I thouroughly enjoy the "commercial" aspects of it. I love the traditions that bring me back to my childhood. I love the smell of wet pumpkin as I try to carve it into a masterpiece.
For a few years I felt completely jipped.
Adult Halloween didn't seem to have much to offer.
I'm not a club girl- never have been. I'll do it for a friend's b-day or a stagette, but that's it. I am not interested in dressing in lingerie, paying four times the regular cover charge and dancing with strangers who feel that it's their divine right to grab me... no thanks.
One year, however, I did go downtown with my bubbs and my oldest brother, Scott, to people watch. It was incredibly funny. I have never seen so many bare bums before- especially when it's so cold out.
I'm not much of a partier either. It seems that any Halloween parties that I have been to have fallen way below my expectations. Probably because my expectations are so high. I remember the days that I would rush home from school to touch-up my costume. I would wait anxiously for darkness to fall so that I could go out, running door to door collecting sweets.
Many of the costume parties I have been to just don't add up.
Some of the costumes are really impressive, but it's obvious that most of the people there are uncomfortable dressing up, and only do so out of obligation. So there sits, and stands, a bunch of adults in their costumes- feeling awkward and uncomfortable.
Not nearly as fun as my days of trick or treating.
Four years ago, my friend, Jac, and I went out on a dare. We swung it so last minute, and thought it'd be hilarious. We expected to hit up a couple houses, get nasty glares and rude comments... maybe even a couple doors slammed in our faces.
But by the fifth house, it seemed that it was more of an inside joke. Not one person seemed to notice or care. In fact, many gave us "big kids" an extra serving of candy, while our "older brothers" (husbands) waited at the end of the driveway for us.
Finally.
Us girls who always looked younger than we were found a bonus: we can STILL trick or treat on halloween!!!
I remember HATING it when people would assume I was years younger than I am. My mom and her friends always said I would like it when I got older, but I wasn't convinced. Especialy when I was 16, and one of my friends always got asked what college she went to... apparently it looked as if I was the kid sister, or she was my youth leader. Or when I worked at the pool, teaching aquafit, the ladies would ask if I was old enough to drive... I was 20 at the time. Or when I worked as a waitress, I often got sideways glances as I corked a bottle of wine. I could tell that people were wondering why the busser was serving the alcohol, and some people actually questioned me on it. I was 22 and married.
When Scotty was a youth pastor, I worried that rumours might start after someone saw him kissing a "16-year old girl" in the parking lot. Thankfully that never happened.
On wednesday I met up with one of my old youth girls. She's in grade 9, but she looks older than she is. We were standing beside the football field after practice. She was waiting for her boyfriend, and I was waiting for my husband. We got talking to one of the guys, and he kept trying to figure out who I was. I gave him my first name, and he
looked confused. He then asked my last name as if he was trying to place me as one of the students at his school. Even after I said Martens- it didn't click, so I told him I was the coach's wife.
The look on his face was priceless. I laughed and acknowledged that, yes, I look much younger than I am.
And that is why I still get to go trick-or-treating... this will be our 4th year in a row! I've got pumpkin-coconut soup with cheese dumplings ready to be heated when I get off work tonight. We'll be getting ready at my house, and then we'll leave the guys to hand out candy while we run around in the dark for a few hours, laughing until it hurts, collecting a big bag of sugary treats, and waiting for the day that we get doors slammed in our faces because we're "too old to trick or treat."
Until then, we'll keep doing it because adult Halloween ain't got nothin' on my trick-or-treating.
(devil-cat panda, and pumpkin-head hanzel... don't they look thrilled?)
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