Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Hi, My Name is Kate, and I'm a Halloween Hater

OK, I know I will receive a lot of bashing over this one since I know as a mom I'm supposed to get all enthusiastic for my kids when they want to dress up and go get sugared up on some high fructose corn syrup, but I'm not. I Hate Halloween. All this hub-bub over deciding what your costume will be, then fighting people in line for the last size 5 Superman costume, putting up decorations, and dealing with the anxiety after the sugar high wears off is for the birds.

Last year, while I was 7 months pregnant, I built my son a train out of a big cardboard box and decorated it like Thomas The Train. Oh, how Martha Stewart of me, right? That was before the baby was born, when I really did have spare time. And so I was banking on the fact that he would want to be Thomas again since he has been Thomas for the past 3 consecutive Halloween's, but this year, he was dead set on Superman. I have nothing against it, and we actually lucked out with finding the custome, albeit after dealing with the crowds, but it all just seems like a bunch of non-sensical crap to me. I know we're all supposed to feel silly, and act silly and be wicked, etc., but it all just seems a little weird to me. Last night we carved the pumpkins, which is actually something I do enjoy, but all this other stuff that comes along with Halloween, I can do without.

And now the forecast says it it supposed to rain tonight. Lovely...

5 Comments:

Blogger jim said...

Kate,

We're having 70 degree weather here in NJ. The problem, like we talked about in other posts is that today, (because of all our fears of child abduction, bad candy etc,) its not the same as when we were younger. By the time I was five or six I had a sister 6 years older that basically had to take me around. Granted I know CJ doesn't have and older brother or sister, but nowadays, would you let and 12 year old take around a 6 year old by themselves? Most likely not. Also, costumes. Basically whe I was little, you went into the store, bought a skeleton polyester body suit and had a plastic mask. Done. We took Mary to the store last weekend, there were so many costumes, she couldn't choose. Another thing about costumes, by the time I was 10 or so it was pretty much create your own. Mom and Dad didn't take me to the party store to pick out a $100 costume w/acessories.

I try to have fun on Halloween night. I basically do it, by torturing the kids. I make each and everyone say "Trick or Treat" since half of them don't even say that anymore. For some, I make them explain to me what they are dressed as. For older kids, I tell em no costume, no candy, beat it. It makes the night a little more entertaining. My plans this year for any older kids with out a costume I will make them either sing a song, recite a poem or do a dance if they want their sugar. Try it, it's fun. Its amazing what a kid will do for a chocolate bar. Have a couple of glasses of wine ahead of time, that will help your ideas flow.

PS This is no joke, I had one kid last year just stick his bag out. I held the candy out and stared at him. He just kept standing there with his bag out waiting, So I said "What's the magic words" He said, " Thank You", I said no and stood quietly, finally he blurted out "Please" I said no and the one of his friends told him "Trick or Treat" He then said "Yeah" and expected that I would accept that as his answer, I didn't. Finally he said it and got his candy. The other funny thing about doing this is seeing how impatient all the other kids get waiting because they don't like being slowed down.

Have Fun


Jim

9:46 AM

 
Blogger Kathy McC said...

What the hell's the matter with you?? Just kidding.

I love Halloween, but it's mostly because it's fall. I hate the hubub and the retail part of it.

I love jack-o-lanterns and watching the kids go by during the neighborhood parade.

But I equally hate trying to make it perfect for my kids, just to have them be disappointed in something, and have the dog go apeshit everytime the doorbell rings. And the kids who don't say "trick-or-treat" and "thank you", and the older kids who don't even bother to dress up.

Last year I had one kid tell me he didn't like what I gave him. I almost told him to shove it somewhere...

12:38 PM

 
Blogger Christina said...

Oh, you horrible Halloween hater! Just kidding. I know several people that don't like it, and that's fine.

I love Halloween, and I'm so disappointed that the weather is so nasty today. If the rain stops for a bit, I'm taking Cordy out in her cow costume. (hint: shop very early for Halloween costumes - then you don't have to fight the crowds). If the rain doesn't let up, well, she can hang out in costume and help pass out candy.

3:24 PM

 
Blogger Kate said...

I knew I would stir trouble today. Maybe I'm just in a nasty mood because it's raining.

4:11 PM

 
Blogger Unknown said...

Y'know, after two weeks of trunk-or-treats, parties, pumpkin patches, Halloween hikes and pumpkin carving contests, tonight (Halloween itself) seems rather anti-climactic!! Gimme those other events any day!

5:13 PM

 

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