Going to be very spotty on the blog as we approach the High Holiday. Everything is right on target, and this October has truly been the best ever. Savored every fast second of it.
Hoping there's dry weather for everyone (some rain in the forecast at the moment, though it's still too early to tell [but I keep checking {over and over again}]).
Just days away now...
Remember how that felt back in grade school? By this time, you could taste it. You were listening to spooky stories in classrooms where the teacher shut off the lights. You were drawing pumpkins, making napkin ghosts, and talking excitedly about the Big Night. You knew this was Christmas' crazy dark brother coming to town. And you knew you were going out unchaperoned. Unsupervised. No parents in sight. Small packs of friends sprinting up walkways and steps. Darting across streets filled with monsters. I can't recall how we mapped it all out. I think we just pointed ourselves in a certain direction and then hit up anything with a glowing porch light. I know we would be influenced by decorations, or by small hordes of kids on distant porches... "That must be good candy over there!"
We'd trick-or-treat until we were exhausted and drained. And until we were far away from home. I loved the magic of heading off into uncharted territory. Foreign streets and strange unknown houses. That was usually reserved for the end of the evening. So it felt extra dangerous. Dark pumpkins and unlit porches. And a damp coldness in the air. Like Halloween was slowly moving on. It was always bittersweet because, unlike Christmas, you knew (at least at THAT time) that your Halloweens were a finite resource... your days were numbered. There were expectations of maturing. Of growing up.
Sure there were other ways to celebrate Halloween as you got older - parties, horror movies, music, decorating, and Home Haunting. And even though those come really close sometimes to capturing that special feeling, nothing quite compares to the old magic of approaching a stranger's house, behind a dark costume, literally as someone other than yourself... and then getting candy for simply showing up.
That's one of the neatest parts of being a Home Haunter - you get to see and feel that excitement from the other side. And you realize you're a part of that magic for those kids. That you're a part of the screams and laughter. And that you might just be a part of the anticipation... for some boy or girl sitting in a classroom, drawing a pumpkin, and hoping that one house is doing it again.
17 comments:
Wow! My sentiments exactly! You nailed it. And I love feeling like we haunters are making the magic and keeping the flame lit. I remember my first year of attempting a yard haunt and a big part of the motivation came from feeling like Halloween ....REAL Halloween customs were about to die with parents choosing to do indoor mall trick or treating and deciding that skulls graphics were satanic and should no longer be allowed at school. The annual Halloween carnival became the "Fall Festival" with sweet little scarecrows and lots of fake orange leaves. YUCK!!! I had already put up with enough Halloween suppression from Catholic school days. We had a costume day but it was on all saints day and you had to choose a saint to dress as. Ho hum!
Memories of Halloween as a child are some of my favorites and I like to think that someday some kid that was thrilled with my yard haunt will be sharing his or her memories of the "Haunted Slough" or "Jackman's End" with his or her kids and grandkids. It makes every wasp sting and splinter endured during the set up and take down of a haunt all worth it. : ) Totally!
Nothing can ever match the smell of autumn leaves on a cool Halloween night while eating a Hershey bar. To this day one bite of a Hershey bar instantly takes me back.
It's looking "promising" weather wise for this weekend for the haunt setup and photos. Perhaps a shower or two on Monday, so not too worried. Everything in the haunt that goes beyond our front porch can get wet. We even changed our jack-o-lantern carving protocol a few years ago to forgo cutting top lids and instead cut out the bottoms. No more pooling rain water inside the jack-o-lanterns. And the kids where we live are diehard trick-or-treaters, whether it be rain, sleet, or snow, they'll be out on Monday night. This will be our 13th Halloween in this house and the current running average is now 93 ± 22 trick or treaters. COVID 2020 was our worst turn out year with only 53, which at our old house would have been considered a "good year".
Perfectly said from top to bottom, and being a Keeper of the Flame is the absolute BEST for all of those reasons.
It's great to read that you're continuing to have a great October, and that all is going according to plan...hopefully that rain doesn't materialize in your neck of the woods until November.
(The weatherman is threatening me with leaky clouds on both the 30th and 31st, and I think I may actually wear out the 'refresh' button hoping to see a change)
My trick-or-treat days were in the 1950's and early '60's (yes, I'm an old man) and I'm glad I grew up when I did. Halloween was an incomparable joy. My observance of it still brings great happiness, but it ain't the same as when I was out on that Magical Night with the neighborhood kids until we were giddy with excitement, sugar and exhaustion.
Weather looking good here, I’m lucky for the California weather in the Bay Area. Wind keeps me from putting up corn stalks until the night of, so the haunt looks incomplete. And of course I have to bring in all my paper mache props every night. I’d kill for a long, covered porch approach like you have, Rot.
Giving out candy and glow bracelets again this year. We get absolute hordes of kids on our busy street. Love being a part of that magic!
I hope you continue to enjoy the las5 days of this Halloween season.i have one last big project I'm finishing up, new diy lights. I have most of my set up done and weather should be good to put out the witches for the weekend. Enjoy the big night and an early Happy Halloween to you!
Yea well said. Our weather down here in the deep south has been cool, clear and bone....dry for like 8 weeks now. For 10/31 we are looking at Prtly Cldy 76/54. Perfect. Your description brought me right back to 5th grade. No parents, just your apartment pals to knock on every door and splurging....on candy for days. For me, this was the very early 80's. There was always "something" in the air leading up to the big night, you could literally feeeeel it. Something, mysterious, dark, elusive. Whatever it was, always felt so damn good.
Unfortunately, gone are the days of trick or treating without any fear of anyone trying to do you some kind of harm. Safety, has taken the front seat seat on 10/31 now. I am Grateful I, my generation got to experience the big night without a care in the world.
Our home has earned the title the last two years as being the "spookiest house in the neighborhood". I'm proud of that. They wonder "whats he gonna do next year??'. There's a little 5 yr old dude named Gabriel, who lives 3 doors down. Gabriel loves to come see the haunt as well as his lil sister. He tells me "how scary" my props are on a weekly basis. Lol.
What little Gabriel doesn't know is, I'm planting seeds in his little head. Seeds that hopefully will grow, and he....passing the torch per sae, will become the next Generation of home haunters...
Glad to hear everything is on schedule and you are enjoying all aspects of Halloween. We get our snow today so will hopefully be clear on Monday.
Thanks SOOOOO much for sharing your memories/thoughts, everyone! I love reading these!
Your reverie about the magical feelings of Halloween are completely on point - and may I say I think your writing style had a poetic feel that made me have goosebumps it was so accurate. I love reading stuff like this!!
Cannot wait for the photo shoot ;)
Thanks! I have high hopes!
Can't wait to see what you come up with this year!!
A beautifully written reflection on the big night. YES! Your house 100% IS that house for so many people!! Not only for the kids who are lucky enough to walk up to your door IRL seeking candy, but ALSO for all of us Internet fans who get to experience your breathtaking displays through our screens every year. Thank you for what you do, Rot, and for keeping the magic of this wonderful holiday alive!!! <3
Well spoken friend!!!
You summed up the day and all the wonderful memories of Halloweens that have passed perfectly. Couldn't agree more. Well done.
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