I often get weird looks from people when I say that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays (a very, very close second to Christmas). I even had a member of my ward lecture me a few years ago about the evils of Halloween. I get it. I know it is based on a pagan holiday, and the whole thing revolves around some not very nice stuff, but I love it anyways.
There are a couple of reasons why Halloween is so fun to me, one of which is dressing up. I love getting to pretend to be someone different for a change. I can be the Mad Hatter, or Princess Leia, even if just for an evening (or 3 some years). I love the getting ready, the stage makeup, and the general fun of just putting on something I don't normally wear.
Another reason I love Halloween is the fact the whole community celebrates together. Our kids go door to door and neighbors, friends, and even strangers give them candy...for free! Businesses have sidewalk celebrations, the zoo has an extravaganza, and the community puts on festivals, all at no cost. It is just a giant block party that we all pitch in for.
One other reason Halloween appeals to me so much was reiterated to me today. An 8 year old little girl went missing here on Wednesday. Her body was found today in a ditch and they have arrested her step-dad. I was in JoAnn's today, crying with others because that is where we found out. This is only the 4th murder we have had since we lived here, and the last violent death of a child here was in 2003. We are pretty insulated in our small town, but this reminded me that the world is scary. People can be horrible. I find it nicer to read science fiction and celebrate Halloween where the scary things are monsters, ghosts, vampires, and other things that we don't have in real life. Real life can be horrible, and sometimes I just want to escape.
I'm going to go work on my Halloween advent calendar. I'm going to make my dog's costume. I'm going to watch The Office and try and escape for just a while from thinking about that poor little girl. Hug your loved ones tonight, I know I did. Enjoy life, and enjoy escaping once in a while.
I have a video to help:
3 comments:
Love the video, particularly when Tonks is unceremoniously dumped! And I also love Halloween, I feel like Mom always made it so fun for us, and I love dressing up, too (even though McKay and I look crazy because we're generally the only adults in costume at the ward party).
I love Halloween, too. The fact that it takes place in autumn definitely enhances things - the changing leaves, the crisp air, moody clouds. I love all the things you mentioned - dressing up & the community celebration with the underlying sense of spookiness. So fun! I wonder if the same church members who dismiss Halloween as pagan also don't put up Christmas trees?
That is so sad that the little girl's life was curtailed by her step-father. Awful things do happen, but I pray that nothing like that ever happens to a family member of ours. Don't know how I could handle it.
I'm not a big fan of Halloween, but I certainly enjoyed it 3 years ago when Livi was born and I got to spend Halloween with your children. Good memories!
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