as we kids mockingly referred to him as — the “Enforcer In Chief.” After a stern lecture about how flaunting the rules and not wearing a belt could negatively impact the remainder of a ten-year-old’s life, the beltless boy would be given a length of rope to wear around the waist for the remainder of the day, a clearly visible (and embarrassing) signal and dire warning to every other boy not to forget a belt in the morning rush out the door.
And of course, one could not hide the fact they had forgotten to wear a belt that day, because all shirttails had to be tucked in. The belt omission was clearly obvious to anyone paying attention. A rather trivial issue it seemed to me at the time, although all the teachers seemed inordinately obsessed with it, in my opinion.
Personally, I was never apprehended without a belt, neither wanting to risk a visit with the Enforcer In Chief nor suffer the embarrassment of wearing a long rope around my waist. Always careful to obey the rules and do my best to stay out of trouble back then, I do admit to having contemplated the possibility of wearing overalls one day to challenge the belt rule but lacked the courage to act upon the urge, not having yet transitioned into the independently-minded “Rule-Challenger-For-The-Fun-Of-It” I became later in life and remain today.
Getting back to it then, our Back to School feelings were always kind of a mixed bag. The excitement of seeing school friends we had lost contact with over the summer was mixed with the uncertainty of what new teachers might be like. Everyone seemed to have an ingredient to add to the simmering pot of New Teacher Trepidation —
“I hear Mr. Townsend is a real beast with math homework and has never given anyone an ‘A’ grade. He assigns homework every night. And every weekend!”
“Miss Burns always makes the girls in her English class get down on their knees at the start of every class to make sure their skirts touch the floor.”
“Mr. Grimharsh had a friend of mine in gym class who would not stop chewing bubblegum last year, so after telling him twice to get rid of it made him spit out the gum and then stuck it in his hair. Johnny Jones had to go to the barber and get a crewcut after school. A crewcut!”
“Miss Hendricks only accepts writing assignments and homework in blue ink. She will give you an “F” if your paper is written in pencil because she wants to see all the changes you make and not be able to erase them. Always remember to take a blue ink pen with you to her class.”
“Mr. Miller told the kids in his Science class last year that the word ‘Fire’ begins and ends with an ‘F’. If you set anything on fire in his class it will end in an ‘F’ grade for the quarter. And if you break something you have to pay for it! My weekly allowance won’t cover the cost of a microscope!”
“Why do I have to choose between French and Spanish this year? Miss Burns told me last year it was clearly evident that I hadn’t mastered the English language yet. And now they expect me to learn a second language, too?!?”
Mr. Newchance lets you take any History test you fail over again, but the best grade you can get then is a “C”, even if you get everything correct.”
“My Dad said that if I have over a ‘B’ average at Thanksgiving that he would buy me a new electric guitar for Christmas. But I can’t even spell Triggernumery, much less do it! I am going to start saving up for a new set of strings for my old guitar, just in case.”
On and on the gossip and info-dumps went over the last few weeks leading up to the start of school each fall. Of course, in my time, school always restarted with a half-day on the day after Labor Day each year. Never in early or mid-August as so many do now. And it goes without saying that nobody went to a school with air-conditioning in those days, and school was never called off due to excessive heat.
For us boys sitting in school with long pants on after spending the summer in shorts and swim trunks, we were just hot, plain and simple. Desk papers stuck to our forearms from the sweat running down our arms, and wasps buzzed around our heads, having flown in thru open windows. One large and very loud fan in the front corner tried to cool the classroom but caused us to simply not be able to hear the teacher who no one was paying attention to in all the heat, anyway.
And don’t even get me started about the mile-and-a-quarter walk to and from school every morning and afternoon, regardless of the weather, — rain, snow, or shine. And yes, sure enough in our case, it truly was more or less uphill both ways because there was a big valley between home and school regardless of which way we were heading.
