Halloween not (really) for me
October 20th, 2009 by CatI've never been a big Halloween fan.
As a kid I much preferred to pass out candy from our doorstep than dress up and walk around the neighborhood, worried about getting spooked or falling down a flight of stairs because I couldn't see out of the small slits in the plastic Care Bear mask.
Sure, getting bags full of candy was great. But I just never got into the spirit of the holiday.
Now as an adult, I feel much the same way.
Don't get me wrong: I do dress up. In fact, if I could, I'd make it mandatory for my students to come to class in costume — and make it count toward their final grade.
But I just don't get how people — and I have friends like this — who can spend hundreds of dollars on costumes every year. I admit that kind of commitment to Halloween — but I don't feel it. (Check out the Metromix photo gallery of this weekend's "Crazy, Sexy, Ghoul 2009" here.)
I get the concept that dressing up can be that fantasy, that we (as adults) can step into a personality we'd never show otherwise, be someone we're not even just for a night.
Maybe I don't have the patience or creative inclination.
Anyone else feel the same way?
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Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish, send her an e-mail at cat@thecatdish.com, and now watch her every Thursday at 6:45 a.m. on KHNL News 8.
Tags: costumes, Crazy Sexy Ghoul, friends, Halloween, hawaii, holiday, Metromix, relationships, toth
October 20th, 2009 at 6:08 am
This is my favorite holiday, and has been since I was a kid. I'm not so much into the dressing up part, as I am decorating the house to make it look spooky. My childhood home, where I am now, is the perfect big house with spooky walkway and entryway to make a spooky Halloween scene. I think for the real Halloween effect, you have to have true fall weather, which Hawaii does not.
October 20th, 2009 at 6:25 am
Hey Cat, you see me sitting in your class? No? Try look, I'm the invisible man
Nah, I too not into the "Spirit" of Halloween. Sorry, I prefer to stay with the living instead of honoring the dead, especially the evil ones
As for candy, I buy my own and stash it in my desk.
October 20th, 2009 at 6:26 am
I was never really big on Halloween, mostly because we never got the day off from school for it. Plus, nowadays all the stores have Christmas decorations up before Halloween which sort of bypasses the whole point of it all. They should have a retail rule that says no Christmas decorations up until the day after Thanksgiving. That's when everything goes on sale anyway.
I do like carving pumpkins though. Lately that's been the big thing to look forward to on Halloween. If you're married to a dietitian, good luck trying to buy candy.
October 20th, 2009 at 7:30 am
I'm into dressing up nowadays. Hmm gotta come up with something soon.
I don't really get into the big costume parties though. I'd rather look at the pic in MetroMix the day after.
October 20th, 2009 at 7:37 am
Cat,
I am so with you on this one. First, it is a big gimme kind of thing which just promotes more excess sugar consumption. Second, the whole concept is ghoulish. And, finally, it is too close to All Saints and All Souls days. I am not overly religious, but I appreciate those and those mean more than the silly, inane Halloween stuff.
I'd rather see the effort and money wasted on Halloween spent on maintaining neglected cemetaries. That would give us meaningful activity inside of promoting the insidious 'me-ism' that is too rampant in our society today. Color me in the let's eliminate Halloween category.
Okay, sorry for the soapbox, but you actually made me think.
October 20th, 2009 at 7:41 am
People at my workplace are nuts about Halloween. We always have a costume contest and they end up decorating their depts as well. One year two departments teamed up and did all the Star Wars characters, including making an R2D2 character. Another year they did the Flintstones and made the Fred's car!
October 20th, 2009 at 8:10 am
I'm a big fan of Halloween. I typically spend between $400-$500 on Halloween because like most diehard Halloween fans, I can't wear the same costume twice, not to mention that I get decked out from head to toe so it's never cheap.
But this year I'm scaling back. I can't imagine spending that much money on one day--on one costume and office decorations. I've decided to check out all the haunted houses, etc. on the island instead ... Waipahu Haunted Plantation, Wet N Wild rides and 3-D haunted house, Shockhouse, etc. It's much cheaper and a little more entertaining.
October 20th, 2009 at 8:13 am
I have a co-worker/friend who paid $7k for an Iron Man costume last year. It was custom made by a sheet metal worker and it took 3 people to help put it all together.
October 20th, 2009 at 8:35 am
I go along with Halloween since I have two kids...I put up a costume but not crazy I spend cash but my backwards husband would spend money to dress the boys up.....and he buys all sort so of mask. if you should only see how happy my husband being a child so I go along. he buys all this smoke machine....well it brings out the childish him...one time he said to me GO DRESS UP AND GET MORE CANDY along with the boys so I did I was happy I got candy nah nah nah candy full of rotten tooth after.
