I want to rant about Halloween. As a WoMo it feels like just more stuff to add to my to-do list:
- do the kids have dress up outfits?
- have we got face paints?
- how much chocolate do we need to order for the trick and treaters?
- will the kids go trick and treating and if so who with?
Is it just me or is the concept of knocking on someone elses door to ask for something just totally wrong? Last year more than one group of young children knocked on the door with an accompanying adult wearing an outfit that was off the chart brilliant. I cant help but ask myself whether this was more about the adult wanting to be a kid again or an adventure for the children. Either way it fascinates me and appals me all at once.
Each time the door goes and I hear the dreaded words 'trick or treat' I think to myself, here we go again. I'll hand over a load of sweets which they will add to their plastic pumpkin bucket and then they will leave and I can retire back to my sofa. Now I know this depends on your neighbourhood, but where we live, its the big kids I worry about. There is no trick from the little ones, but when you have 5 burly teens on your doorstep saying 'trick or treat' you feel more nervous if the treat isn't up to standard. last year a group of kids said 'you can give us money if you want'. I declined and passed over a bumper pack of Twix bars and hoped for the best.
So I find myself wondering what has happened to Halloween? What is it all about? The carving of pumpkins and decoration of the front doorstep is a bit of fun and great for the children, but the point at which we have big kids asking for cash and eggs thrown at cars, I realise why i really hate Halloween. I cant wait for it to be over and we can all start thinking about Christmas. That comes with its own set of annoyances and more things on the already too long WoMo to-do list, but that's another blog for another day.
A final comment on Halloween, is this. Parties where grown ups dress up in brilliant Halloween costumes and have a damn good shin dig, for me are brilliant. its the perfect excuse to get dressed up, have a few drinks, see your mates and discuss the varying levels of costume effort. Even the horror of the green body paint hand-print on the wall in the morning, after you roll in drunk and use the wall to stand up makes me giggle. The kid version of these parties works too. A get together for the children in the afternoon is fun for everyone. But the door knocking - NO.
Fortunately we are almost done for another year Be ready tomorrow for your last few knocks on the door. Have a ridiculous amount of chocolate ready and you should be ok. If your kids attended some kind of Halloween party, or they were kenny keenos who were part of a trick and treat gang on Saturday, then raid their stash and pass it on to the Monday night crew. No one needs that much candy, and you'll be doing your kids a favour.
Happy Halloween all.
PS The Christmas blog will be too late to mention this - get your Christmas Delivery slot with Ocado booked now. Seriously! The slots are open and unless you want a delivery at 5 in the morning, get yourself organised - Today.