Looking back on it now, it is fair to say we had generally pleasant while at the same time somewhat queasy feelings about the whole “Back to School” thing each year. A goodly bit of eagerness and excitement over new school clothes and the prospect of reuniting with friends was more than tempered by a healthy dose of general apprehension and miserably hot 90-degree temperatures lasting thru mid-to-late-September in our neck of the woods. It is probably fair to say that in my circle of friends, anyway, when it came to the “Back-To-School” thing each year, we could generally take it or leave it. In our minds, there were still too many perfect days on the calendar for baseball and bike riding to waste them all shopping and trying on endless changes of clothes in a hot department store.
But, in the end, mixed feelings or not, we always seemed to find our way back on the first day of school each autumn, didn’t we? Maybe we were a little more excited about the whole “Back-to-School” thing than we were willing to admit or let on in public, after all.
What are your “Back to School” memories? Good? Bad? Or mixed, like ours? Please don’t be shy. Feel free to share them with us in the Comments Section.
To help ease the annual End-of-Summer and Back-To-School transition for older kids and build excitement about the new experience for younger ones, my story friend Little Red Bear has assembled a collection of Back-to-School-themed coloring images with varying degrees of complexity for all ages.
Coloring images are available for unlimited Free downloads simply by ‘Right Clicking’on an image, choosing ‘Save Image As’ in the dropdown menu to save a local copy on your computer or device, and then printing out as many as you want.
It is our hope that these pages, made possible thru the kind assistance and support of our Patreon Community, provide a means for not only preparing and generating excitement for going back to school, but also for spending quality family time together — reading, coloring, and learning. Simply Tap Hereto view them all and get started!
“Thank You!” for visiting and spending part of your time with us! We always look forward to your visits and comments, because YOU are the reason we do it all.
My story friend Little Red Bear and I hope that you and any little ones heading off to school enjoy this post and Red’s new “Back-To-School” Coloring Pages. As always, please feel free to share and pass along to family and friends!
We have a great deal of new material and features to share with you over the coming months so please visit often. If not yet subscribed yet please register now to follow along and be notified of every coming new post and feature here. — Jim (and Red!)
Please consider joining our Patreon Communitytoday to help us grow and keep freely-shared, family-friendly educational new materials and features coming, helping to make a positive difference in the world!
“Labor Day is a glorious holiday because your child will be going back to school the next day. It would have been called Independence Day, but that name was already taken.” — Bill Dodds
“Anyone who thinks the art of conversation is dead ought to tell a child to go to bed.” — Robert Gallagher
“I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework.” — Lily Tomlin
This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to be able to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating. If you enjoy your visits and time with us,Join our new Patron Communitytoday, because together we can do so much!
With the help of patrons, each month we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Senior Citizens, School Libraries and Classrooms, and to those who could otherwise not obtain a copy.
Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to continue this as a non-monetized, ad-free site, dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of happiness, inspiration, and kindness with everyone. We invite you to join us in making a positive difference in the world!
“Let us remember: One Book, One Pen, One Child, and One Teacher can change the World.” — Malala Yousafzai
My story character friend and writing partner Little Red Bear and I would like to share some of our holiday season writings and activities with you to enjoy with family and friends in the coming days!
Below, please find links to our “Twelve Days of Christmas Free Holiday Reads”, “Little Red Bear’s Christmas Holiday Coloring Pages”, and one of the most popular visits on the writing site this time of year — “Little Red Bear’s Happy Christmas ‘Left-Right’ Game!” to play with kids and holiday visitors.
Please just tap on any link to visit the page(s) and activities of your choice!
A Holiday Short Story – “Susie’s Bear”— The heartwarming story of a grandmother’s love and devotion during the depression, confronted with a blustery snowstorm and a very sick little girl.
“Haddon Sundblom, Coca-Cola, and Santa— A look back at how the artist Haddon Sundblom defined the image of Santa Claus for not only my generation but also for generations to come.
“That’s What Christmas Is All About, Charlie Brown”— Words of wisdom from Linus in “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, a simple reminder of what the holiday season is truly about — Peace, Good Will, Kindness, Generosity, Charity, Compassion, Empathy, and Love for all.
“Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus . . . . . . And More!” — What circumstances or forces in the Universe worked to bring together a young girl and a cynical, childless curmudgeon to produce a timeless literary piece of Hope, Generosity, and Faith that endures thru time?
