I kind of hate Halloween. I always have.
Growing up we would always race home from school, have an early dinner and then head out in search of candy to fill the pillowcase we carried along with us to capture our loot. While the candy was nothing to complain about, costume ideas always stressed me out. For Grades five through nine I bought colored hairspray and went as a “punk-rocker.” So very, very original.
My all-time favorite costume was when I was in Kindergarten. KINDERGARTEN. I was Wonder Woman; costume, cape and mask included. From what I remember, I had nothing at all to do with the selection of said outfit, but I could be wrong (that was eons ago). It rocked, yes, but I do not when it comes to deciding upon a costume. I cannot remember the last Halloween party that I’ve attended and it’s probably a good thing. I really do fail epically when it comes to attire ideas.
Apart from the costume angst, Halloween in general just leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth.
Ultra-conservative Christians ban the holiday altogether. Some may blow them off as hysterical but I have read enough stories about the Dark Side of Halloween to see where the Ultra-Conservatives are coming from. The church we attend is conservative, yes, but the general consensus is that if kids are not wearing scary/gory costumes it’s not such a big deal. I totally agree.
And yet.
We live in a small community that we’re involved in. The dudes are in public school and Emily is in preschool. While her classmates kept it clean, she and the boys were all a little frightened by some of the costumes they saw at the boys’ elementary school. Emily actually hid behind her Daddy. As in, stepped behind him and buried her face in the back of his legs.
We sat and talked about it at dinner and the boys told me about some of the costumes they saw that scared them a bit. They involved eyeballs, blood and death. DEATH. In Elementary school. I cannot see how this is even remotely appropriate.
I don’t think I’m being a prude, here. It’s not as though we’ve sheltered our kids from death. We have had family members, friends and chickens (Yes, chickens) pass on and have explained death to our kids to the best of our ability.
Adults can do their thing and be Zombies and whatnot and it doesn’t bug me. To each their own. But for my kids to go to school and have a classmate hold something “bloody” in their hand or have “blood” trickling down their face in the name of “Halloween” is just not cool. How is this fun? Do we want to numb our children to violence at the age of FIVE?
One of my best friends grew up in a household that did not celebrate the dark side of Halloween. They didn’t even trick-or-treat. Instead, they invited everyone over for a bonfire where the kids got to dress up and indulge in caramel apples and chocolate bars. All of the good of Halloween, without any of the gore. These friends hosted their own bonfire this year, so after a little under an hour of trick-or-treating (we left when the kids said they were done) we headed to our friends’ house. All of the kids had a great time playing together while us adults sat around the fire and got caught up.
As my kids get older and past the age where their friends’ Halloween costumes are cute and start to lean toward the scary side, we may ust buy a big box of chocolate bars for all to share and head straight to the bonfire (or host one of our own). Either way, we’ll continue to focus on the fun and the candy and leave the scary for others to enjoy.
That’s enough Halloween talk for the year. It’s November now, so you know what that means. I’ve started playing Christmas music and will soon start on my Christmas baking. I’ve only got sixty days to milk as much joy out of the season before the “meh” of January descends upon us.
I’m like you (although I have positive childhood memories of halloween) in that I’m all about the candy and fun costumes, not so much the scary stuff….and I’m kind of over the controversy with halloween. Its only just starting to take off in Australia, enough so that its an issue that you can’t just ignore but not enough so that you see lots of people trick or treating. There has been much angst from numerous people I know who are very against it for either religious grounds which I respect or just a dislike of “trying to be American” which I find rude and offensive (especially since I have enough of an American accent to be regularly identified as an American). *sigh* My kids looked pretty darn cute dressed up though!
.-= Robyn´s last blog ..School and preschool photos 2009 =-.
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Oh, and I hope you’re feeling better!
.-= Robyn´s last blog ..School and preschool photos 2009 =-.
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angella Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:16 pm
I am! Thank you.
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We don’t celebrate Halloween at all. Here in NZ, it’s really not a huge thing (and just quietly, I’m happy about that). However, it has started to “take off” the past couple of years, so there are enough kids who DO go trick or treating for my boys to ask about it. I just tell them we don’t celebrate it. I’m sure it could be kept fun and low-key, but like you have pointed out, there are many people who really get into the whole “blood and gore” side of it, and I’m not down with that.
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The numbers were down this year because of the H1N1. Free candy doesn’t seem worth it if you don’t know who has been handling it. Nobody comes to my place, anyway. Kids think it’s the haunted house.
