Halloween story, poetry, and art for kids and families

The Pumpkin Who Lost His Glow

Poem: Once there was a pumpkin bright,
Glowing softly through the night,
But one dark eve, his light went poof!
And shadows danced upon the roof.

He searched for spark through autumn air,
Through crunchy leaves and children’s stares,
Till one kind witch with silver thread,
Sewed moonlight right into his head!

Now, every Halloween he beams,
Lighting up the children’s dreams.

Story:
Jack, the pumpkin, felt sad when his candle blew out on Halloween night. He thought he’d never glow again—until a kind witch shared a bit of moonlight magic. Now, Jack glows brighter than ever, guiding trick-or-treaters safely home.

The Witch Who Loved Halloween

In the town of Plum Pudding lived a witch named Wanda. Now, Wanda wasn’t the green-skinned, cackling kind of witch you read about in old books. Wanda was a real witch, which meant she had a pointy purple hat, a broomstick that sometimes needed a jump-start, and a very fluffy black cat named Midnight.

Every year, Wanda looked forward to one night more than any other: Halloween.

Wanda loved the spooky decorations, the crisp autumn air, and especially the children. But most of all, she loved the magic of the night. You see, on Halloween, the veil between the ordinary world and the magical world is thin, and Wanda felt the magic humming like a happy beehive.

This year, Wanda had a big problem. Her cauldron, which she used to make the most delicious, fizzy, rainbow-colored treats for the trick-or-treaters, was broken! It had a tiny, hissing crack right near the bottom.

“Oh, Midnight, what will I do?” Wanda sighed, tapping the cracked cauldron with her wand. “No Rainbow Fizzies this year!”

Midnight, who was busy trying to catch a spider web floating in the air, stopped and looked at Wanda with his big, yellow eyes. He purred a deep, rumbly purr that sounded a little like a suggestion.

Wanda gasped. “You’re right, Midnight! I don’t need a cauldron for all my treats. I just need a little help from the magic of Halloween!”

She grabbed her broomstick, which sputtered twice before zooming into the sky.

Wanda flew over Plum Pudding, watching the children in their costumes. She saw a little astronaut, a brave knight, and a tiny, wobbly pumpkin. Each child was a little spark of Halloween magic!

Wanda landed gently in the middle of the town square, right next to the giant, friendly pumpkin display. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at the biggest, roundest pumpkin.

“Abracadabra, Alakazam!” she whispered, “Let the Halloween magic fill this squash-y friend, and turn it into a treat-making machine!”

Fwoomp!

The pumpkin didn’t turn into a machine, but something even better happened. It began to glow with a warm, orange light. Wanda realized the pumpkin wasn’t a machine, it was a giant mixing bowl!

She quickly gathered her ingredients:

  • Three spoonfuls of moonbeam dust for sparkle.
  • A cup of autumn leaf crunch for flavor.
  • And a pinch of black cat purr for extra luck.

Wanda stirred the mixture with her wand. The pumpkin glowed brighter and brighter until,Pop! it began to shoot out dozens of small, perfect, rainbow-colored candies! They weren’t the fizzy ones, but they were even better: Magical Mood Candies.

When the trick-or-treaters finally reached Wanda, they were amazed. She wasn’t standing at a door; she was standing next to a glowing pumpkin that was spitting out candy!

“Happy Halloween, little ones!” Wanda cried, handing out the treats.

A little girl dressed as a princess took a candy and popped it into her mouth. Suddenly, she felt so happy she started to giggle uncontrollably.

A boy dressed as a pirate took one, and he felt so brave he decided to stop being scared of the dark.

Wanda smiled. She didn’t need a perfect cauldron. The real magic of Halloween wasn’t in her spells or her tools; it was in the joy and imagination of the children.

As the night ended and the moon began to set, Wanda flew back home, Midnight tucked safely in her hat. She looked at her cracked cauldron, and this time, she didn’t sigh. She knew that next year, she wouldn’t even bother to fix it.

She had found a new, much better way to make her Halloween treats: with a little bit of magic, a lot of color, and the help of a happy, glowing pumpkin.

The End

. The Ghost Who Couldn’t Boo

Poem: A tiny ghost named Boo-Boo Blue,
Tried so hard to say, “Boo!”
But all that came was “peep” and “meep,”
The cats would laugh, the bats would weep!

He practiced high, he practiced low,
He even scared a scarecrow!
Till one dark night, he found his cue—
The wind howled, and out came “BOO!”

Now Boo-Boo Blue’s the loudest ghost,
The one the pumpkins fear the most!

Story:
Little Boo-Boo Blue was the shyest ghost in the graveyard. No matter how hard he tried, his “Boo!” came out as a squeak—until the Halloween wind helped him find his scary voice.

Black cats, black cats,
Sugar and spice.
Add a little spook
To my Halloween night!

-Lizzie Barbie (and Eve)

Eve

Tapping Pockets and Wrapping Gifts: A Homeschool Holiday Tradition

It’s that time of year again—time to wrap gifts, share a few laughs, and yes, tap a few pockets . As we all know, the holidays can be a bit of a whirlwind, and for us homeschooling families, it’s no different. We balance schoolwork, crafts, and of course, holiday preparations. But, no matter how busy we get, there’s always room for a little humor and a lot of holiday cheer.

So, this year, as we’re all busy wrapping presents and trying not to get tangled in ribbons, I couldn’t resist sharing a little poem I came up with, just for fun. It perfectly captures the spirit of the season—and maybe a little wink at how those pockets can sometimes feel a little lighter than expected!


Christmas Cheer

You can spread your Christmas cheer
Ribbon tied and neatly wrapped
Under my tree this year,
And leave your lovely pocket tapped….

Eve Sanchez


Now, I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but if you find your pocket a little lighter, just know—it’s all part of the holiday magic. 😉

We’ve all had those moments where the holiday cheer feels a little too… well, cheerful, but let’s not forget the true gift of the season: the memories we create with family. Whether it’s sharing laughs while wrapping gifts or sneaking a peek under the tree to see what’s in store, these are the moments that make the season special.

So here’s to our homeschool crew, tapping pockets, wrapping gifts, and keeping the holiday humor alive. Let’s spread that Christmas cheer—and maybe a little bit of wit—along the way!

Happy Holidays, everyone! May your pockets be full of joy, and your hearts even fuller.

Eve

Thanksgiving Gratitude Challenge Poem – Video

Written by Eve
Thanksgiving poetry reading by Eve on the girls’ YouTube channel.

This Thanksgiving poem, along with other poems and a video, are coming very soon.

Christmas Challenge coming next consisting of one poem a day. I already wrote with my daughters more than 20, and we are also designing free e-cards to share.

Many of the Christmas poems are already scheduled.

I am using these poems for homeschooling purposes, and we will talk about Lilli and Lizzie’s poetry and songwriting efforts soon.

Until the next Thanksgiving post,

Eve