Little Red Bear’s Christmas & Holiday Fun Activities
“Little Red Bear’s Happy Christmas ‘Left-Right’ Game!”— An entertaining group gift exchange game to bring plenty of fun and laughter to family gatherings and holiday events featuring characters from the Little Red Bear stories.
As always, “Thank You!” for visiting and spending part of your time with us here thru the year!
We always look forward to your visits and comments, because YOU are the reason we do it all here.
This has been a strange year, indeed, hasn’t it? If pandemic circumstances prevent us from gathering with family this holiday season, there are other ways to connect these days which will allow us to all be present together for the next one. And regardless of technical expertise, we are always truly connected in our hearts.
Please take precautions to be safe, stay healthy, and enjoy the holiday season in spite of it all. And if staying at home not visiting with loved ones this year to stay safe, just think of how glorious next year’s holiday celebrations will be!
Sending the very best wishes your way for a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season! And a Happy and Healthy New Year!
See y’all in the New Year with more new posts and features! — Jim (and Red!)
“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” – Hamilton Wright Mabie
“He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” — Roy L. Smith
“It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.” – W.T. Ellis
This is a purposefully non-monetized, ad-free site to be able to offer the most enjoyable reading and viewing experience for everyone, with all content freely shared, and generates no income to offset the costs of maintaining and operating. If you enjoy your visits and time with us,Join our new Patron Communitytoday, because together we can do so much!
With the help of patrons, each month we are able to donate free print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to Senior Citizens, School Libraries and Classrooms, and to those who could otherwise not obtain a copy.
Patrons also help my friend Little Red Bear and me to continue this as a non-monetized, ad-free site, dedicated solely to entertainment and educational purposes while sharing positive messages of happiness, inspiration, and kindness with everyone. We invite you to join us in making a positive difference in the world!
“I sometimes think we expect too much of Christmas Day. We try to crowd into it the long arrears of kindliness and humanity of the whole year. As for me, I like to take my Christmas a little at a time, all through the year. And thus I drift along into the holidays – let them overtake me unexpectedly – waking up some fine morning and suddenly saying to myself: ‘Why, this is Christmas Day!’” – David Grayson
Welcome to Little Red Bear’s special “Happy Halloween Spooktacularly Good Recipes — Volume II.”
Last year’s Halloween Treat Recipes were so well received that Little Red Bear felt we should do it again. If you missed last year’s “Halloween Spooktacularly Good Recipes”, simply tap here to find more fun Halloween recipes and ideas!
It’s Autumn and October,
Frightful things will soon be waking,
Rising from restless graveyard slumbers,
Craving tasty treats left for their taking!
So gather ye ‘round for recipes,
See what kitchen witches have in store,
‘Tis time to fire up kettles and cauldrons,
Ere hungry ghosts and ghouls be at the door!
Trust us. Being fans of eggs best used in omelets and toilet paper best stored in the linen closet and not on trees, it’s best to be prepared when little goblins come knocking on Halloween.
Some little treat and candy-craving spirits handle disappointment better than others. And you really do not want to be in the position of having to hand out pennies.
Or rocks. Always try to avoid being in the position of having to resort to handing out rocks. Even if they are the fancy painted ones going around so popularly nowadays. No rocks. Treats are always well received.
Accordingly then, here is an assortment of Halloween goodies to appease both adult partygoers and those wandering little treat-seekers that come knocking at the door on Halloween night. Simply tap on either the link or image to find a recipe.
Proceed on, stirring spoon and bowl in hand if you have the courage, for spookily delightful Halloween recipes unearthed by Little Red Bear and his friends.
Halloween Ghost Pancakes
How to start a Halloween morning? With Ghost Pancakes, of course! Featuring orange pancakes, a special dark chocolate ganache, and whipped cream ghosts.
Caramel Apples were a Halloween staple growing up in the midwest years ago. This recipe takes them to a whole new Apple Pie level for the Autumn Season, beginning with a caramel coating covered by a luscious layer of white chocolate, then rolled in a Cinnamon-Sugar mixture and drizzled with more white chocolate! If caramel apples were a treat years ago, then this new version is treat-a-licious!
