I’ve never been a lover of Halloween. Sure as a kid getting a truck load of candy had its luster. However, everything else about Halloween I could do with out. Some people love it. They go all out. I’m just not a fan. As a child a lot of it scared me. I remember going through the haunted house behind the stage of my elementary school. I would cling to my friend Kate’s hand and just stare at the ground or close my eyes. She would steer me through. I was scared even though I knew the haunted house was put on by the fourth graders…my brother being one of them. I knew it was make believe, but it still scared me.
Fast-forward to junior high and high school. I wasn’t a fan of horror movies, although I liked a good thriller. Of course someone with an October birthday would theme their party around Halloween. There would be a sleep over and I would have to watch The Shining while peeking through my fingers, or hiding behind Kate yet again! Then there were the girls who just LOVED it. That feeling of being scared.
I know many Halloween lovers. They deck out the lawns with tombstones and coffins, and try planing the scariest costumes. The only Halloween decoration I ever loved was a ceramic pumpkin lamp my mother made in the 70s, and she still has it. My kids love it now too. I just don’t know why everyone loves it so much. It’s so creepy and morbid. There’s no joyful celebration of any sort. Why are people crazy about Halloween?
I find Logan is sort of following my path. He doesn’t even like to walk into Rite Aid around this time of year because of the skeletons, and I get it. I understand it and I don’t mind one bit. However, he had a great time last night. He even decided to make his own mask last minute. So, although I was secretly dreading it, we went and did the trick or treating thing. Nine houses later the kids pumpkins were stocked with all sorts of delicious treats…and of course I stole a few peanut butter cups and Almond Joys.
How can you NOT love a holiday that encourages your little cuties to get decked out as their fave super hero or their own creation?
I definitely get why you don’t like the scary parts and I agree. I don’t like them either. We keep it fairly G rated here although we did have a motion censored box that we strategically place in one of our doorstep pumpkins that scared every person that came to the door with a howl, shriek or cackle!
We don’t need a holiday to dress up as super heros and other creatures. I’m not allowed to pack the costumes away! lol
Totally speakin’ my language. I have never understood why parents think it’s “cute” to dress their kids up as the devil or anything with blood or violence attached to the costume. I’m all for dress up fun, the excitement of getting all those sweets once a year or even a “harvest party” to celebrate Fall. The amount of plastic crap that adorned so many front yards this year really shocked me. Really? That’s what you want to spend your hard-earned money on? Plastic skulls and zombies?? I don’t get it.
I “scolded” several youngsters who came to my door last night with ZERO costume and a huge sack pushed in my face to hopefully get more candy. I was like, “Really? Zero effort on your part? No creativity at all??” Two boys told me they were dressed as “school boys.” Whatever.
All I know is it’s only going to get worse as the years go by. Hopefully my boys will be fine sticking to just roaming our little neighborhood for an hour before calling it a night.
I’m so with you, Sheri. I just don’t get into Halloween. Sure, the little kids in costumes are super cute, but the scary music, spiderwebs and frightening lawn displays I can do without!