.-= witchypoo´s last blog ..Bust A Move =-.
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angella Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Why am I not surprised? *wink*
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I was a punk rocker several years in a row, too. I just couldn’t get enough of that glitter hair spray.
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I love Halloween, but the good, fun side of it. I have never been into the gore and guts. Each to his own, I guess.
I am going to enjoy the break between Halloween and the Christmas season. If I start to early I am so done with it before Christmas day even arrives
.-= Kami’s Khlopchyk´s last blog ..Pride for my boy =-.
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Christmas does NOT start in November. It starts in DECEMBER. I wish everyone would get that.
Hi! I’m a grinch!
I completely agree with you on the Halloween thing. My kids were fairies. Not very gory. And, her school hosted a “pajama party” on the Friday before, so there weren’t any gory costumes, not that I’d expect that, as it’s a conservative private school.
LOVE your kids costumes!! And the flower pumpkin
.-= Jen´s last blog ..Grace in Small Things: Part 14 of 74 =-.
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angella Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Christmas music gets me through the day. Most are about Jesus, too, so there’s that.
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It IS November! My Christmas CD is already in the car, slot 6 so my husband knows to avoid it. He is a Scroogy Scrooge who thinks you can’t start Christmas until the week after Thanksgiving. I’m with you, and there are ONLY 54 days until Christmas. Let the festivities begin!
.-= Jennifer W.´s last blog ..The obligatory “HAPPY HALLOWEEN!” post (on time!) =-.
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angella Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Amen!
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Our elementary school that the girls went to had a strict no gore policy. they had literary themes each year. The middle school won’t let the kids wear masks at the Halloween dance. At first I was a bit upset about the masks,but I totally understand. I have never been a huge fan of Halloween, but it was my MIL’s fave holiday and hubs loves it too, the kids, okay kid…Giggles is just too ‘old’ and ‘cool’ for halloween now she went to the movies with friends. This year we hosted a Halloween party and it was all sorts of fun-I bet you guys could host a rockin’ bonfire that people will talk about & remember fondly like you do to the one you went to!
.-= Domestic Extraordinaire´s last blog ..Weekly Winners-The Parade Edition =-.
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I’m with you on Halloween. We saw VERY little gore this year but, way too much skin. Some of those costumes… WOW.
We t&t’d for about an hour.. kids said they were done and went to a friend’s house for a weenie/burger roast and darts party while the kids frolicked and rode bikes/wiggle racers. It was a blast.
I am SO Ready to decorate!!! HI HO Christmas!!!
.-= rachel-asouthernfairytale´s last blog ..Baked Potato Skins with Salmon and Creamy Dill Sauce =-.
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Ha! I did the same thing with the spray painted hair and called myself a punk rocker! And I think my favorite costume was in Kindergarten too! I was ET!
.-= Kristabella´s last blog ..DINAO Week 15 – The Halloween Edition =-.
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angella Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:26 pm
ET!! Did you know that I saw ET in the theatre when I was wee? It was the first movie I ever saw at the movie theatre. (I was a little scared, but loved it.)
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Halloween has started leaving an increasingly unpleasant taste for me as well. Our kids as 12, 11 & 6. They had costumes for the school carnival but we didn’t go overboard & they were all appropriate. No scariness or gore here! That evening, we went to their great-grandmother’s to pick up a treat bag then watched “Monster House” together at home. Between candy from school parties, school carnival & Grandma, they had more than enough. I love the bonfire idea. I want to host a party next year for them & their friends.
.-= Rhoni Renee´s last blog ..Sweet sounds =-.
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angella Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:25 pm
You should do it! We’ll either do our own or go to our friends’ again. It was fantastic.
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I LOVE Halloween. I always have. It’s 2 days after my birthday and that was always lots of fun. I’d have presents one day and then two days later all the candy I could eat
So far, with the kids Halloween has been a great experience. The neighborhood leans towards “cute” decorations and I honestly didn’t run into a singly bloodied zombie or murderer.
I completely agree with your dislike of all the blood and gore being present in school. Emily attends a public school and they seem to have a pretty good system in place for Halloween. Only Preschool and Kinder are allowed to wear costumes. They aren’ts allowed to wear anything scary. They parade through the older grades showing off their costumes. The older grades seem happy with this arrangement. Emily comes home to tell me how cute all the kids were and is looking forward to when her sisters will be in the parade.
