Happy Halloween

Disclaimer: We worship thee, o Lady Meyer, for writing us this loverly universe to play in. We honour thee with…um…honour.

A/N: First of a series of festival drabbles. I think I'll also do Christmas, New Year and mebbe Val's Day, if I'm feeling creative. I might also write the drabbles for different fandoms, but at this point I intend to do them all for Twilight.

"ALICE! What is the meaning of this…this…" Esme's voice tailed off as she struggled to find a word for the artistic tangle of black crepe paper and woollen spider webs adorning the front parlour and steps.

"This celebration of our national culture, you mean?" supplied Jasper, stepping out from behind a cluster of stuffed toy bats with Rosalie by his side and wearing a grin that would have eclipsed a banana.

Esme was not pacified. "Celebration? Our home looks like a morgue!"

"But a very pretty morgue." said Alice.

"And just what is that?!"

A giant plastic jack-o'-lantern, easily the size of a beach ball, swung from the ceiling in place of the chandelier. A malevolent orange grin beamed down on them from above; although not yet lit, it was rather more menacing than your average pumpkin.

"It's…art. And…err…light. Bought it at a special Halloween sale at the mall yesterday." Edward looked rather apprehensive as he spoke. Though arguably his junior in terms of years, Esme was not a woman to be trifled with.

But she was weakening under Alice, Jasper and Rosalie's pleading gazes.

"What will Bella say?" she said, appealing to Edward, the one most likely to surrender.

"She's over there, putting up the bows." Edward gestured to the stairwell, where Bella was tying black ribbon to the staircase. She waved and smiled, before continuing with an air of intense concentration. "We think it's a record. She's only tripped on the decorations twice so far."

Esme sighed in defeat.

"You five will be pulling all this down again tomorrow. And where's Emmett?"

Bella and the Cullen 'children' stared towards the kitchen as, right on cue, a plume of acrid black smoke issued from the doorway.

"Cooking dinner." said Alice.