Is it just me, or has Halloween (just like everything else) become more and more polarized?
I feel like there are a lot of people out there who just HATE Halloween. They're the people writing in to Dear Prudence complaining that because they live in a well-to-do neighborhood, too many kids from the poor part of town come around looking for free candy. And the people who are infuriated that teenagers want to go trick-or-treating when they are obviously too old for it. And there are people who just hate it even in the best of circumstances-- I just heard that the bishop in my hometown refuses to have a Halloween party, making it a Fall Festival instead. (Not sure why, since the CHURCH isn't against it. But whatever...)
And there also seem to be a lot of people who absolutely LOVE Halloween. They go nuts decorating their entire front yard, and even the front of their house for it. (We just saw a house that had its own radio station playing Halloween music, with synchronized lighting to boot!) They spend months planning and creating family-themed costumes. Just the mention of Halloween brings squeals of delight from these people.
And then there's me. Right smack dab in the middle. I'm too lazy (and apparently not creative OR crafty enough) to come up with awesome costumes for my kids. They usually get whatever we happen to find at Target/Wal-Mart/Costco, or a hand-me-down costume from an older sibling. I usually don't bother with a costume for myself at all. I think the last time I dressed up was when I was pregnant with Kendra... (I did dress up last night, though-- I figured out I could probably pull off a Rosie the Riveter costume. But I only came up with that after seeing on facebook that a friend had done so a few years back. And then that same friend bought me a red handkerchief to tie around my head because I was too lazy to look for one myself! AND IT'S NOT EVEN MY IDEA!!!)
So, yeah, I'm pretty lame when it comes to costumes. But at the same time, I really do love seeing the amazing costumes other people come up with! A few years ago, a friend of mine dressed her whole family like characters in How to Train Your Dragon and it was fantastic! The viking costume for her husband, the older son as Hiccup, and the younger son as Toothless-- I wouldn't even know where to start on any of those costumes, and she'd done an amazing job on it all! And last Friday, at the high school football game, a girl in the drumline had dressed herself up as a pink bunny (NOT a sexy bunny, just a plain pink bunny) and slapped an Energizer sticker on her base drum and I thought it was brilliant! Simple, but awesome!
I love seeing what other people do. I just don't care enough to put in the effort myself.
At the same time, I don't understand the hatred against Halloween, either. For example: Why would anyone have a problem with teenagers trick-or-treating? In this world where everyone wants them to grow up so fast, I'm fine with teens holding on to a few vestiges of their childhood. I can think of a whole lot worse things they could be doing instead. I will admit that kids asking for candy without wearing any costume at all sort of irritate me. I'll give them candy anyway (because I don't want them to come back and egg my house), but I don't like it. And that bishop who won't hold a ward Halloween party-- really? People already think Mormons are weird enough without giving them the impression that Halloween is against our religion, also! Please don't make us look weirder than we actually are!
So, yeah, I feel like I'm right smack dab in the middle of the love and hate that flies around at the end of October. No, that's not true-- I come down squarely in the "love it" camp. I mean, what's not to love about a holiday that involves creativity and free candy? It's just a very lazy kind of love, that's all.
I guess the bonus to forgetting to publish this yesterday is now I can tack on a couple pictures of our family:
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| L-R, we have a cow, Clark Kent, a witch, a ghost, a dragon, and an old man |
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| Ryder is such a dapper dragon. And look-- I dressed up this year! I would have been flexing if I hadn't been carrying a cow...! |
3 comments:
Your costumes look awesome! Gareth has been the child to benefit from costume-making interest in our family. Mal has been stuck with the (admittedly awesome) hand-me-downs or purchased costumes.
Speaking of older kids, rain kept most of the preK and younger elementary kids away this year, so we primarily got middle school/early high schoolers. And they were mostly costumed, even if it was a hasty job, and all extremely polite, wishing me a happy halloween, a good night, saying thank you, telling me they liked our jack-o-lantern, etc. And they were all having a great time with one another. They're still kids, they still love candy, so I'm more than happy to have them come.
I did realize this year that maybe we should decorate our house more. Thus far my tactic has been carve a single pumpkin, put a candle in it, and turn on the porch light. I think we'd get a few more trick-or-treaters if we put more effort into decorating. One of these years maybe we'll have to do that.
I read this important article online comparing halloween these days to days of yore. Special bags/containers vs. plastic pumpkin and pillow cases. A couple of pumpkins vs. decked out front porch. I agree that in ways it's blown up a bit, especially in the decor. But at the end of the day, I love Halloween and all the creepy fun and the actual day is still basically the same-- good ol' fashioned trick-or-treating and begging for candy in its simple beauty and joy.
As for costumes, back in the day i think it was cooler to have a store-bought one. Do you agree? My memory is fuzzy. And homemade was considered lame, unless it was awesome or something. But this was pre-pinterest. These days it's a bit much. But whatevs, I still like to look at them. If people want to sweat about it that's ok with me. :D
I've read those Dear Prudence Halloween articles! I was actually thinking about one the other day: our neighborhood is really nice and attracts a lot of non-local kids for trick-or-treating (especially to the local shops who host a couple different halloween events), and I've recommitted that I am thrilled that the kids from Oakland and other riskier neighbors can come commute in for their holiday festivities! I'm glad there are safe suburbs and generous businesses to share candy and be safe and give the children (and parents) a happy holiday.
Anyway, that's not really what your post was about. I'm with you, I think Halloween is fun. I love that adults dress up and enter the imaginative world of children, and it sort of bugs me when people don't get that and just disregard Halloween as a creepy greedy day. And I'm happy that our CA ward is really supportive of Halloween. (Our bishop actually takes the ward party really seriously. He's in design, and it's a priority for him that his car and costume and the whole event are amazing.)
Anyway - I think your Halloween looks and sounds great!
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