So why do you like Halloween so much?

[Spooky]

It has always been my favorite holiday/time of year...ever since I was a kid. I loved making my own decorations, and going trick or treating, and I love fall, and all the colors, and the weather is my favorite at that time of year. I love going to Harvestfests. I remember my town always had a place they did a Haunted House, and that was a big deal...it scared the heck out of everybody, but now they don't do it because of worrying about getting sued. I remember when kids went corning, and toilet papered houses, and soaped windows, but they really don't do that anymore either-since I am older now...I probably am grateful for that part, but it was fun as a kid to see what others were out there doing at night. I loved watching scary movies at that time of year(still do).
So, how about everyone else...why do you love it?

[deadbride]

I copied this from my post for what Halloween means to me. But it pretty much is the same thing. But I guess a short answer could be because I fit in at Halloween. Oh Boy! I’ve thought long and hard about this. I guess you could say it means a lot to start with. Since I have a memory problem I can’t really say I recall childhood memories of Trick-or-Treating, or carving pumpkins. But recent memories (pictures) have become a blessing. Halloween is more or less a passion. Instead of my family giving me traditional gifts for holidays such as candy hearts for Valentine’s. They give me Halloween related items. My husband gave me a hearse for Valentine’s Day. I’m sure you saw the pictures of it. My mother gave me a cauldron for Christmas. I do more decorating for Halloween than I do for Christmas. I run my own haunted house, more or less by myself. My son helps out. A lot of people tell me they will help but they usually don’t end up helping. It doesn’t bother me either because I’m having fun. I get to take the kids through the haunt and point out the different scary things or explain what something is. I don’t always try to scare the kids. A lot of times I try to make a haunt that intrigues them, but sometimes they just don’t get it. I’ve never fit in. I’ve always been the square peg in a round hole. And Halloween fits me, I fit Halloween. I can be myself. It means more to me to be able to walk around in a costume than being able to breathe I think. I can create a different world when I build a new haunt every year. Or when I make a new costume, I create a new person. It is hard to explain. I’m not sure how to say what all it means. One word works – FREEDOM! It allows me freedom. Freedom to do what I want to do, I can create any place I want; I can create any world I want. Any life can be created by merely stitching some cloth together and adding some baubles and beads. Time travel is another way to look at it. I can travel any where I want at Halloween, any time or place. That means so much because what other time of the year can you do that? If you showed up at Christmas in a toga someone would think you were totally nuts. I get very passionate about Halloween. I may not say it very eloquently but its how I feel. It means the world to me.

[LawP]

Hey Spooky!! Welcome back! How's the B&B biz this summer? You've inspired me to order my very own Halloween comforter this year...and shower curtain...and pillows....and bath set... and I may end up a single woman...but HEY! It's worth it. Catch us up on your world soon. LP

[Dutchess of Darkness]

I love Halloween for many reasons, some of which include the following, but this list will not attempt to cover it entirely: I am I guess what you call dark in personality, meaning "not light & fluffy" so to speak. so like deadbride I feel I belong at Halloween. I love the Fall colours, and the waether especally as I don't like the heat "at all" and I can't tolerate the sun, literally! Not that I ignite into flames or anything, although many think I would, & not that I'd know cause I don't spend enough time out in it to take any chances I love the smell in the air during the fall. I'm into dark victorian/goth/medeival decor with a splash of Halloween, I don't do Ikea thats for sure. I like how trees show the ending of the season and get all vreepy looking. I like the colours out during that time of year. I like costumes, Haunts "although I'm not into the gore stuff anymore, more realistic haunts I guess" don't know how else to put it. It's a special time of the year for me to decorate my garden as I can find all the bats, black cats, witches, tomestones, black candles, etc. I just love the feel of that time of year, and for some reason the fall takes me back to another time, times of Salem, and witches, black cats, castles, magick, all things fantacy really. I love the mood of that time of year. Well there's just way to much about it to get into deeper details. Oh and it gets darker ealier something which I look forward too, as I love the night & things that go bump. "which by the way we just had a miniquake the other night" I guess you could say I'm not into bright fluffy pastel times of the year what so ever.

[mandy0221]

I have no clue why I love halloween or when my love ever started - but i just do. I love everything about it - the weather, the decorations, trick-or-treating, costumes, parties, spooky movies, haunted houses, mysterious ghost stories and the list goes ON AND ON

[ooga_booga]

We've been celebrating it in my family for as long as I can remember-and I have a tendency to become obsessed with things
I loved working on cosumes and decorations, and I loved the spooky feel to it.

