halloween...

OK...I am going to come right out and say something. I hate Halloween. Everything about it. I realize that some of you will not even want to be my friend anymore after this confession. Hear me out. First of all...what is it all about anyway? What the heck are we celebrating? Grown-up women being able to dress like French maids for the day? Skeletons, ghouls, goblins, or even worse...vampires?

Every year when October hits, I decide that I will make costumes for my kids. I will save money this way for sure. I will sew, use old things from around the house, I will create...for my kids...because I love them. They have wierd ideas for costumes though, so I put it off. Until about the middle of October. Costumes, or the thought of them, just linger...like a dark cloud, hanging over my head and following me everywhere I go. It stresses me out. There is a lot of pressure to put together the most fabulous costumes. I hear what my kids friends are planning and think..."Oh crap. Seriously? I better get to work." Once again, the question...what are we celebrating anyway? So last Saturday rolled around, and I had had it. Just like I do every year, 2 weeks before the big day. We load up the car and head out to Joanns, Walmart, Halloween City...to BUY the darn things. It's just easier that way. Sure, they are 20$ each, but the stress or lack of it is totally worth the money. EVERY year I cave. The thing is, by mid-October, most of the good stuff is gone. Mark my word...I WILL buy next year, and I WILL buy earlier.

Halloween City is a zoo. A gray, freaky zoo. There is blood everywhere, screaming monsters, spiders...for what? Honestly, that place felt very dark to me. I didn't like it at all. Halloween gives people the excuse to be dark for the day. It's ridiculous. There are hoochie cosumes for the grown woman who feels the need, right next to Ariel and Buzz/Woody.

I do NOT dress up. Ever. I am not vehemently opposed. I actually think my friends who do, look really cool. There is just too much pressure. And too much money. I cannot and will not spend 50$ on a one time thing. Nope. Dave's work has a family Halloween (do I really even need to capitalize that?) party every year. It's cool. Most departments decorate to the hilt. Not Dave's. It used to bother me. I didn't want people to think they were lame. This year I FINALLY got it. It is a massive waste of money. It's too much pressure to out-do the freak carnival from last year, or Hogwarts Express from 2 years ago. They still hand out candy. I'm cool with that. Well...kindof. The candy is a whole other monster. Candy at school. Candy at the work party. Candy at the ward trunk-or-treat. Candy from the neighbors. Candy coming out our ears.

Listen, I love my baby in a cute plush costume as much as the next person. I can put her in one any time though. I don't need candy, goblins, or jack-o-lanterns to do it.

Whew. That felt REALLY good.