#30 He Doesn't Say, "Boo"

I love fall. I love fall with so much of a passion one would think I should actually move somewhere where there is less spring and summer and a whole lot more of fall and winter. But New Jersey beckons and I answer her call.

There is something wonderful that fills the air the minute fall is in season. You may recognize it as the something wonderful of cooler air, colorful leaves, and delicious yummies that can only be enjoyed at this time of year. But I recognize it as the starting point for what I am secretly anticipating with childish giddiness: Christmas.

And while this is my underlying excitement for the season of fall, I still do enjoy all that fall brings and would never wish to rush it past. In fact, Thanksgiving has always been dubbed my favorite holiday (but more to come about that another time).

Yet, with as much as I love the fall, I have never been able to get into Halloween. Perhaps it is because I was raised with Christian values and therefore my family didn't celebrate Halloween, but rather "Harvest". The problem there is that unless you are a farmer, you don't really understand what you are celebrating when the adults tell you, "No, we don't celebrate Halloween, we celebrate Harvest time". So. You're telling me we are celebrating the gathering of crops? But, we're not going to go gather any crops? Okay.

Or perhaps it was just the fact that I look completely ridiculous in any kind of contraption that is composed of 99% spandex, 1% itchy material, a cape, and a few patches randomly sewn on that guise me as whatever is currently "in" to pretend to be for one night.

Needless to say, I still do not celebrate Halloween. In fact, this was my first year even carving a pumpkin.

(My pumpkin: day and night).

For the last two years I managed to find somewhere else that I had to be on Halloween night so that I didn't have to be in the house as the earlier trick-or-treaters (you know, the ones who go out so early that they don't realize your porch light is not on) came to my door and waited in anticipation for no one to greet their knocks. Yet this year, I had no where else to go and needed to start supper for a husband who would be home within an hour or so. Therefore I had to ready myself to ignore. I sat three rooms away as my screen door creaked open and ignored. I heard the pitiful rapping on my door and ignored. As they waited, tried again, and then slowly let the screen door creak back shut, I ignored.

Don't judge me.

When we were married and first moved into a home of our very own, the first Halloween I thought, "Well, perhaps I should try this whole give-out-candy-to-kids-I-don't-know thing."

Once was enough. There are two, nay, three reasons why I could never keep such ridiculousness up every year.

#1. I guess I'm a little lazy, or perhaps I'm worried about my heating bill, but it is a little silly to keep opening and shutting my front door all night long just to toss a few pieces of candy outside.

#2. Kids (and their parents) are darn greedy. They come with high expectations, not a single thank you on their lips, and some come about five or six years too late to still be expecting candy.

#3 Call me a penny pincher (I've been called worse by my brothers) but, why am I buying candy for children I have never seen before in my life and who fall under reason #2? Why? Because it's Halloween?

So, think what you may about me, but more than likely, next Halloween I'll be doing the same thing. Hiding in the most distant room from the front door and ignoring what seems to be a slight tapping in order to protect my heating bill, my food budget, and my peace of mind.

(Hubby carved the whole world.

He is pretty awesome.

This picture is pretty horrible).