Ghostly Greetings!

Guest post by Suzann Darnall

There is much to be concerned about in our world today. National concerns abound. Personal concerns abound. But, for at least a few minutes I am going to set these things aside and think about fun. Halloween happiness. October delights. A lil bit of Autumn. A whole lot of spooky.

We are going to have our annual family gathering for Halloween in two weeks. A few friends are going to join us. We will have costumes, and food, and games, and fun, and lots of love! For a few hours we will set aside the cares of the world and just enjoy one another’s company, as well as some traditions and a holiday that is all about family for most of us.

I know some people throw Halloween under the bus as a celebration of evil, but we do not feel that way. We look at it as a time to suspend reality and let loose our imaginations. It is all about make-believe. Mixed in, quite liberally, with myths, legends, and heritage.

I cannot remember not celebrating Halloween. My father took me around as a baby, just as my husband took our girls around when they were babies. My family decorated our front porch for the trick-or-treaters. It then grew into the entire front yard becoming an open air haunted house. That then turned into a family party for my adult children and our grandchildren to attend.

My husband and I have about a dozen containers of Halloween decor for building a haunted landscape in pert near any theme imaginable. Due to health issues we have toned it down to just a simple party for last year and this year. But, I am sure we will be back to happy hauntings next year and for a few more years into the future.

I have pumpkins, both jack-o-lanterns and Fall decorated gourds, on display inside and outside our home. We have some of the usual decorations already up and will add more as we get closer to the party date. We added a new pumking this year, a Jack Skellington jack-o-lantern that is so awesome.

This year’s theme is Dia de los Muertos. I have the most awesome outfit for the party! And, looking forward to doing sugar-skull makeup on my husband and myself. Got all the skulls and skeletons drug out of the shed for decorating. Found fabulous paper goods in sugar skull themes. Including some fun ones that are cow sugar skull design. Perfect for Texas.

While I know not everyone will embrace this eerie holiday quite as enthusiastically as my family, I do encourage each of y’all to reconsider it in a different light. Do not think of it as just trick-or-treat, or costume parties, or something that you’ve outgrown. Think of it as something that has become kinda uniquely American. No other country celebrates Halloween quite like us, unless you count Japan that tries very hard to celebrate many of our American holidays. Think of it as an unusual opportunity to create family traditions that will last for decades and possibly even generations. Think of it as a time of year to join with family and friends to just have fun and fellowship and food.

Halloween is not about evil, unless you make it about evil. It is about fantasy. A chance to pretend. A time to dream. Whether 6, 16, or 60 years old. So, come and play! The ghosties, the ghoulies and the goblins are waiting. Maybe even the monster from under your bed or closet!!!