Halloween Sucked, Until I Had Kids

1926460812_47e29d82c5__1382024292_142.196.156.251I’ve never been a fan of Halloween.

Correction; my adult self has never been a fan of Halloween. Of course I loved it when I was a kid. I even loved it through early adulthood, it was hard not to – I lived in San Francisco and the Castro Halloween parade is out-of-this-world. But as I aged, I really, really began to hate it. Why? Because I was forced to dress up while serving people.

I was a bartender for the majority of my adult life. This is a job that I generally loved – except on a few days; St. Patrick’s Day, New Year’s Eve, and Halloween. Green puke is inevitable on St. Patrick’s Day, people go batshit crazy on New Year’s Eve, and there is nothing fun about bartending in costume on Halloween.

It could be the most enjoyable thing in the world, but if you tell me I have to do it – I hate it. No wonder my children are so stubborn – it’s genetics. I enjoyed Halloween before being festive about it became a job requirement. My Halloween costumes devolved from fun ideas like a Freudian Slip or Mrs. Roper, to year after year of half-assed devil’s horns and a low-cut dress. Boo.

But now that my toddler is becoming old enough to notice what’s going on – I’ve seen a change in myself. I’m actually looking at Halloween decorations. I had his costume a month early. We’ve already carved three pumpkins. I even have tombstones and fake spider webs in my front yard.

I’m not saying everyone needs to have kids to appreciate Halloween; I’m just saying I did. It’s one of the many gifts my children have given me; they’ve made me look forward to holidays more. I didn’t have the family that embraced all the holidays, put lights up for Christmas or have scary scenes on their lawn for Halloween – but I always wanted to.

Now I can.

(photo: CreativeCommons/ Susan Reed)

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