...one time I told my husband we were 23 and 24 idiots we married young I wanted to scare my dad so we dressed spooky ..my husband wore elm street outfit which I sewed black and red stripes... so we drove to my dad's house with our oldest son I said to my husband I go first get candy I knock my dad gave me candy he didn't recognise me I wore a mask seeing I am short I pass as a kid. I go back changed my shoes and mask again I ask for candies again. my dad gave me handful again. so I said to my husband your turn you go lets see if you get any candy. This tall big guy "KID" ask for candy my dad gave him crappy hard candy...so I run to the back my mom let me in and my husband said to my dad you are cheap so give me more candy! ..Imagine a big guy asking for more candy and pushing his way into the house. I WAS LAUGHING ...I was saying to him the big kid with spooky outfit and mask nah nah loser you don't get any candy meanwhile my dad was turning red and white scared and I WAS LAUGHING so hard. finally my husband pulled his mask off. TRICK OR TREAT ! MY MOM FINALLY LAUGH ...my mom didn't know it was my husband either! YES SO IMMATURE my husband and I we have fun!
October 20th, 2009 at 8:39 am
The last time I dressed up for Halloween was about 10 years ago. I went to a party at a friend of mine's workplace. The company does special effects for movies and the party was on the studio parking lot.
With all those creative minds you can imagine the elaborate costumes that were on display. Me? I went as a basic vampire, nothing extravagant.
@Scott: You should post some pics of your haunted house. I'm sure we'd all love to see it!
October 20th, 2009 at 8:46 am
well my husband is a Kiss fan so he would buy this kiss mask and one time one of the tribute kiss band came to town for halloween ..my husband dragged me to go ..so I go ..I had to dress my husband up like Gene ....the makeup...well anyway. the funny thing I was sitting minding my own business watching the show my husband was right in front of it....a song I think it was "Beth" I can't remember now but anyway the Paul Stanley guy was giving out guitar pick thingy...I walked over just standing right at the back watching then all of the sudden Paul was giving the guitar pick pointing right at me..OMG....I feel bad because my husband really wanted one of those. so when we got home I was laughing...LOOK I SAID I WORE THIS SIMPLE DEVIL OUTFIT I GOT A GUITAR PICK AND YOU GOT NOTHING! funny
October 20th, 2009 at 8:49 am
I try to have fun with different occasions..I go along with it but I wont dress up too elaborate...what is the prize it is probably less than the amount of the outfit.
October 20th, 2009 at 8:50 am
yes I find ways to entertain our kids and seeing daddy is the fun one the boys have fun.
October 20th, 2009 at 8:54 am
we visit different farms they have Halloween things for kids...so yes Halloween is a big thing especially if you have kids....it breaks up the summer to fall.
October 20th, 2009 at 8:56 am
this time I only put pumkin to decorate our house ..if it is left to my husband my house will be full of skulls.....and really spooky things....this year I draw the line.
October 20th, 2009 at 9:02 am
yes it is fun Halloween we go visit different places that is spoooky
usually we go around the city looking at spooky things...SOME OLD HOUSE IS REALLY SPOOKY LOOKING...one hotel we stop by to visit the haunted room..everytime we visit this hotel it rains..or our van door wont open...kind of spooky..especially when we waited by the elevator at this hotel door a botton fell from nowhere...goose bumps I tell you.
October 20th, 2009 at 9:03 am
OH yes we even check out old churches yes yes we have fun...mommy crazy during HALLOWEEN!
October 20th, 2009 at 9:08 am
In order to complete my haunted house this year, I need someone to play a patient that has escaped from the mental ward. The more realistic the better. Does anyone know anyone who may fit this description?
October 20th, 2009 at 9:08 am
when I was young we didin't have Halloween back in Philippines..but I remember having to sit in cememtary during All souls day or something...wow some of those cemetary are really spooky with things are open and skulls you can see ..NOW THAT IS SPOOKY....you trip over the bones if you are not loooking so we use to gather the candles when it drips then make a ball out of it.... we bring food to the grave or somethign liek that ..and it is strange I never got lost! there was a saying if you trip over a bone then you are next to die so you better watch your steps!
October 20th, 2009 at 9:12 am
@ Scott: oh yes SCOTT you can be the twin escaped from mental ward....I go do that if I was closer..... yes during PMS you see me escape !
