Don’t Be Haunted By Adulthood; Halloween Is For Everyone!

Every year around this time, I like to reflect on my childhood and think about what Halloween meant. To me, flat out... costumes and candy. It's by far the most exciting holiday with the element of being able to live out your fantasy of being a Power Ranger or one of The Avengers. I recall my Dad walking us around our subdivision in a clown mask drinking a beer whilst my brothers and I were in a state of pure bliss. But as i find myself in this state of nostalgia, I start to realize that having a child is your way of living vicariously through them. To see the joy on their faces and the excitement of getting free candy must take you right back to those days.

But what about the people who don't have children? Are they doomed to live a life with no youth, no fantastical excitement and no fun?

Apparently that's exactly what the New York Post thinks.

An article was put up recently, slamming adults for dressing up for Halloween, ridiculing them for wanting to maintain that little bit of childhood we keep locked away while we deal with the responsibilities of life. This is literally the only time of year grown folks can get together and act like kids. Of course in this case there is alcohol involved, but with all the negativity in the world today...this sort of cynicism is the exact opposite mind frame we need to have towards each other.

They write:

We’re not saying you can’t get into the spirit of the holiday. Go ahead and dress up your house, concoct a Halloween-themed dessert or buy a pumpkin from the grocery store and place it outside your front door.

Then stop.

There has been a wave of negativity that I have witnessed over the last ten years of people wanting to control Halloween, to conform it and manipulate it to what they want it to be and how they want it done. You can't do that. Halloween is about dressing up and getting free candy. They're trying to destroy a tradition. If I had my way, I'd still be going door to door. But I can accept that the spirit of trick - or- treating is for children.

However, I will still continue to dress up and go to adult costume parties around this time of the year and so will many others.

So what is Halloween for adults? It's about letting go of your inhibitions, your worries and stresses of adulthood for one night and to dress up like a Slutty Nurse or Dinosaur or a turd in a cape for all I care. Have some drinks, be youthful and stop worrying about what someone else thinks of you. But above all... don't do what the N.Y.P says you should do, which is "grow up."

That's how they get you.

Happy Halloween!