Pumpkin/Apple Friday Five

SingingOwl writes at the RGBP site:

All Hallows Eve (Halloween) is near. As a child, Halloween was one of my favorite holidays. We didn’t yet worry about razor blades in apples or popcorn balls or some of the other concerns people have with Halloween these days. Halloween was a chance to be mildly scared, and better yet, to dress up and pretend to be something we really weren’t. Let’s talk about that a bit, but then let’s add in some food ideas for this year. Where I live the leaves are falling, the temperature is chilly and pumpkins are for sale everywhere, along with many kids of apples. What's more, the "Holiday Season" will soon be upon us. ACK! I could use a new idea for dessert. So, here we go…

1. How did you celebrate this time of year when you were a child? Parties at school (dances in later grades), maybe trick or treating if I was allowed--although I don't remember being an avid trick-or-treater anyway.
2. Do you and/or your family “celebrate” Halloween? Why or why not? And if you do, has it changed from what you used to do? Not really. THere is a kids party in town we often go to. But the kids are just really starting to get excieted about HAlloween.
2. Candy apples: Do you prefer red cinnamon or caramel covered? Or something else? Neither. If I want to eat an apple a plain apple will do.
3. Pumpkins: Do you make Jack O’ Lanterns? Any ideas of what else to do with them? Take bets on how long they stay whole sitting on the step after HAlloween? Target practice for slingshots?
4. Do you decorate your home for fall or Halloween? If so, what do you do? Bonus points for pictures. I don't, the beloved does a bit: pumpkin lights on thefront step, some clingys and some kids art on the window Decorating the house for Halloween is relatively recent in Canada and is growing by leaps and bounds.
5. Do you like pretending to be something different? Does a costume bring our an alternate personality? I love dressing up. And the costume certainly helps move into the character.

Bonus: Share your favorite recipe for an autumn food, particularly apple or pumpkin ones. I don't have a recipe but when having Thanksgiving with my brother-in-law's family I remember having a pumpkin cheescake with chocolate crust that was truly scrumptious.