We finally made it into the month of October! The month so many of us, horror lovers, have decided to entirely dedicate to the celebration of Halloween!
Though, wait, tech nerds and geeks have claimed it also - October is also Techtober. Do I mind? Does it bother me? Am I territorial about it? Not at all. Techtober and our unhinged appreciation for all things dark can easily coexist. They don’t cancel each other out. You can even wrap the latest phone in spider web and talk about its features while dressed in black and red if you so wish. Furthermore, let’s not overlook the fact that, often, tech nerds and geeks are also into horror. And essentially, we’re all raving about otherwise obscure things that intrigue and fascinate us.
As people that know me would know (and may be sick of hearing me complain), my beef is instead with Christmas, the holiday that has been eating up November and has the audacity to also intrude into October. With people loudly playing Jingle Bells while you’re trying to shop for Halloween candy and setting up North Pole or Jesus’ Birth decorations where creepy or at least autumny stuff would go better. Heck, leave void of holiday and seasonal adornments if you don’t care for or are against Halloween. Because trying to push it out or override it with Christmas is just whole other levels of messed up.
Actually, I’m tempted to get a human-sized plastic skeleton and put a Santa hat on it this December. Have him by the door. Hang bats and put worms on my tree, too. Which would be lifeless and dry rather than a green pine. Blast This Is Halloween during Christmas dinner. See if they like it.
But enough about that; Christmas is not a complete threat to our enjoyment of Halloween now that so many online spaces exist that are fully or strongly dedicated to horror (*ahem*), where you can immerse in the genre without interruptions. Regardless, I might continue to send the message each year that it’s uncool to ruin the Halloween spirit like that.
 |
| The 100 Candles Game (2020) |
What makes the spirit of Halloween?
If you’re wondering, it’s not only Michael Myers and his killing sprees. There are different elements that can come together to fuel and sustain the celebration of Halloween.
• The Force of Autumn
Grey, cloudy skies. Chilly winds causing shivers as well as swirling and sweeping off dried and crunchy leaves. A significant drop in temperature that forces you into putting on a coat. Impactful thunderstorms that some of us consider a blessing.
• Pumpkin Harvest
Pumpkins and everything you can do with them. Pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice latte. Pumpkin carving and jack-o’-lanterns.
• Eerie Mood and Atmosphere
Decorated surroundings. Whether decorations are natural or artificial, homemade or store-bought, pale or vibrant. With black, orange, and purple as typical colors. Radioactive green and blood red join the color palette, too.
• Spooky Storytelling
Looking into and discussing about mysterious and scary concepts or events. Lighting candles or holding a flashlight to your face while you sit in the dark and attempt to get under others’ skin.
• Dressing Up as Monsters and Other Creatures
A chance to be someone or something else and experience a fraction of what that might be like. Or maybe reveal and release sides of yourself that were hidden or even blocked.
• Giving out and Collecting Candy
Sharing is caring and one of the most harmless, yet still generally “forbidden” (mostly for valid reasons), thing that you can do is indulge in great assortments of candy. But be careful! You may get a stomach ache if you take it too far and rot your teeth if you don’t brush them thoroughly afterwards.
And so much more that can occur during October that feeds Halloween...
What is your favorite part about celebrating Halloween?