I have a lot of mixed feelings about Halloween. I don't enjoy spiders, severed hands or zombies. I don't enjoy 14 year old boys running the neighborhood in "scream" masks and TPing houses or 14 year old girls dressed like the porn version of Richrd Scary's Busy Town -sexy nurse, sexy fire-woman, sexy teacher, sexy police-woman and so forth.
All of that said I do have a couple of things that I love about Halloween. I LOVE dressing up, masquerade masks, a reason to raid the forgotten prom/bridesmaid section of Goodwill, and reese's peanut butter cups. I love having the opportunity to walk around the neighborhood and seeing so many people out. In our urban area it is not common for everyone to be outside, mingling and talking. There are a number of homes that, had it not been for trick-or-treating I would not have even known had inhabitants. It is a chance to chat, touch bases, put a face with the house and a valuable opportunity to decide which homes you would like to avoid as possible meth labs.
Mixed feelings, but overall a win. I hope next year to continue our tradition of a Halloween party at our house. This allows for all the good stuff without the yuck ;) Costumes, candied apples, photobooths, chocolate, movies on the projector and place for the adults to have a glass of wine. As we are moving in less than four weeks, it just seemed a bit too much this year. Fingers crossed that the "op-shops" in Christchurch have a forgotten-prom-and-bridesmaid dress section!