[tomanderson]

Yes, well, going back into the photo albums, I see that my parents dressed me up for Halloween, I think perhaps farther back than I can remember! So I wonder really if this has something to do with Halloween being such a deep experience for me; if it is really not deeply ingrained. This is strange and fascinating to me.

I do recall that, as soon as I started perceiving what Halloween was, I was struck by that tangible air of endless mystery...it had this powerful feeling of creativity and potential. And everything painted in one color: Spooky!

[Spooky]

LawP-Did you change your name on here? Cause I swear I recognize your avatar, but not your user name????

The B & B stuff is going fantastic. I was booked almost the entire month of May ...all of my rooms for 2 weeks, because of a Gilder plane competition at the airport. It was cool, then I have been booked every weekend, except this one...but tonight I am cooking a Father's Day dinner, for this man we are friends with, he plays horseshoes across the street from us, and his daughters are here to visit them, and the one daughter is having a birthday, so I baked her a cake, and I am making them a steak dinner.

I am going to be painting a mural soon over at the horseshoe place.

I am having a great summer....I just saw Huey Lewis in concert, it was awesome...on the way home we found a wood turtle crawling across the road, and we brought him home and stuck him in our pond, and named him Huey Lewis.

I just booked our vacation for in August to go to Cape Cod, to hang with some of the guests we had here last year, that we became friends with, and I am going on a whale watch to see Humpback whales, so I am so excited.

I have lots of stuff coming up that I am doing...but I can't forget about Halloween.

I love it....I can't say that I feel like I fit in at Halloween more than any other part of the year, because my personality is in no way dark,
and I light pastel colors...I actually am so sick of seeing people dressed in black, that part doesn't make me feel good. I think the way people dress is a reflection on how they feel about themselves, but I have to say that preconcived ideas of people who like creepy stuff...are blown out of the water, because I like that stuff too, and in no way am I depressed or creepy....and the people on this board are some really nice people, who seem to be extremely well adjusted.

I do love the hearse thing, we saw one once in front of this awesome Halloween store, and it had orange and black balloons tied to it, and I thought how cool that would be to rent at Halloween. I did see one for sale once, and seriously wanted to stop and look at it, but the practicality of it was what stopped me. But, I love it for Halloween.

I also like the whole thing of being able to dress up like someone else, and the going back in time thing.

Because I live in an older house, and I believe it is haunted, it has kind of opened me up to more spooky things that I never really believed in before...like ghosts.....I was very skeptical over all of it, but too many unexplainable things have happened here.

[Dutchess of Darkness]

Hey Spooky, I'm so glad to see there is an oppisite here, I love that! What a boring world it would be if we were all the same Why how on earth could we make so many friends with other people if we were all just like ourselves? I don't see how it would be possible? I do agree that people who have preconcived ideas of people who like creepy stuff is so far blown out of the water it isn't funny, but then I also feel the same for people who have preconcieved Ideas about people who dress in all black most of the time like I do. I am by no means a "satan worshiper" in fact I believe in a god. It is true that people dress in reflection on how they see themsleves or the mood the colour puts them in. For me black is a strong colour, it gives me strength & energy, I also find black to be a very attractive & sensual colour & I see myself as a very sensual type person who loves to feel emotion & passionate about all that I do. but many have very preconcieved views of those who wear all black, it's to bad really cause they miss out on meeting some really kindhearted & passionate people.
I do embrace the darker qualities in life for I feel without doing so one can never truly appreciate the light. And well, I've always been a night person & drawn to darker aspects of life-but in turn, it's made me more appreciative of my friends who are, what I refer to as "light & Fluffy" Heck we balance each other prefectly that way too, there always seems to be more harmony.
And a little quote that I always tell both young & older, although it seems to really help the young ones with fear whereas it seems to make the older one think more is this: " There's Nothing in the Night that isn't there during the Day, Except fear itself.

By the way I think its pretty cool you have a B&B & live in an older home, sounds very relaxing.

[EvilMel]

Part of my love of halloween has to do with the change of seasons. I too love the fall and don't like being super hot and out in the sun. I also love it when it is darker earlier and the fact that the harvest comes at that time of year.

But really for me, I enjoy it mostly because of my true love of all things horror. It's the one time of year that I can fully embrace my love of horror movies and whatnot, and not seem like a complete freak...though to be honest...a lot of people think I am a bit nutty all year round.

As soon as August hits, we move into my favorite time of year and I just feel more comfortable with the world. It's hard to explain.

A lot of people dislike that time of year though because of that seasonal depression disorder, right? Maybe that's more into the winter.

