I cannot believe that it is now approx. 17-18 days away from Halloween Night!! Where in the hell did the time go? This is always the one time of the year that I want time to 'linger'' a bit...yet instead time turns in a whirling dervish of out of control minutes..zipping by at break neck speed...UGH! I have barely started with my decorations ... I mean, I do have some things up but getting to them all seems an impossibility for that Magic Day!! Double UGH!
I am however living vicariously through others Blog Postings of their Halloween Decoration Joy... check out William Bezek's 'House Decorations' and Chris at Designs by CK "Fantastic Halloween Tree' ...WOW...these are NOT to be missed...I know there are many others...I will go out and scout and report back!!
Sniff Sniff...alas...I am still pretty much over thinking my decorating this year and still dragging Frankenstein Feet with all of Life's Other Obstacles thrown in my pathway.
Even the above 'Attack of the 50 Foot Vampmingo' is something I did a few yeas ago (not actually 50 feet...nor were any neighbors hurt in the shooting of this still!!)...
Let's face it... I miss FALL!!! Where the leaves change color and morning chill hangs in the air and frost is readily available for any self respecting pumpkin! Hard for me these last 8 years to get my True Halloween Mojo up and running in this desert terrain...specially since they REALLY discourage kids from going door to door here , instead encouraging them to all congregate on downtown's main street or go to churches for 'Trunk or Treat'??? ... cars parked in a church parking lots with trunks open and offering candy to kids as they pass by...WTF... don't they have a name for that???!!! I mean OK...it is very nice and probably the kids dig it cause they can score a lot of sweets in one setting with little work... but I have to tell you... that as kids if we didn't cover a few miles of walking down dark streets, alleys, small neighborhoods to get our sweet goods... we felt cheated...and after all, isn't that what Halloween is... taking that chance of knocking on doors or ringing bells in mortal fear of a Ghoul or Monster answering...asking yourself in that one split second if they did..."How badly do I want this candy...How badly do I want this candy"??? ...hanging there at the door just long enough to hear the 'Baby Ruth' make contact with your sack and then as if you had 'magic shoes' ran away like the wind while yelling "T---H---A---N---K--------Y---O---U "!!!! I mean, there is nothing more intoxicating that Kid Adrenaline rushing through your clean little arteries as a child... What's the point of dressing up (planning for weeks what you would be), working on the costume , decorating your Super Market Paper Sack, watching 'Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein' on TV 8 times during the season, just picking at dinner so as to save room for all those yummy treats you would later cram into your mouth (all at one time), practicing moans, groans, screams and yells in front of a mirror getting your 'tough' on just in case you came across a marauding band of crazed ghouls and creatures of the night...so that you would rise victoriously in defeating them all....and as back up plan 'B' ...Mom was always there to run and hide behind... as she was defender of all children and a First Class 'Monster Basher'....
I mean what's the point if fear is taken out of the Halloween experience.... if that happens, all you have for memories are a bunch of stale mini candy bars and Church Ghouls!!
I do long for the days of old and the childhood of the 50's -early 60's ..Halloween was an event, all stores, houses and shops knew it too ...decorated to the nth degree and thousands bags of candy were never seen in stores 3 months early...and Christmas Holly was never sharing a shelf with witch hats and rubber bats!
So here I sit...dreaming of Old.... and longing to give a least one kid a scary memory he will take with him into his adulthood...
Jodi
6 comments:
Could you hear that? The sound of cheers as we read your blog post about Halloween from days of old. :D My husband and I heartily agree, we could not resist a slight involuntary lip sneer at the idea of a "trunk & treat".
I guess we all know why Halloween has become so sterilized and careful, a few bad apples have spoiled the bunch!
I was a country gal trick or treater so we went house to house by car but it was still spooky. Country people seem to reallllly like doing the stuffed scarecrow at the door bit. Sometimes it really was just a big stuffed scarecrow, sometimes it was a person waiting to scare the costume off you at the last possible second. Good golly I remember how we would carefully ease up the steps, huddled together tightly clutching our treat bags already riding a sugar high from samples inside the car between houses. I remember how we'd argue quietly "It's a person, no it's not, yes it is, no it's not" Followed by the bravest of us poking the scarecrow's leg and sighs of relief that barely expelled before the thing would lurch up out of the chair and....yeah....country people like scarecrows and a good old fashion scare in general. Least that's how I remember it. :D
I remember homemade costumes were the BEST and store bought costumes seemed sad. I remember HUGE piles of loot scored, because in rural areas since the houses only got a dozen or so trick-or-treaters every one gave out the treat bags. With a can of soda, a little bag of chips, some kind of chocolate bar and other candy. This blows my husband's mind, he has had only townie candy experiences. He never heard of people handing out soda. Poor husband, :D
Love your blog posts, so glad I discovered your blog. Lots of fun visiting and reading here!
That was funny and I needed it right now!!!! sitting here with a silly smile, thanks, I will have to come back and read it again, and again, it was, FUNNY!!!
This must be the year for yearning for the old days, I am feeling the same.
We used to take pillow cases and had to come back, empty them, and then go out again.
WTF with the drive by trunk or treating?
Sheesh remember when easy bake ovens had real light bulbs in them?
And thing makers with real heating elements.
Oh no now I am really depressed.
Jodi Halloween has only just got big here the last few years and I konw theres alot of people who dont agree with trick or treating but we love to do it with our children, its such fun dressing up and seeing all the neighbours! I for one will continue to do so and hope its a tradition Ill pass down to the children to carry on! We are having a little get together this year, all in halloween dress , lots of warm scrummy food to come home too and decorations to get sorted to put up soon!!
Kate and John xx
I agree! Coming home with the most candy in the pillowcase determined the winner in our group. After miles of walking and tredging through the snow (it always snowed on Halloween where I grew up) you really felt like you had worked for that candy! Oh the memories of Halloween past!! LOL
Well said Jodi and thank you for bragging about my decorations. I love your Flamingo, I choked on my morning coffee when I saw it! If we all keep Halloween dear in our hearts, that old fascination will never be trampled by jaded consumerism. Holly next Halloween indeed...Shameful! And if we keep decorating the house and passing out the candy, the kids will all grow up with those cherished memories like we did!
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