Justice Wears a Witch's Hat
"What is it about you and Halloween?" my friend asked.
"C'mon! What's not to love about Halloween?" I replied. "Candy, costumes, creepy stuff ... everything about it is perfect."
My response was absolutely 100% the truth, but as I thought about it a bit more, I realized that wasn't the entire story. I have loved Halloween more than any other holiday for as long as I can remember for one very simple reason.
It is the ultimate equalizer.
Whether your parents make $12,000 per year or $12,000 per month, your chances of having a great costume are equal. Expensive costumes are no better than cheap ones. It's all about creativity.
When you're wearing that plastic Strawberry Shortcake costume complete with the fake-grin on the mask, no one knows who you are unless you give them a hint. You can hide amongst those who are not like you while standing right out in the open.
How much candy you manage to collect is limited only by how far your legs will take you. Strategy plays a part, of course, but life has a way of evening things out there as well. You go ahead and nab full-size candy bars at the giant houses with the beautiful lawns. I'll stick to the trailer parks with doors that are just steps apart. I can trick-or-treat at five or six houses in the time it takes you to walk down one mega-sidewalk.
The spirit of Halloween doesn't skip over your house in the bad years like Santa does. Sometimes you have to go find it, but it's there.
It doesn't matter who you are, who likes you, how poor you are, what you look like ... nothing matters. Halloween is an equal opportunity holiday. The fun is there to grab if you just reach out and take it.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Reader Comments (7)
This. This is amazing. I have memories of choosing between trick or treating in Hanky Farms or Virginia Hils West movie homes estates.
I love this post!
This post is fantastic! Loved the part about the spirit of Halloween.
I absolutely love the idea behind this post. Coming from someone whose Christmas is going to be light this year, Halloween proved to be no less awesome just because we spent less than $10 on a homemade Lego block costume! Thanks for this!
You just made me like Halloween 1,000x times more. Never thought about it like that. But it's true. I don't like it as an adult, because I don't like dressing up anymore. But as a kid, I loved it. Just had a convo with my mom last night about all the amazing costumes she made for my sister and I as kids: Clown, Raggedy Ann, Candy Corn, Queen or Hearts, Sylvester the Cat, and more!!!!
Ain't that the truth. We live in a much different neighborhood than I grew up in but some years I take the kids back there to trick-or-treat because it's more awesomer there (that's 3-year-old speak). And we walked - none of this "drive thru the streets and let the kids run up and down". Who are these people?!?! We go old school.
What a great perspective. I have always really liked Halloween, but you have given me an even better appreciation. Thank you!
And let's face it, you don't have to spend a dime on your costume; you can always wear something you have in your closet (or in the case of my kid, just switch up the school and trick-or-treat costume from last year, since both grandmas got her a costume last year).
And this year I might have even burned off a couple of the five fun-sized bars I ate when we got home as I walked her to every door since she was friendless this year. Plus some parents gave me some candy since I was there with her (thank you house with the full-sized Clark bars).
Even better for me? I will never have to my kid there is no such thing is the Halloween Hobbit or the Great Pumpkin; I am dreading the Santa thing, which is coming fast since the kid is in 4th grade.