I was Spider Man in Kinder
.-= Jennifer´s last blog ..A New Low =-.
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angella Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:28 pm
SpiderMan! Awesomesauce.
Having only the younger grades dress up would be a great idea…
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My kindergarten costume is my all-time fave also … I was Batman.
I’m not that into Hallowe’en now. It’s fun to dress up but I’m disenchanted by a holiday that has become more about dressing slutty and wearing as little as possible than it is about dressing up up in interesting/fun/cool costumes. Call me a prude but I’ve seen one too many slutty nurses.
.-= hillary´s last blog ..So Be My Devil Angel Be My Shooting Star =-.
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angella Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Dude. I hear you. Some of the teenagers I saw last night…
And Batman? Hooray for superheroes!
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Amen to not liking Halloween! Bring on Christmas music, decorations, and general all-around happiness
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I hate scary stuff. However, my daughter loves to dress up as something scary (not blood and guts, but still…scary). This year we compromised and she went as a pirate. I didn’t even like that! I really wanted her to be a butterfly!
.-= Momo Fali´s last blog ..Let it Go =-.
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I so would be ok with ditching the whole Halloween concept and having a party somewhere. Now to convince the kids.
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I think I was a gypsy every year… and I’m totally with you.
.-= Elizabeth´s last blog ..Cleanin’ Up The ‘Hood =-.
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This is why everyone should follow my lead and dress as french fries.
.-= slynnro´s last blog ..My Halloween in Pictures. =-.
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angella Reply:
November 2nd, 2009 at 9:35 pm
And…now I want french fries.
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I bought a Christmas cd yesterday and plan to play it in the car tomorrow!
.-= Lindsay´s last blog ..Two things. =-.
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How refreshing to hear of your thoughts about Halloween, it’s not big here in Australia although some shops try to sell stuff, but it’s never taken on which I’m pleased about because we’ve always thought it a North American ‘thing’ and the thought of kids trashing your garden because you didn’t have a treat worried me.
and now my Grandchildren aren’t interested… thankfully! Roll on Christmas!
I’d never heard of it growing up, my children went out once or twice and one group knocked on our door years ago but all I had was health snacks which didn’t go down well… but they were polite
.-= Pennie´s last blog ..We had a lovely day out in Newtown today! =-.
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Total agreeance. My kids actually hate even looking for a costume because of all the ridiculousness at the stores. the choices are bloody zombie, dracula, more bloody zombie. I do think that if therewere more options people actually would make an effort to buy something a little more interesting. Aliah has been Elizabeth Swann, Queen Elizabeth and now a cute pirate. Aidan has been Jesus (umm yep) one year and this year ran in quick enough to grab a Darth Vader mask and I sewed the rest of the costume. No bloody messes here.
Funny… I put in the upside down pony tail and sprayed it pink when I was going through those years and my I had an awesome Wonder Woman bathing suit when I was 6
.-= kelly´s last blog ..New works going up at the Beanery =-.
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I actually feel that way about Christmas, to be honest. Give me the family times, and good food, leave the religious celebrations and inordinate gift-giving out of it.
I don’t think it’s appropriate for little kids to be all decked out in gore and guts though, for the very reason that not all kids are saturated with it in video games, movies, tv, etc. It’s not fair to force them upon it in such an extreme manner.
I do love Hallowe’en though, minus the slutty costumes!
.-= Meg´s last blog ..Weird at My School =-.
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I’ll admit it, I just like the candy. ; )
I’m not much for the scary, gory stuff either and thankfully neither are my kids (at least not yet!)
Your kiddos look great, as do the jack-o-lanterns. Love the flower, how fun!
.-= Elaine´s last blog ..How Random Can I Be? Let’s See, Shall We? =-.
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I love the boys’ costume. Surprising that they settled on going as the same superhero. My fav is ofcourse the little miss, who must have had a blast from the looks of that huge smile on her face.
.-= Roshan´s last blog ..TV Shows That I Watch =-.
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Our school didn’t allow costumes at all, and did “fall parties” which still tended to painting pumpkins, etc., but nothing nasty. Then my kids have almost always chosen to do costumes that were floaty and sweet (2 girls). I don’t do the scary stuff either, so we always do fun meals together and help out at the town pre trick or treat party (they feed the kids dinner before they go out and get a sugar high) and have most of our fun at home.
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