[Dutchess of Darkness]

Hey EvilMel, I just had a thought come to mind. Being that you have such a strong love for all things horror, have you ever given any thought to being " an extra " in the movies? You know, just maybe, if they're doing a movie where they need tones of zombies staggering around you could get in as one? Just a crazy idea anyways. One of my neighbours is an extra. The last movie that I knew he was in was "Night at The Museum" you know how there was that army of really miniature soldiers, well he was one of them. And I have an old friend I haven't seen in forever, well she lives with MP Disorder "Multiple Personality Disorder" well many years ago she decided to make the most of her illness as it was clearly not going to go away, even with meds that had a really hard time getting her illness under control. Anyways, she was feeling pretty down about life cause of it, and well, she found a way to live with it through being an extra, and you know what, out of anyone I know who is an extra, "she gets the most calls for work" she's awesome really. And I'm glad she did it cause it made her life turn around for the better Everyone has a vital role to play on this earth no matter what their circumstances are, there's a nitch for us all to fill

Anyways, the idea just came into my head like a lightening bolt. I just thought it might be a good way for you to get your fill, but still be able to go about with the rest of your life.

[jackskellington17]

i loved it ever since i was a kid because it was different and you know abnormal and i thought it was alot like me wierd lol and because i love the time of year becuase its not too hot and not too cold just right and i love when poeple stop too look at your house and at the decorations my family doesnt go overboard but i want to when i move out cause i love this holiday not because i get presents not because i get to hunt for eggs just because i can have fun and thats what this holiday is all about FUN
and if you dont have fun then you dont have a good time right?

[hauntmaster]

Well, I am only the Halloweener here!

I am also involved in some others halloween stuffs and s**t!

[Dutchess of Darkness]

Hi Jackskellington17, You're absolutely right, Halloween is about having fun, in whatever form a person finds meaning for them. I also like the decorating aspect of it. too me, Halloween is in many ways, more of a giving holiday then Christmas is. You decorate & people can enjoy it, you give out treats, little gifts and such things to make people feel good "what I do is this; when trick or treaters come to my place, I asl them if they would like their photo taken, and I explain that if they give me their email address I will send it too them, of course I ask their ages and any minors & of course the wee little ones I ask their parent or guardian for permission first? I swear every single trick or treater's eyes light up! they all love it! and of course get thier photo taken, so for me thats fun. I'm not one of those who opens their doors and throws a bag of candy in their sack. I like to talk to them, talk about their creative costumes and of course give special attention to the wee little ones and the teenagers. you see, the way I look at it is this: our world is becoming increasingly stressful for everyone, and well, if for one night I can give back some laughter, praises or what have you, then its all been worth it. I love doing the photo taking though, you wouldn't believe how people all of a sudden perk up and get into the role playing of thier character " it's awesome to see that" when they can forget about any worries in life even if it is just for moments. I get a lot of repeat teenagers thats for sure. Many people tell them to go away, saying "your to old to be out trick or treating", you know, thats so sad! Nobody's too old to dress up & trick or treat is my feeling! I always tell them, you come to my house in costume I don't care if your 8 or 18, if your gonna get into the spirit of the halloween season I will more then welcome you with open arms!
Sometimes I really wonder about people. They often complain about how teens cause petty crimes on Halloween, yet they've excluded them from participating. Is it just me or is there something wrong with that picture? We don't want you to be out causing trouble , but we don't want you out having good clean fun either, so where are they suppose to go? ANyways I'm rambbling. Everyone should have an equal right to go out and have FUN on Halloween!

[MHooch]

There are so many things that I love about Halloween I hardly know where to begin...I love the fall, the weather that time of year is THE BEST. The colors of the leaves against the clear blue sky just excites me. There is no smell like the smell of fallen leaves while you are scuffing through them. The colors Black and Orange are my absolute favorites. I've even considered dressing all in black. (Sure would make matching outfits easier! ) When I redid the room in our house that is now my yoga room, I thought and thought and got paint samples, and fussed and fumed about some "soothing" color that I was gonna put on the wall, but nothing pleased me like orange. It is soothing to ME...and that's what counts.

I have always loved costumes and makeup, was always in drama at school, not on the stage, but in makeup and dressing and sets. The idea that you can be whoever and whatever you want to be, that is what draws me. AND the fact that I like a little suspense...a little frisson (some more french for you GMW) of fear...it just feels good. And to pull one over on somebody...that is THE BEST!!! Not to scare them , particulary, but if I can be around people that I know well, and they not even know who I am...that, my friends, is what it's all about!!!

WHO knows why a big 'ol JOL makes me grin??? It just does.