Oh boy, it's almost time

Today is special, and not just because it's the final Sunday before you get to sleep in an extra hour.

It's Halloween Eve - one more day until we can all have fun trying to distinguish real zombies from Occupy protesters.

We apologize for that last remark. The point is, in the midst of political and economic upheaval, of personal attacks over philosophical differences, of worries about getting a job or holding on to the one you're lucky enough to have at the moment, Halloween could hardly come at a better time.

There's so much you can read into our nation by its work ethic, its entrepreneurial spirit, its adventurous, courageous exploits into risk and reward. But we submit that you can tell at least as much by how we celebrate, how we choose to have fun. And nothing captures our creative albeit mischievous spirit more than Halloween.

We have nothing against churches that choose to conduct tricks-or-treats in the safety of their hallways or parking lots. Residents who opt, for any reason whatsoever, not to "play" tomorrow are free to turn off their lights and hang their "No Solicitors or Candy Bar Beggars" signs by the front door.

But for the rest of us, let's have a blast.

We encourage kids of all ages to dress up and get out. True, with unemployment so high and bank accounts so low, the treats might be a bit skimpier this year than most, but we're believers that trick-or-treating shouldn't end when your feet stop growing. One of the great things about Halloween is that it has the power to bring back the child in each of us.

We heartily applaud the many homeowners who decorated their haunted mansions in high Halloween fashion this year. You're creating memories - OK, sometimes nightmares - for a generation of wide-eyed youngsters. And you're continuing a tradition that has helped define our resilient and resourceful nation.

Remember, it's not how loud you shout that matters.

It's how loud you can make a visitor scream - and then laugh.