the adult Halloween takeover

halloween windy

 

“Halloween is kind of pure fun.”

“It’s like Christmas without all the work.”

=

Elizabeth Kraus, author of 365 Days of Marketing

 

Happy Halloween.

 

 

Well.

 

In today’s world where to seems like we fear everything so much that the microscopic event becomes the massive … the harbinger of eventual Armageddon … today my biggest fear is whether the guy in the office beside me is going to wear a cat suit costume or appear as Helga Viking woman in the halloween selfiedoorway asking for treats <worse … offering tricks>.

 

Let me admit.

 

I have a love hate relationship with Halloween.

 

I love there is no obligation to visit or cook for relatives.

 

I love the sense of community.

 

I love the kids’ laughter.

 

I love the lengths kids go to in ‘costuming’ which is really only a necessary façade for the real objective … candy, chocolate and anything they can stuff in their face.

 

I love how people feel this is the one day they cannot really offend anyone.

 

I love how it is an odd opportunity to give gifts … in snack size.

 

And I love that it is optional. You can join in or stand on the sidelines and watch.

 

 

Here is what I hate.

 

In typical American fashion … adults have taken over Halloween in some absurd, often bizarre, sometimes creepy … but unequivocally over-the-top race to outdo each other in self-expression.halloween peanuts 1

halloween peanuts 2

Halloween has become more than a Peanuts tv show <which is still incredibly charming … despite the fact gobs of adults try to diminish it with ‘its overt Christian messaging underpinnings’ attacks – to which I say “WTF” … it is the great pumpkin and Linus and the whole peanuts gang … its fun with a great message>.

 

Halloween has become an adult event.

And what that means is we overthink, we over stress, we overdress, we over analyze and we over do everything just as adults always do.

 

 

Because of this there is an undeniable low level societal pressure to participate.

I believe sociologically this is called ‘normative social influence.’

Normative social influence is the process whereby we change how we behave or even think by the group that we identify with.

 

 

Why do I say this?

 

The NRF reports that Americans will spend $1.4 billion on adult costumes this year vs. $1 billion for kids.

 

Uhm.

<sigh>

 

This suggests that the good old days when you could cut a hole in a sheet for you face and hang it over your body and you could be a ghost as a costume is halloween candy corngone.

And just grab a paper bag for all the good stuff you were going to get from everyone?

 

What ??!!??

Are you crazy??!!!??

 

You need a special container for all that stuff!!!

 

 

Look.

 

Before anyone starts slinging the ‘capitalism has taken the fun out of Life’ crap … or ‘commercializing of culture’ … just stop.

It has nothing to do with that.

 

This is purely a cultural thing.

A societal thing.

An adult ‘head up our ass’ thing.

 

I could suggest that this type of cultural thing happens more often nowadays because in a world where it seems incredibly stressful to be an adult we seek to find small windows where we can be a kid … even if for but one night.

 

And that may be so.

 

I tend to believe it is simply adults being adults … making the beautifully simple too complex and complicated. And as soon as we do that it becomes almost competition of complexity. The competition isn’t the joy of the day or event but rather the joy becomes associated with the competition itself.

 

Sad.

That’s all I feel when I reread the words I just wrote.

 

Silly silly adults.

 

Let us just enjoy the simplicity of that which is Halloween.

 

Ok.

 

In any case … where I live … the weather gods stepped up to the plate and gave us some colder crisper weather  and it seems right for a Halloween trick-or-teat night.

 

And I will admit … I look forward to the kids walking around the neighborhood.

 

Speaking of social cultural behavioral stuff … anticipation matters.

 

Psychologically anticipation contributes significantly to happiness.

border collie halloween mustache

If we older folk could shelve all the stress we have on ‘what will we wear?’ … ‘should we wear something?’ … ‘do I have to go to that party?’… bla … bla … blaaaaa .. and focus on the good stuff … the anticipation that all the kids have for Halloween … well … we will be happy.

 

 

Regardless.halloween cat shiver

 

 

The best anticipation?

 

You can dress up any way you want … you can look awesome, silly, stupid, amazing, simple, extravagant, whatever … and your reward?

Candy & chocolate.

 

How awesome is that?

I don’t care how old you are.

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Written by Bruce