I don't get Halloween
I just don't get it.
I don't get the internet obsession with Halloween. I follow a bunch of craft blogs and Mormon mom blogs and I just read lots of random blogs that aren't either of those veins and it just seems like way more people are into Halloween than I am.
I like dressing up and/or getting Junia dressed up for trick or treading and I can enjoy the creativity and playfulness of Halloween..but really how many Halloween parties do you get invited to? How much do you really like candy corn? How much do you dress for this "season"?
Can someone explain to me why the universe is spending so much energy on a holiday that seems to lack any real values? Or share with me the values that I have not picked up on?
What are people celebrating (no not historically but really)?
What is the point?
Do we like it so much because it is an extension of the lives we already lead on facebook and online and stuff?
I don't get the internet obsession with Halloween. I follow a bunch of craft blogs and Mormon mom blogs and I just read lots of random blogs that aren't either of those veins and it just seems like way more people are into Halloween than I am.
I like dressing up and/or getting Junia dressed up for trick or treading and I can enjoy the creativity and playfulness of Halloween..but really how many Halloween parties do you get invited to? How much do you really like candy corn? How much do you dress for this "season"?
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| Fire hydrant costume little one- Oct. 2010 |
What are people celebrating (no not historically but really)?
What is the point?
Do we like it so much because it is an extension of the lives we already lead on facebook and online and stuff?
I totally agree. I dont get it either. I hear people saying "Halloween is my favorite holiday!" seriously!? and it seems as many people decorate their yards for halloween as they do Christmas now. Im all for dressing Rex up in a cute outfit for about 1 hour and taking some pictures but I dont get all the rest of it.
ReplyDeleteI actually do genuinely love Halloween. It's true I haven't done anything for it since Boston -- my house isn't a great party-hosting venue -- and there are a lot of VERY BAD ways to observe Halloween, but I really enjoy the frivolity. I've always loved theater, costumes, etc., and I enjoy that there is a day when it is socially acceptable for adults to be creative and silly in that way.
ReplyDeleteSo, basically, I think I just enjoy it as a day of inversions, to put aside social propriety and get to direct some creative energies toward making other people smile. And it has the rare benefit of being a holiday that's not connected to a racist or colonialist or militaristic false narrative of our nation's past.
I've been thinking about your post since I read it. I've been trying to figure out why we are putting energy towards this holiday at all. And this year we are putting a lot of energy towards it compared to previous years. On Wednesday I took Caleb to pick out a costume. On Thursday I went to buy some decorations and candy for a couple of "trunk or treat" events. This morning Foster had his Halloween parade at school and Mark and I were there to decorate a table and hand out candy. Tomorrow we have an event at the YMCA that the boys will dress up for and I will work. Sunday we have a potluck and "trunk or treat" at church and on Monday Caleb has a parade and party at school and then trick-or-treating that night. It's almost more than we'll do for Christmas and Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I have come to the conclusion that the reason that we do it in our family is for creativity, imagination and exploration. I'm not sure Foster really gets it (it kind of seems like we are torturing him) but Caleb got to pick out a costume and chose to dress like his brother. He also picked out some black nail polish and was excited to wear it. He's doing a play at school and tonight we carved pumpkins. But I must confess that I will be ready for Halloween to be over this year by the time we get to Tuesday morning!
Costumes. That's pretty much it for me. If there were even more occasions for costumes, I'd be all for it.
ReplyDelete