It Took Growing Up and Having Children for Me Learn to Love Halloween
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When I was a kid, I never really loved Halloween. I didn’t really like it that much either. And while I’m certainly not a Halloween fanatic now, I’ve definitely come around.
I’m sure at some point during my very early years I was relatively excited by Halloween. After all, my mom did make some pretty killer costumes including a frog and a dog. But from what I remember, any Halloween spirit I might have had faded by the time I was probably eight or nine. After that, I can only remember participating in activities like trick-or-treating or parties reluctantly if at all.
I didn’t love Halloween when I was a kid for obvious reasons. It felt childish. I had no interest in asking people for candy when it was readily available at the store. I actually had no interest in approaching people’s doors at all because that was just awkward.
But now that I have kids of my own, I’ve begun to enjoy Halloween because I love seeing their joy. There’s something about Halloween that is less fraught than other holidays. There are no mythical creatures we have to keep a lid on. I don’t feel as much nostalgia or worry about the kids growing up and growing out of Halloween. I’m sure it will happen to some extent, but I don’t find myself lying awake wondering if this is going to be the last Halloween before everything is different. As I routinely do in the lead up to every Christmas, for example.
Halloween is just simple fun. It’s kind of funny that it took growing into an adult for me to appreciate that. Don’t get me wrong. You still won’t catch me dressing up or drifting too close to anyone’s front door when the kids are trick-or-treating, but I do enjoy seeing me kids have so much fun.
It still astounds me that the whole month of October (and sometimes September too) can be consumed by thoughts of Halloween. I simultaneously love and hate with every fiber of my being that when we buy costumes a month early, they get worn so often we misplace or break most of the pieces long before October 31st arrives. I really want to be annoyed about it, but I just can’t. I mean, how could I be annoyed when my five-year-old is so excited he dons his Harry Potter robes and glasses to watch a Harry Potter movie on TV or cast a few hexes on his little sister?
And then there are pre-Halloween costume events like trunk-or-treat at our elementary school. Disappointingly, my oldest was sick, but my five-year-old and I went up to the school and he collected candy from teachers and local business people as we walked around the P.E. track, his robes dragging along the asphalt behind him, his little hand in mine. I remember from my school days how magical (see what I did there) it is to be at school during non-school hours. And in costume nonetheless! My little guy was suitably thrilled.
The eagerness and excitement of children can be captivating. Even if I don’t share their zeal for Halloween or candy (other than chocolate) or inflatable yard decorations or pretty much anything else for that matter, I still get it. And I love it. And I’m actually looking forward to Halloween again this year.
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