Made with peanut butter, marshmallows, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, and Captain Crunch cereal, topped with Reese’s Peanut Butter Pieces. I love Halloween!
Everyone loves Halloween for different reasons. For me, the approach of Halloween each year ushers in the arrival of Candy Corn Season! Like the poor little innocent but polarizing Peeps at Easter, varying opinions aside, I am an unapologetic lover of Candy Corn, and here are three Candy Corn inspired recipes for you too, if so inclined.
Candy Corn Swirled Fudge
If Michelangelo could have found Candy Corn Swirled Marble similar to this gorgeous fudge, just think of the masterpieces he could have created. As it is, we still have the fudge, and that works for me!
Made in a 9″ x 13″ sheet cake pan, this simple but beautiful cake will serve many and is certain to be a talked about highlight of any Halloween event! Keep the recipe handy for when guests inquire.
If you have been patiently waiting for a Pumpkin related recipe, your time has come! Pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice baked into a blondie bar for Autumn get-togethers and Halloween treats! Don’t you just love Autumn?
If we have Blondies, then the Brownies cannot be far behind! Add all sorts of spooky and leftover candy toppings to these brownies to make them extra special.
Everyone who follows me on Facebook and other sites knows that I am a life-long fan of the “Peanuts” comic strip by Charles Schulz, featuring Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, and the gang.
And of course, Linus, who each year spends Halloween night in a pumpkin patch foregoing trick or treating with his friends to await the arrival of the Great Pumpkin, who arises each year from the most sincere pumpkin patch to then fly around handing out toys to sincere and believing children on Halloween. It goes without saying that Linus is the only one who believes in the Great Pumpkin, yet remains steadfast in his beliefs and undaunted in his support, despite the withering criticism of others.
So, how could we not share a Great Pumpkin Cake for faithful Linus and Halloween this year?!? Hint — You will need your most sincere fluted tube pan for this one!
With a brownie bottom and orange cake mix layer, these colorful cupcakes will be a Halloween party treat! Be sure to add a candy pumpkin or sprinkles on top!
No longer the sole domain of youngsters, it seems that each year an increasing number of adults from all age groups seek to reclaim Halloween celebrations and fun. The treats may have taken on a new flavor or two over the years, however. Here is a little something for the older treat-seekers. One may find several other party ideas on this site, as well. Just please remember to celebrate responsibly.
As we have endeavored to point out, Hungry Halloween Spirits and Goblins are certainly nothing to be trifled with. Unless your trifle happens to contain a number of Halloween goodies inside it, of course!
Thank You for visiting with us! Please feel to share this special Halloween post and our site with friends and family for their Halloween fun.
When out this Halloween, please remember to celebrate safely, drive carefully in neighborhoods, and watch for little ones on the roadways who most likely will not be watching out for you while rushing to the next candy stop.
And remember, if you happen across an unattended broomstick on Halloween, just leave it be. We’ll talk more about that another time in our upcoming “Interview With A Witch”. Until then, just ignore the broom and pass on by. Witches are not fond of walking, and we’ll simply leave it at that for now. Watch for the interview here soon!
Also please keep an eye out for our upcoming “Autumn Recipes” special soon, along with another fun little poem this week. Follow the blog now to be notified of every new post in your email box. Never any Spam. Little Red Bear only likes his Spam from the little can, never in the mail.
Happy Halloween to everyone! Fire up the wood stoves and let the holiday candy and treat making begin! — Jim (and Red!)
“Halloween isn’t just about candies and treats. No, wait — of course, it is.” — Little Red Bear
“A candy a day keeps the monsters under the bed away.” — Cinnamon Charlie
“A grandmother pretends she doesn’t know who you are on Halloween.” — Erma Bombeck
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With the help of patrons, last month we were able to donate six print copies of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” to a Senior Citizens Library and Residents!
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“If you are out of treats, I would prefer cash.” — Slick the Weasel
“Keep calm, Trick or Treat, and carry on.” – Oliver Wendell Ghostbody
parents as an explanation for why the annual Halloween tradition of painting store windows stopped, at least in our area.
James Milson - The Writing Pages 