Thursday, October 28, 2010

Election Day, Don't You Dare Ruin My Halloween

Anyone who knows me at all knows I love Halloween.  One of my earliest blogs (Oct '08) explained my feelings about October 31, so I won't repeat it here.  Instead, just a few observations and reflections on this year's activities.

First, there are two pumpkins in my garage that await my carving attention.  Each year I am torn between attempting one of those amazing templates that you can buy or copy from the internet, and simply going with my instinct on the choppy scary face.  The latter always wins because the former requires more patience than I am willing to expend.  The result however has always been satisfactory, once I put that votive candle inside and turn off the lights.

Some of the neighbors are really into the season--one guy has several enormous blow-up and animated creatures in the yard; the black cat has glowing eyes and stands about 6 feet tall, and its head moves side to side.  Very cool.

At school, this was a funny week.  Jake, the 6th grader, forgot to tell me that each day was a different spirit day--hat day, camo day, etc.  This being a short week ending today, I figured out for myself it would be costume day.  Last year he was berserk about Freddy Kruger, and he did it up big; hat, face mask, clothes and claw glove.  This year he made no plans, so last night I bought him one of those cheap Groucho Marx glasses/nose/mustache combos so he'd have something to wear today.  He loved it, and put on his fedora to complete the "costume." I told him if anybody asked, he was every adult's worst nightmare, the Tax Man from the IRS.  When I dropped him off at school this morning, there were the usual witches, princesses and ball-players (somebody always wears their football or little league uniform).  One little girl had a great costume: a fake picket fence surrounded her and was full of plastic flowers.  Jeez I love Halloween.

Many TV shows have a Halloween theme this week, usually very creative.  Last night "Modern Family" was an all-out hoot, and possibly my favorite line ever uttered on a sitcom was said:  asked if a neighbor and his wife were coming over for an over-the-top Halloween celebration, the neighbor shockingly replied his wife had left him.  After a stunned and awkward moment, the crestfallen desertee said "I better go, I have a dish to wash."  Classic. And so to the point.

I suppose I should mention the "Succeeding Holiday Encroachment" phenomenon.  As we all love to marvel at the rapidity with which that most commercial of holy holidays hits the stores, I think we have a watershed this year.  At the local CVS, you can find Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas merchandise on the aisles simultaneously.  K-Mart also.  Frankly, I think Thanksgiving is only in there to remind people of Black Friday (the massive sales event).  Another shameless plug for my favorite holiday, Halloween is the ONLY holiday for which blatant commercialism is absolutely appropriate!

Last comment--the coming election is sucking attention away from Halloween.  Don't do it, Election Day.  Stop it, right now.  Boy, you are really ugly this year, with possibly the most egregious mud-slinging ever.  What happened to the issues?  Aw, screw it, attack ads have a proven track record, so that's where we are spending those hidden-donor and corporate campaign funds.  There must be A LOT of $$ in the coffers.  Thanks a lot, Supreme Court.  I am struggling about whom to vote for, because I only know the skeletons in the closets of the candidates, not their stand on issues.  Wait a minute.  OK, skeletons are appropriate for this time of year--maybe politics is finally getting into the spirit of the season.  And politics are scary...suddenly it makes sense why Election Day is always so close to Halloween.

2 comments:

AuPair Extraordinaire said...

I'm SO jealous you got to watch the Halloween episode of Modern Family! I love that show! Was it the dad talking to the neighbor? He is SO awkward!! I really missed all of the normal Halloween things this year, especially my traditional viewing of HOCUS POCUS!! How did things go with trick or treaters and your pumpkin carving!?

mvorpal said...

Sorry you didn't get the feel of the season over there. Yes, it was the dad talking to the neighbor, who apparently is on tap each year to play the "fake stuffed" scarecrow who sits on the front porch and comes to life after the kids get their candy. The neighbor didn't feel much like doing it after his wife left him. As you know, we don't get kids here and it truly sucks. Next blog I'll post the pix of the pumpkins!