Halloween
“It
is said that All Hallows' Eve is one of the nights when the veil
between the worlds is thin—and whether you believe in such things
or not, those roaming spirits probably believe in you, or at least
acknowledge your existence, considering that it used to be their own.
Even the air feels different on Halloween...”
Erin
Morgenstern
I've
decided there are two kinds of people in this world—celebratory and
non-celebratory. There are some highly celebratory people living in
my neighborhood. One such household has an entire Halloween scene in
their front yard; a grave yard with about 15 grave stones amid stacks
of hay. They must have bought out somebody's pumpkin patch. There are
four life-sized zombies, spider webs covering every bush, orange and
purple (since when is purple a Halloween color?) lights, ghosts hanging
from tree limbs, signs warning that the house is haunted, and one
sign announcing a radio station for listening to scary Halloween
sounds. It's quite impressive to say the least. I can't wait to see
what Christmas holds for them!
When
I arrived at my friends' house last Saturday for the football game,
they were hanging what can only be described as a “ghost ring-wraith” on their front porch. It is seriously ugly, y'all. They
worked for 10 minutes to secure his skeletal head in just the proper
direction. I hope they don't forget he's there and scare themselves
into a heart-attack. My son, Ian, who's always loved Halloween, has
his entire yard draped in spider web, a variety of bloody body
parts hanging and scattered around, bloody hand prints on the porch
and door, the whole nine yards. Very inviting for little children,
I'm sure.
I
am decidedly the other sort of person—non-celebratory. I have
entirely too much of my mother's practical Scottish blood coursing
through my veins to spend perfectly good money on such “nonsense.”
So my front porch is pumpkin-less, and there are no purple lights. If
I want light, I'll set a stack of logs in the fireplace and touch a
match to them. I nod to Halloween by buying a sack of candy to hand
out, and by lighting a candle for my ancestors—may they rest in
peace. I like the notion that there are certain days of the year when
the veil between the worlds is thin and spirits easily travel
between. Peaceful spirits, that is. Not like that hideous thing my
friends hung on their porch.
Whether
you're a celebratory person or not, I wish you a Happy Halloween. May
the spirits of all your ancestors be in kindly moods when they visit
you tonight. May they not remember your youthful disrespect and
transgressions. Better light that candle right now.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
2 comments:
By your definition, I suppose I am non-celebratory (perhaps due to my own Scottish blood), but you gave me an idea for observance: to take advantage of this thin-spaced time to recall and to celebrate my own departed ancestors.
Jane, I am definitely a Non-Celebratory person. Buying groceries today at Kroger, I was checked out by a Coca Cola Bottle. Now when did Coca Cola Bottles become a costume for Halloween. That's as crazy as adults particvipating in a kid's holiday.
Jim High
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