Halloween is fast approaching, and I’m amazed by the number of people I know at work or in my private life who love this holiday more than Christmas. I’m amazed mostly because I don’t really get into Halloween at all. Okay, I’m all for getting a bag full of candy, but wait, I’m a senior citizen and don’t go trick-or-treating anymore. Haven’t for a long time.
Okay, so that part of Halloween is over for me. But what about dressing up? Not really into that, either, although I love seeing what the kids (and their parents) come up with. At work we open our doors to the children of employees after school on the 31st. One little girl came as Wednesday last year, and believe me, she had the look down. Her mom told me what went into putting that outfit together and it turned out to be several hours of searching, mostly on Amazon. (If you don’t know who Wednesday is, search Netflix).
Scary movies? Not a chance. I really disappointed one co-worker with that one. Now, the flip side of that would be the holiday movies on Hallmark, and I don’t really enjoy those much either. Give me the classic Christmas films, like Christmas in Connecticut with Barbara Stanwyck or The Bishop’s Wife with Cary Grant. I spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day watching eight favorite holiday films, and those are just two of them.
Which brings me around to Christmas. I can’t say I love it, because I’m usually alone and that’s not much fun. But I do enjoy the decorations as well as Advent, which we observe in church. I guess a big part of Christmas for me is the celebration of the birth of Christ. The carols speak to me, both for their meaning and tradition.
This year, Christmas comes on a Thursday, and I’ve taken Christmas Eve and the day after off from work, so I’m looking forward to the five days of sleeping in and doing what I want to do. Which will not be shopping. I’ve got my Christmas shopping done. I just have to mail the gifts, which I won’t do until December. I try to stall mailing my mom’s package because I know she won’t wait until Christmas to open her gifts and that always disappoints me. However, I don’t like waiting in line at the post office, so it’s a trade-off.
But back to Halloween–I remember growing up we always carved pumpkins, which I loved doing, and then my mom would roast the pumpkin seeds. I don’t know what she did to them, but they were yummy. So that is one tradition I wish I could keep, but I won’t, because I don’t have anyplace to put a pumpkin and I have no idea how to roast the seeds properly. But the memories linger.
This time of year is my favorite, holidays or no holidays. Today it will be 64 degrees outside, which is perfect for me. Okay, I like it even when it dips down quite a bit lower, so I’m looking forward to the next few months. And truth to tell, I’ll enjoy seeing the kids at work on Halloween. I’ll bring my favorite candy (Milky Way bars) for them and hope that there’s some left over. Then it’s Thanksgiving, which is day off of watching football for me, and then (yay) we’ll get into Christmas.
Of course, there’s the leaves turning, although it looks like that particular treat skipped my area this year. But I’m pulling out my long-sleeved clothing and can’t wait to wear it. C’mon fall, bring it on!
Image Credits: Fall Leaves (header) © Subbotina Anna; Fall Leaves (footer) © sea and sun; Ghost © Kaca; Advent Candles © Christian Horz–all, stock.adobe.com
P.S. For those of you who remember the trouble I’m having logging on to my WordPress account, I’m still having it. However, the irony is I’ve been posting more, because if I’m able to access my account, I want to use the opportunity. The trouble comes in accessing my account. It can take two hours or (if I’m really lucky) 2 minutes. And I’d better get my editing done while I can, because I don’t know if I’ll be able to get to the post again any time soon! It’s not WordPress’s fault. It’s AT&T’s.
My World With Words 
In one neighborhood, there are two houses across the street from one another that must compete at Halloween. The traffic at the intersection is crazy! If I were a kid, I’d be too afraid to go to either house, though! Unless they were giving out Milky Way bars!
Extra days off at Christmas–we all tried to sign up early for those!
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Yep, I requested my time off at Christmas back in March, and I’m not sure I was the first! As for Milky Way bars, I’m buying some this weekend (I hope, if the store has them). Let’s see if they last until Friday!
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ha! I’d be too tempted to ‘try’ them before Halloween!
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Yeah, it’s easy to convince myself that the kids won’t miss just one…
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Enjoyed the post. Glad to hear your beliefs about Halloween. I have nothing to do with it. My beliefs are spiritual. I stop celebrating many moons ago, almost 30 years ago. My grandchildren love the holiday. Schools create much activity around this holiday. I don’t buy candy (health and financial motivations). Candy is not cheap these days. I buy candy for them during the year so there is no guilt for this stand. I just say a prayer that all our children will be safe and protected.
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Your prayer is spot on. There is a lot made of this holiday, and I understand its appeal to children, but not to adults.
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Belinda, I think you know my love for both Halloween and Christmas. There’s no doubt I love keeping those traditions from when I was young, and trying to pass them on to younger generations. We do not have children, but each year we get 80-100 kids show up trick or treating and it is fun being a part of the holiday in that regard. We don’t go crazy on decorating for either holiday…outdoor decorations are more Fall and Winter themed than Halloween and Christmas. Sorry to hear your blogging challenge continues. I just posted about WordPress sending some of my comments to folks’ spam folders…we were just “praising” technology the other day lol.
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Oh wow, I was able to get to my WordPress comments easily and “unspam” yours. I think kids and Halloween are great. I don’t get any trick-or-treaters at my door at home, but like I mentioned, they come to us at work. It’s the adult traditions I can’t get into.
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Yes, here’s to Christmas over Halloween. Ha, ha.
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Yay! I’m with you there.
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I love your reminiscing, Belinda. It is a beautiful season and I have many memories of Halloween, as well. We don’t get trick-or-treaters where I live, and I’m actually glad about that since I don’t have to buy candy!
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Me too! Candy is expensive, and I don’t want any left over.
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Ah, so many great traditions in this post, Belinda. I haven’t been able to make pumpkin seeds in a way that my kids like them yet but I keep trying. Good for you for being done with your Christmas shopping! Enjoy your long-sleeve shirts and the cooler weather!
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Yes, I can finally wear sweatshirts! It’s rainy and gloomy outside, but I love it. Now, if I had kids instead of cats, I might think differently, especially kids like yours who seem to love the outdoors!
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Well, that’s true. But there’s a whole magic to getting wet (and cold) and then coming inside for hot cocoa that works too!
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Absolutely! Now you’ve got me craving hot cocoa!
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Belinda, I left a comment here last night but I don’t see it as of yet. If it isn’t in your spam folder, let me know and I’ll recreate it from memory…oh, that’ll be fun lol…!
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Let me check my spam folder. It’s tricky because I can only access that on my laptop, and I’ve had trouble getting to WordPress there.
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Belinda, thanks for the wonderful post! Like you, this is my favorite time of the year, but global warming is messing with the temperature. I like ihe temps a little frostier, but this will have to suffice. All those wonderful holiday traditions as a kids were lovely. I also carved jack-o-lanterns and roasted the seeds. Like you, with no children, it’s a practice I’ll fondly remember. My building complex here in New York decided against trick-o-treating as they do every year, and decided to host a party for the kids in a communal space. Darn! I like dressing up and handing out candies and seeing all the various costumes. Perhaps next year. Enjoy those Milky Ways.☺️
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I agree, global warming is messing with the temps. It’s finally cooled off were I live and I’m so glad. I also agree, it’s fun to see the kids costumes and get into your own costume! I will definitely enjoy the Milky Ways, although some of them will have to go to the kids 🙂
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I’m one of those “weird” people who prefer October and autumn to the Christmas season. But then, I was born in October — by a woman who was also born in October — and I even got married in October. So I guess you could say October is in my DNA. 😉
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I like October, if you take away Halloween. I always thought an October wedding would be cool, so I’m a little jealous of you for that!
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