The Ghost of Halloweens Past

Well, this ghostly holiday is nearly over and without an ounce of celebrating from our household. No costumes, no Halloween decorations, no scary movies, not even a carved pumpkin this year (or even an uncarved one), which is my own fault. I should have just done it, but it's not nearly as fun without someone to carve with! Even as an adult I've been known to dress up, but there were no parties this year. I did buy candy, and we had a grand total of...3 trick-or-treaters. Which is more than last year, when we had a big fat goose egg.

I have always loved Halloween. As a kid it was so exciting, dressing up and going trick-or-treating, collecting a sack full of loot that would be counted and sorted before bedtime. I loved the dressing up; the chance to be creative, to be another character for a few hours. Some of my signature Halloween costumes included a Storm Lake High School cheerleader, or a punk rocker, which really wasn't punk rock at all, more slightly rebellious valley girl I think...(you can't see it, but Cousin Kristi and I have red glitter on our cheeks. Very cool.)

I think my favorite though, was a costume I made myself in the 4th grade. I created an Indian "squaw" costume. I remember specifically a skirt made out of a paper grocery bag, painstakingly decorated with patterns set in magic marker, and fringe cut on the bottom. I believe that one won me "most creative costume." Those were the days.

So as I sit here across the room from the bowl of undelivered Kit-Kats, Husband snoring on the couch, I wonder where all of the excitement went. I guess it's just another one of those things that falls by the wayside with work, running here and there...am I too busy for Halloween? One stinking day a year? Where does it end? Where did the passion go? I hope I find it again.