October 20th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Hello Cat!
I don't dress up for Halloween. We go to our church that night where they have entertainment, game booths, food and candies.
October 20th, 2009 at 10:03 am
yes with kids you have to try have memories with them. so I go along with the Halloween. I tell my husband why do you have to beg for your candies the amount you buy and give why work for that some candy you beg are crap ..but he says it is fun for kids. I am busy after checking eat candy then tossing the hard candy...this year I had so much candy left over I had to toss them out old candy...I often argue with my husband he better not go out with my kids full of mask usually I send them out with just face painting but at school the wear the special outfit with mask...my husband would say I paid good money for that mask and outfit and the kid can't go out with it. I SAY YOU DARN RIGHT they better nto go out with your crappy mask outfit and you better come home with our son in one peice..yes so ....no my kids don't trip.
October 20th, 2009 at 10:25 am
Halloween is second to Christmas in retail spending. It doesn't get hyped and reported as much but the $
October 20th, 2009 at 10:31 am
, as I was saying, are vital to many retailers. Regarding the day, people who are extremely comfortable with the notion of the spirits of the dead living among them, or those really freaked out by the idea, probably like Haloween the least. Most people fall in the middle (a bit uncomfortable with the notion) and the festivities suit them just fine.
October 20th, 2009 at 11:55 am
yes candy in HALLOWEEN IS GREAT OH WOW THE CHOCOLATES....you stack that up until CHRISTMAS THEN MORE CHOCOLATES..then VALENTINES...omg I LOVE THAT CANDY! I find with different holidays I have something to look forward too and my husband just loves Halloween.
October 20th, 2009 at 11:58 am
I also like the Halloween movies...SPOOOKY......only if my husband is home we watch that together..something to look forward to then next CHRISTMAS...yes we find things to do.
October 20th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
the best is our neighbourhood you don't have to walk far away into the long driveway to get to the door. so we have more candies and our section give great treats so one year I said to my husband lets try the rich section..omg they are cheap crappy candy from hell!...waste our time. funny .. in rich section you have walk a long driveway to get the crappy candy! We always had great Halloween in our section.
October 20th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
One day I'm gonna post 14 times too. Maybe on Halloween. Spooky...
October 20th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Halloween associates with Irish Immigrants. It comes to us, signifies the end of summer. Up close and getting closer through October, it can sense our various feelings of this past year.
The days leading up to Halloween (which is attributed to folklore) reveal a thin veil to a stronghold of spirits residing over a world of no disease or old age.
Family members and loved ones return to each other at this festival of Halloween. Costumes scare off any evil spirits that have joined in the festivities uninvited.
The cold and dark time of year brings thoughts of food, particularly. for winter; or, rather, it is the community together who lights an outdoor fire and throws in animal bones--from livestock, winter stores--that further ward off evil spirits as a bone fire (which is nowadays a bonfire). Ceremonial flames from the bonfire then light the darkened huts of the village one by one.
The village is ostensibly strengthened for the coming winter.
Today these needs are met with plastic masks and bags of candy.
October 20th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Halloween... let me see... took my son to the fair a few years ago and they had a petting zoo. Later as I was walking my son around the neighborhoods of Chapel Hill I felt progressively worse until I was to the point of hallucinations. The next morning I was diagnosed with e. coli. Yes, Halloween now has special meaning for me.
October 20th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
@ smilinpat: very interesting.
October 20th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
i'm really looking forward to getting all dressed up. having a lil party, then going OUT!!
love,
http://www.thevintagescene.com
October 20th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
When I was really really young my friends and I would go trick or treating wearing customes. After hitting the homes in the nearby area we would go back to one of our homes and exchange our customes then go back out to the same homes we had visited earlier. We did this about 3 or 4 times but the people we visited never let on that they knew what we were doing.
October 21st, 2009 at 6:05 am
My birthday is on Halloween, so growing up as a little kid I thought all the parties throughout the neighborhood and trick-or-treating was done in my honor (big head, right!). So, of course, Halloween is special for me, but I am "too Chinese" to spend the kind of money many people do on costumes and decorations. In the spirit of recycling materials, here's what I made last night...
http://www.instructables.com/id/Milk_Jug_Jack_o_Lanterns/
This year, my oldest and his friends are going to set up their guitars and amps in a friend's garage and play loud rock music and give out candy (in costume, of course). The younger son is going to his first boy-girl party (7th grade) at a classmate's home. The wife and I will probably hang out at home, alone, and give out candy. Oh, those kids grow up so fast!