I will never forget my first Halloween as a parent. My little pumpkin (no pun intended, I really did dress her up as a pumpkin) was only seven months old, but I felt like I had entered a whole new universe… and it was AWESOME.
You see, I’ve always loved Halloween. As a kid, it was by far my favorite of all the holidays. Forget Christmas or Valentine’s Day, Halloween was the best! I loved the idea of pretending to be someone (or something) else for a night. I would ruminate over costume ideas for weeks, until finding that perfect one. I grew giddy over the amount of candy I’d haul home, and after I returned I’d spend hours counting and stashing it all over my room before my parents or ornery little brother could take it away. I loved the idea that the spirits were free to roam on Halloween, with supernatural creatures lurking behind every corner. Halloween was magic. Anything was possible.
But with age, Halloween changed. What was once a carefree and fun holiday became yet another event to get dressed up and compete with other girls. The outfits got skimpier, and I got more uncomfortable. I still loved the holiday, but I desperately wanted to be cool, so I pretended I didn’t care. Better to not participate at all, instead of looking like a dork, right? By the time I was in my late teens and early twenties, the magic was gone.
But then came my tiny pumpkin… and with her returned all the Halloween joy I’d been missing. No longer was it about who could wear the shortest skirt with her “Sexy Darth Vader Costume,” instead it was all about seeing my old holiday through my child’s eyes. That first Halloween gave me a little taste of the future, but I had no idea that holding my baby girl’s hand as she walked from door to door yelling “twick o’ tweet!” would awaken the child in me as well. I didn’t realize one day I’d sit with a bucket of popcorn between us watching some of my favorite spooky films, like Hocus Pocus or the classic Olsen twins gem, Double Double Toil and Trouble (not sarcastic…I actually love that movie!). I had no idea I’d find myself falling in love with Halloween all over again.
These days Halloween is once again my very favorite holiday. When the calendar turns to October 1, you can find me in our basement, dragging out bins of decorations. Each year we add to the chaos, and each year my smile is probably larger than my kids’. I carve pumpkins and make up spooky stories. Come Halloween night, you’ll find me (often in costume) walking my neighborhood with my kids and our friends, cup of hot cider or hot chocolate in hand. I love watching the kids zig zag across the streets, ringing doorbells and laughing as they run across yards covered in leaves. The night is usually cool and dark, with only the laughter of children and the glow of jack o’lanterns lighting the way.
And after the kids are tucked in to their beds, I sneak a few mini Kit Kat bars out of their bags, grab a comfy blanket and settle in for my annual viewing of the movie Sleepy Hollow. When the credits roll, I blow out the candles that light up our pumpkins and head to bed. The magic is over for this night.
But there are only 364 days until next Halloween… so I’d better get my beauty rest!
