SOME REASONS TO LOVE HALLOWEEN

 Happy Halloween

COSTUMES AND DECORATIONS :  Halloween is a wonderful time of year for creativity.  There are many people in this world who claim they are not creative or adventurous. At Halloween though, we get to see a lot of these people contradict themselves with elaborate decorations and inventive and imaginative costumes.

It is also a great way to gauge someone’s sense of humour – is their costume straight up cos-play? (Batman, zombie), tongue in cheek? (middle aged Barbie), or a terrible pun? (like the couple that dressed as a Duracell and a salt cellar for – assault and battery!).  What I love most, is that when I think I’ve seen it all, that’s exactly the time that someone sends me a link or shows me a photo of a totally genius idea.

IT’S THE ONE TIME OF YEAR THAT IT’S COOL TO BE WEIRD : Yup, tis the season when weird is wonderful.  If you are a regular ‘normal’ person it is a time that you can safely explore the darker elements of your personality.  Or if, like me, you’re a bit of an oddball then you can breathe easy and be yourself and no-one will bat an eye-lid.

SWEETS / CANDY / NOMS : Everyone always goes on about over-indulgence at Christmas, but no-one ever seems to mention it about Halloween.  Why is that?  Is it because half the items that we scoff are nuts and (toffee/candy) apples and so they don’t feel like they really count as over-indulgence?  Or maybe it has something to do with the self-deception that seems to go hand in hand with bulk buying?

For instance, if I buy 50 bags of sweets and give away 23 it feels like I have given away an awful lot.  The cupboard was absolutely stuffed before and now there is just a neat pile on one side, so in my head, there are hardly any bags left at all.  Therefore it’s ok to finish off what is left over because ‘it isn’t that much really’.  Whatever the reason, I’m not complaining as it seems to mean a surplus of sweet treats without the guilt.

YOU MAKE THE EFFORT YOU WANT TO MAKE : Some people spend weeks stitching and sewing their costume.  For others it is simply a case of find an old shirt, rip some holes in it, add a bit of dirt, some ketchup on face and shirt and presto! ‘I’m an accident victim/zombie’.  Both types of people get invited to the party to join in the fun regardless of how much effort they’ve put in because Halloween is not about rules.  For most people it is simply about having fun.

This is possibly the best reason to love Halloween. It is the one holiday season where you could ask several people what they have planned and get a different answer from each one.  Go out? Or Stay in?  Dress up? Or not?  Answer the door? or turn off the lights and pretend no-one is home?  Horror movie marathon? Or re-watch favourite thrillers? There is no right or wrong answer. There is no expectation or obligation attached.

Whatever you have planned for this holiday season I hope you enjoy.  Recently I have been enjoying a new craft – needle felting.  It is a wonderful way to sculpt 3D figures.  I am still learning at the moment but I think I might be hooked.  So, in the spirit of the season I have a few photos of my most recent effort - a grinning witch, cooking up an evil brew in her castle.  Happy Halloween!

Thought I'd make use of this table prop that I had made in college

Here is the witch in her castle!