I have to own it. I REALLY enjoy Halloween! I've always enjoyed trick or treating, costumes, scary movies, and all the things that make up Halloween. I went trick or treating from 3 years old to 14 years old. Yes, I was one of those annoying middle school students (actually, in my day it was junior high) who show up after 9:00 wearing a cheap mask and carrying a pillowcase while scavenging for candy!
Now, I decorate my front porch and hand out candy. I've discovered on Halloween night answering the door is as much fun as knocking on the door. I know not everyone shares my view of trick or treating. Hey, I would rather have trick or treating as opposed to what used to go on in the 1920's and 1930's. During that time, gangs of children would roam the streets or countryside pulling pranks and creating mayhem. One Halloween night, a railroad conductor in Kentucky slammed on the brakes when he saw a body on the tracks. He was able to bring the train to a stop before he ran over the body. He got off the train to check on the person on the tracks and....it was a dummy! While he stood over the dummy, he heard gales of laughter coming from the woods. Today, we would say he was "punked". One of the milder pranks was tipping over outhouses. You got bonus points if someone was inside!
Halloween has been around for over two thousand years. It's evolved from a pagan holiday into the night we now celebrate. Twenty-five percent of all candy brought into the United States is brought for Halloween. Americans spend almost 500 million every Halloween on costumes FOR THEIR PETS! I wouldn't consider trying to put a costume on my cats! Overall, we spend over six billion dollars on Halloween.
Last year, Camp Doublecreek had our first trunk or treat event. We had a wonderful time! Because of our move to Kelly Lane this year, we will not be able to hold a Halloween event. But next year! Kelly Lane was made for Halloween. There are trees, a barn, creepy sheds, a creepy looking house (ever seen Amityville Horror?!?). Expect great things from us for the next Halloween!
While I'm writing this article, the History Channel is on. The program is about extreme Halloween carnivals. They are talking about a great game called "Humans vs. Zombies". Wait a minute! We've played that games for years at Camp Doublecreek! I can't wait to see that game played at Kelly Lane. Instead of playing the game in an open field, we will play "Humans vs. Zombies" in the woods!
But that will be next year. This year, I intend to have a great Halloween, give out lots of candy, make a fuss over the trick or treater's costumes, and have enough candy left to make it worth while for the guys with the pillow cases. And when I turn off the porch light, I'll settle down and watch a good horror movie. What's my favorite horror movie? Here's a hint. This movie came out in 1963, it's based on a book by one of my favorite horror writers, Shirley Jackson. Can you name it? If you can let us know. If you're correct, I have some Halloween candy for you! :)
