Halloween’s A’Coming
In my humble opinion, Halloween is the best holiday ever. Kids love it. They get to dress up, go door-to-door and get free treats from people who otherwise would not give them the time of day. Adults like the holiday as well. (At least those adults who still have child-like qualities.) They have the opportunity of donning an entirely new persona and shedding their old inhibitions. Once a year, you can play the fool, and it is not only forgiven, it is practically expected. Even staid, stogy corporate institutions allow employees to come to work in full regalia. Candy is dished out in the break rooms. Cards are passed back and forth. We become children again.
Personally, I love the holiday. When I lived in Boston, I hosted the mother of all Halloween parties. Friends called me in August to see whether that year’s party was still a go. I’d invite all of my neighbors (so they wouldn’t complain about the noise), and I spent at least a week gussing the house up in anticipation of the big night. Jack O’Lanterns would be carved; food would be prepared; liquor would be laid in; and the DJ would be given explicit instructions. Rarely did the party end much before two or three a.m. A splendid time was always guaranteed. Once you were on the invitee list, you were on the list forever, but I had a strict rule - no more than seventy-five guests. That was pretty much all the house would hold. Of course, folks dropped off the list, but that was exception rather than the rule. Mostly, it was because someone moved away. Only once in fifteen years did an invitee decline an invitation. It was a blast. Everyone had the best time.
Now, of course, I live in a small condo and parties such as these are out of the question. I try to attend a Halloween party every now and again, but it’s not the same. I miss my old parties. This Friday, I think I’ll carve an awesome Jack O’Lantern, have a drink in memory of the old days, and recall the best times of the old days.
Happy Halloween everyone.
