Halloween

We entered into Halloween shenanigans this year. This is the result.

Tim the zombie.

Chloe from the Night Circus

Leisa the witch

Georgia- Esther the orphan.

To spook or not to spook

Image credit

I've never "celebrated" Halloween.

I kind of don't get it....possibly because growing up in Australia in the 70's and 80's we just simply didn't do Halloween....plus I grew up in a fundamental Christian environment where participating in Halloween was not only frowned upon but we would have sermons before or on Halloween unfolding how evil this "celebration" was. As a result, I learned to fear it and avoid it like the plague.

Honestly....a lot of my "faith" and belief system seemed to have been based on fear. Maybe I should write more on that one day...

Anyway...back to the topic. I've never "celebrated" Halloween so I'm kind of a bit clueless about how to do so...but we're having a bit of a party type thing at our place for Halloween. Not that we're inviting anyone over, but we are all dressing up to greet the Trick or Treaters that will undoubtedly come. Mind you, I'm only opening the door to little kids and their parents up until about 8pm....or until the treats run out. After that, we go into hiding because that's when the real little devils come out to play....and by that I am referring to the troublemakers of the neighbourhood - armed with eggs and other missiles.

The young ones want to have a party of sorts so we went to Lombards on the weekend and stocked up on a few things. Tim's into special effects make up so he bought all sorts of bits and pieces that will enable him to make scabs and burns and blood. Georgia and Chloe bought a few things for costumes. I couldn't help but be drawn into their enthusiasm and I found myself scanning the aisles for basic decorations.

What? Me?

Yes. I bought a large spiderweb and several plastic spiders, some spooky cupcake papers and the piece de resistance, a jointed skeleton. Oh how I love my little skeleton. After Halloween he shall hang in my closet and be known as the skeleton in my closet henceforth!

Lombards was great as their entire store was decked out in Halloween decorations so I gained a lot of ideas from there without having to purchase their expensive ones. Instead, I'm heading to the Reject Shop and my local Coles to purchase things like crepe paper and garbage bags that will do just as well. I'm also considering buying a carving pumpkin to make our own Jack-o-lantern....although I'm battling thinking about the waste of food. Perhaps a pumpkin soup with the pulp? Are carving pumpkins even edible?

Excited conversations are being had about the entertainment we will have over the course of the evening. I've heard whispers of Monster Mash and Michael Jackson's Thriller, A Nightmare Before Christmas (which Chloe said is a good movie for watching both at Halloween AND Christmas) and The Corpse Bride.

Yeah, we're really hardcore here! That's about the scariest we will go. While other people may be watching The Shining, Carrie and The Exorcist we'll be watching Tim Burton films. Badass we are!

Are we celebrating? No, not really. We're just having a spooky night as a family, putting to rest fears and biases and being free to express some other parts of who we are. No longer driven by fear and misconception we are forging our own path and making choices for ourselves.

It feels good to be free.