Melissa Harper is a senior majoring in biological sciences. She can be contacted at [email protected].Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Trickery and treating myself are two of my favorite past times.
As a child, nothing described a more perfect evening than meandering around the streets of my neighborhood and begging for cavities. Dressing up was the main event. When you’re a kid, it doesn’t really matter what you go as, because the point is to get free candy.Sure, everyone probably pitched a fit or two over their costumes once in a while, but in the end it really didn’t matter.Those were the days – just clean holiday fun. Nobody dressed up as anything too controversial or suggestive. The traditional costumes were the norm. You know – witch, pumpkin, tooth fairy and in my case, Smurf. Although looking back, being the only Smurfette in a town completely dominated by male Smurfs was a little controversial and suggestive. Thanks, Mom. These days, we take careful consideration when planning our Halloween attire. You can’t just cut two holes in an old sheet and call it a day.
The older we get, the more pressure there is to go as something funny, sexy or just downright ridiculous. When did we make this switch?Well, of course for the ladies it was when we realized we could dress like a total prostitute and get away with it. For guys, I think they just liked looking at the girls.
Even if we don’t get candy anymore, it is still fun to peruse around town in search of the great pumpkin while drinking orange beer and holding séances. That’s what I love about Halloween: It is in no way a serious holiday.
No family functions or kiddy tables to sit at, because you have yet to be granted your adulthood. No airplane tickets to buy or crowded malls to suck the life out of you. There’s no real ritual to go by. It’s just good old fashioned recreation and tomfoolery.
However, some people can be a real buzzkill on Halloween by not wearing a good costume.
Recently, I have read about and experienced people who are anti-Halloween and all things mysterious. Although I realize that is their prerogative, I just wish people could relax a little and have some fun.
I’ve read a couple of articles that really go into depth as to “why do we choose the costumes that we do” and “what your costume says about you.” Although these were halfway interesting, it’s just too serious for Halloween. These articles were trying to delve into the subconscious reasoning as to why my Aunt Eugena went as a sex kitten to last year’s office Halloween party.
I’ll tell you why. She is old, single and likes the sauce.I think picking out your costume is simply choosing to be something that you’re not for one day out of the year. Some of us come from a long line of procrastinators and end up being that idiot in a T-shirt who says, “This is my Halloween costume.” Those people get on my nerves.
Sure, it’s commendably clever, but so is Scientology. Maybe it’s because I truly believe I am from Griswaldian descent, so my house is adorned in orange lights and as many tacky Halloween decorations as my neighbors can stand. Where’s the fun in being a scrooge on a day like Halloween? Are pumpkin and gourde-baring cornucopias equally as festive as jack o’ lanterns? I don’t think so.
I recommend more students get into the spirit and really take advantage of what the Irish have given us. We aren’t here for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, the majority of Chanukah, etc. However, we are here for this grand holiday.
I feel like the end of Halloween marks the start of the Christmas season. Once Nov. 1 rolls around, Christmas will steal all of Thanksgiving’s thunder.
Christmas is the holiday Nazi, by the way.This is a time to look ridiculous and drink our midterm grades away. OK, so maybe that’s not everyone’s idea of Halloween, so let me rephrase that.
It is a time of fun and fellowship where we can dress up in mildly entertaining versions of children’s costumes and bob for apples (and germs) with our friends and neighbors.
Now, I know some folks think it’s the devil’s holiday and it’s downright evil, but those people don’t count, right? Seriously though, either way you see it, just get out there and cause a stink. We all should really embrace the gluttonous masquerade that is All Hallows’ Eve. Get outside and have some fun. I mean, what would Jesus do? What would L. Ron Hubbard do?