In My Reston Neighborhood, Halloween is So Popular, It's Scary

This will be Halloween No. 15 for me on my South Reston cul-de-sac.

I'm not going to say which street, because as it is, it is already a popular spot. It attracts, of course, the residents but also children from nearby neighborhoods where there isn't so much "spirit."

My street has a lot going for it, as far as trick or treating goes. The houses are New England-style Colonials, so, if you use your imagination, you can pretend you are in a legitimate New England spooky place, like Salem, MA.

The little houses are on little lots and they are very close together, which gives it maximum candy procuring impact. It is a cul-de-sac with sidewalks, so it is possible to walk down the middle of it with an entire Girl Scout troop and never dodge a car.

We take Halloween seriously here. My house has been known to sport a scarecrow without a head and a graveyard with a fog machine. There for whom Halloween is nothing short of a Broadway-style production. Del. Ken Plum lives here too, and this is an election year for the Virginia General Assembly so he just might be in costume and just might be giving out full size candy bars (and a reminder to vote on Nov. 8).

But what he street really has going for it is kids. Lots and lots of kids. We recently counted 30 of them under age 15, with the majority of them under about age 8.

Because these are smallish houses, the street is a popular spot for new families. Couples move in with no kids, and a few years later they are the parents of two.

During the housing boom, some moved in and out, doubling their money in a couple of Halloweens. New babies moved in and current babies grew up as more families are choosing to live here for the long haul. Tonight is sure to be a steady parade of Elmos and Marios, Disney Princesses, cats, dogs, Baby Elvis and Hannah Montana.

As for me, I have gone from mother of the toddler in a lion suit to checking in with a band of teens as they go on Mission: Maximum Candy. This year, 10th grade may, in fact, be too old for trick or treating. We'll see.

Do you have a Reston street known for its Halloween festivities? Tell us about it in the comments. And don't forget - today is the last day for Patch's Little Pumpkin costume contest. You could win a trip to New York to meet Project Runway's Heidi Klum and a $1031 donation to a charity of your choice.

And Happy Halloween!