halloween

Halloween is probably one of my least favorite holidays, maybe because I don't really consider it a "holiday." (Apparently, though, the Oswego school district does--they are off today due to it being Halloween.)

Fortunately, I think we are getting off easy this year--no dressing up (that I know of!), which is a relief since Lucas has a lot of really...interesting?...costume ideas. If you ever want some abstract/chuckle-worthy ideas, please contact him. He specializes in couples' costume ideas.

I don't know exactly what it is about Halloween that I don't like...it's possible that it bothers me that I considered Halloween a fun and innocent day for kids to dress up and go trick-or-treating, and the retail industry has made it so much more. Or the fact that high school and college kids (girls in particular) treat it as a day to look trashy on purpose. I used to dress us as harmless things, like a pumpkin, or a crayon, or a bluebird, or a pilgrim (yes, those are all actual costumes that I have worn). Or it could be that I don't like to be scared. I don't like scary movies, or gory movies, or anything that has the word "Saw" in the title.

I also hate haunted houses because I hate not being able to see where I'm going (haunted houses are dark) and I hate the idea of things jumping out at me (that's what they do at haunted houses). I think I've had approximately 2 haunted house experiences, and that was enough to convince me that I don't like them. I don't even like corn mazes. This is just a bad time of year for me.

I blame the people-jumping-out-at-you fear on my dad. When we were kids we would go visit my grandparents several times a year, and my cousins would usually all be there too, so we could usually persuade my dad and uncle to participate in a game of hide and seek with us kids. My dad's favorite thing to do was make little noises--like whistling or saying something like "woo-ooh"--to clue us in to where he was hiding. This was great until you figured out where he was, and someone had to open the door to the room or the closet (he always hid behind a door of some sort)...at which point he would burst out with a roar and scare us all. Every time. Eventually we stopped asking him to play.

So there are a combination of factors at play here. Let's just say that I like the candy part of Halloween...that's about it.