Halloween. It’s exciting. It’s sooky. It’s full of fun. It’s loaded with a never-ending amount of activities and events. Oh, but one more thing… It is full on exhausting. I love this season just as much as the next. But sometimes, oohhhhh sometimes. I have to take a moment for a solid breather. Because ghouls and goblins, it can get overwhelming. It’s like you have to sit in disbelief while you are holding your head up in support, saying “Wait, it isn’t supposed to be this tiring, right?!” Maybe it is part of the progression everything seems to have now, but traditions are most certainly not as simple as they used to be. Woah, there’s a whole lot more that goes on with Halloween than I remember as a kid. So while some people have had their decorations up since September and anxiously await the day (more like an entire month) they get to celebrate Halloween, there are others who would rather shut off all their lights, go out of town and sit in a place that doesn’t even know Halloween exists. Ok, maybe a bit extreme… but I know someone is nodding their head in agreement with! So here is what I’ve gathered as to why there are Halloween hating parents out there.
This one is a no-brainer, Candy. All year long we avoid sugar. We spend so much time putting our foot down as to why sugar is not good for kids. Then Halloween rolls around like a pushy big sister and steps on those toes. “Psh, no candy? I’ll show you!” Then there’s candy everywhere. Scattered across the streets, on the cars, in the trees, stuck on your dog. Ev.er.y.where. It’s like candy mayhem, and the kids are running around like crazy people on a full on sugar high.
Then there’s the Come Down. After the running around and built up a month of excitement the kids unleash on Halloween night. There is that mass of said sugar intake that skyrockets their blood sugar into an unknown world. Needless to say, the following day is dreadful. It’s the beginning of a sugar detox and exhausted kids, which seems to linger on for at least a solid week. Just like candy.
Oh hey, Switch Witch. I have heard mixed feelings about this wise old witch. You either love it or ya don’t. I can see both angles. It’s an awesome concept to give your kids the chance to swap their candy, or at least part of it, for something different. Whether it’s a gift, an activity, or really whatever is decided between the child and parents. But on the flip side… it’s kind of setting you up to buy the candy off them. Which is all fine and dandy if that works for you. I have just heard word on the street that a lot of parents don’t love the concept of paying their kids to ditch their candy.
Activities. So many activities. I swear the second October 1st hits, it’s like you’re already behind on your Halloween game. There are at least 2 different events on each weekend geared towards Halloween. The more sports, hobbies, extracurricular activities your child is in, the more events there are. And for some reason, there is unspoken pressure parents feel to make their best attempt to attend them all. Have you ever been to a downtown Halloween event? Have you?! They’re terrifying. But not in a scary haunted house way. There are thousands and kids everywhere, rushing every which way to get their candy. I am always super conferenced my kids will get lost in the masked, poofy dress crowd.
Adults. Simply stated… that’s right. If you ever attend one of the parades mentioned above, you have probably witnessed that some adults really try to take the stage in the fun factor. But not in a kind way. More of a, I’m going to dress up, be super loud and obnoxious for no apparent reason and beat your kid to the candy. Maybe that’s what happens when you lose a costume contest as a child? I don’t know.
Decorations. Okay, decorating is fun. But it is also expensive! Even if you gather a few items to gently get into the Halloween spirit, you’re looking at some dollar signs. And once you get them all up, the wind will surely come by and knock them down at least 10 times before the actual day. It would be nice if that wind blew on November 1st and took them all down for you again. But by that time, you have them so tightly wound and bolted that it turns into a special event of its own to remove them. And if you’re not on it in a few days, the neighbors and HOA will be hovering silently over you with looks of urgency.
Costumes- Isn’t this the best part about Halloween? If you can get your kid to decide on what it is they actually want to be, it is. Whenever I have spoken to other parents, their kid has already changed their mind at least a dozen times. Good thing most Halloween stores have a good return/exchange policy. And if you thought decorations were expensive and haunted houses were scary… costumes hold the real shock factor.
Another Scare, some kids are simply terrified of anything spooky. Which then leaves October the month of coping with anxiety in kids. Not many people mention it, but it’s out there. These parents find difficulty with getting others to understand or be respectful when they ask to refrain for the Halloween festivities. So sometimes remember, if someone mentions this, back off with the ghost costume, Casper.
Alongside this, there are families who simply don’t celebrate Halloween, so the whole thing is just one big Snooze Fest.
Lastly, Halloween is hardly close to being cost-efficient. After all, is said and done, and no matter how lightly you indulged in the spirit. Your wallet will have a dent. Just in time for the holidays!
That’s the spookiest part of all.
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