Great news, Halloween fans, your time is now. Today we’re officially launching Spooky Mommy, our annual issue dedicated to the holiday. And first up, we have Samm Davidson on a topic that’ll resonate with a lot of you: how great Halloween was back in our day.

She writes: “Every year, as soon as the leaves start changing colors along the quiet street of my New England town, I am immediately reminded of one of my favorite ’90s childhood memories: Halloween. It was the highlight of every autumn, a night of uncomplicated, untethered, old-fashioned fun. It’s the kind of fun I wish for my four kids — the kind that’s often so difficult to get today, between the screen obsession and the over-packed schedules. And so every year, I do my best to create a Halloween night for them like the ones from my childhood. Because God, they were magical.”

And she talks a little bit about how, too! Let’s all give it a try.

— Kelly Faircloth, Executive Editor

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While we’re on the topic of Halloween, let’s talk about birthdays. Meg St-Esprit is convinced Halloween is the best time to have one, and today she’s making the argument: “Whenever I tell another mom that my youngest child’s birthday is in August, they inevitably make a comment about how nice it must be to be able to throw parties in the summer. I won’t lie: it is a snap. From a Taylor-themed picnic at our local pool to a piñata dangling from a park shelter, summer birthdays are simple to set up. But while my youngest enjoys her fun in the sun, my older three kids really hit the jackpot.” She’s convincing!