Happy Halloween!

It's my most favourite day of the year. I wait 364 days this singular most precious day. No other event or holiday holds a candle to Halloween.

Those who get it. Get it. Those who don't. I feel sorry for them.

Here are 20 reasons why I live for Halloween and it is hands down the best holiday ever:

1. Horror movies
2. Dressing up
3. Fall leaves
4. Pumpkin carving
5. Witches, ghouls, ghosties, vampires, werewolves
6. Skulls
7. Spooky music
8. Trick or Treating
9. Decorations are skulls, bats, spiders and rats - inexpensive and amazing
10. Talking to strangers is not only okay, it's encouraged.
11. There is no gift giving on Halloween
12. Fun for everyone, old and young ... well, except those weirdos who think it's Satan's work
13. Candy
14. People embrace the scary stuff
15. Halloween specials for your favourite shows rule
16. It isn't an emotional occasion
17. You can go a whole day without anyone knowing who you are
18. Orange and yellow are finally a favourite colour
19. Dressing pets up in costumes
20. You don't have to spend time with friends and family, but you want to

Today, I am a happy girl.

Rememories

Christmases never go over well with me and people are already posting how many days it is until the fat guy in the red suit tries to squeeze down my chimney. Sounds a bit disturbing, especially since I don't have a chimney at all. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea behind Christmas and the spirit of giving and I can even be entertained by the whole Jesus story. Except, the religious and loving aspects of Christmas seem to have taken a backseat. Now it's an time of excessive spending and the demands of spoiled children are brought to the forefront. It's supposed to bring out the good in everyone but each year I see more bad. 

I don't have kids. Not for lack of wanting them, simply because I haven't got to 'that' stage of my life quite yet. I am hoping to. When I think back on my own childhood, I remember Christmas being stressful. Now, Halloween, that was always the best part of the year. For a month, you celebrated. First, you bought decorations, then you worked on our costume, next you carved pumpkins, and all of it was prep for this one glorious night where you get to be something creepy or kooky and strangers give you candy. 

Talk about bliss. 

My most favourite Halloween costume was when I went as Elvira. I had boobs to my chin. Needless to say my grade five teacher wasn't stoked on the cleavage and no one knew who I was, but I strutted around, completely thrilled. That must say something about the child I was. My mother always made the costumes for us. There might have been some purchased accessories along the way, but I distinctly remember her toiling away at her sewing machine. I wish I inherited the seamstress in her.

My sewing machine is sitting in the spare bedroom. One day, I plan to figure her out. I took sewing in high school. It was part of the home economics course, where you took drafting, woodwork, sewing and cooking. To this day, I distinctly remember making an apron and baking apple pie, but I can't for the life of me drudge up anything I learned in woodwork or drafting, although I am ninety percent sure woodworking involved a clock or pencil holder of sorts. 

Grade eight was a long time ago. 

This year, I don't have a costume sorted out. Last, there was a circus theme at work, so I went as Pierrot. Here is Dixon with my hat on - can you handle the adorable?