As a Highly Sensitive Person, this is my usual reaction when the doorbell rings. Imagine when I see people in masks if I open the door. I order smelling salts in bulk from Amazon.com.
I’m not a Halloween kind of gal. Okay, I’ll confess, I try my best to avoid all holidays, except maybe Arbor Day because trees seem like a good thing to embrace. I mean, really embrace. Hug a tree and it will change your life, or at least your reputation.
Nice idea, Sir. But you really should have picked a tree more your age. This looks a bit desperate and, let’s face it, kinky.
Back to Halloween. Have you noticed how some people (even without young children) are really into it? Being a sociologist and generally curious person with too much time on my hands, I notice these things and think way too much about them. So I started wondering what the fuss was all about. Here were some of my answers:
- Free candy. Kids don’t know how much the stuff costs, they just like to see it pile up. Adults know how much it costs and think that their kids won’t notice when they pilfer a Snickers bar or Milk Duds mini box every few hours until all that’s left are the Tootsie Rolls and round caramel thingies with white stuff in the middle.
- Pretending you’re something/someone you’re not. Kids like to play dress up as a rehearsal for when they become adults and will shape-shift depending on the situation and whose in the room. I don’t know why adults want to wear costumes. It only highlights the fact they are a one psychiatrist away from a multiple personality disorder.
By day, I am a sleepy, loyal guardian of my family. But by night, …
- Getting swept up in the mass marketing commercialization of the Capitalist Greed Machine that hypnotizes anyone exposed to media with the belief that if you don’t spend a week’s salary on the Holiday of the Month, you are a very, very bad person. I think I might be on to something here.
If this house is trying to keep up with the Joneses, I don’t want to see either the Joneses house or their electric bill.
- Fond memories of getting sick on candy, having wardrobe malfunctions, and maybe even the excitement of sirens and high-speed chases through neighbors’ lawns. You would never deprive yourself or your children of similar rewarding and educational experiences. I think I might be on to something here, too.
Whatever your reason for being part of the Halloween Hoopla, have at it. Just know that me and a few other Highly Sensitive People (HSPs) like to avoid all the brouhaha, boo-ha-ha, bloody masks, and ringing door bells on an otherwise quite October evening. I’ll leave my lights off. There won’t be any sinister robotic witches, ghouls, or pumpkins enticing you to my door. take that as a sign to “Keep Out!”
Yeah. No. This won’t be my house. If I lived in a neighbor with a house like this, I would move.
And please, please, please, don’t egg me or my property because I don’t want to play along.
Aww. Come on. I’m vegan. At least if you throw toilet paper, I could use it.
