Halloween Should Be For Kids
When I tell you I don’t like Halloween you probably just feel like I’m a grumpy old guy who wants to deny those who love the day a good time. However in recent years it’s sort of been a tradition that I let it be known that Halloween is one of my least-favorite holidays. In truth I don’t think of it as a holiday but a disruption even though many now view it as October’s version of Christmas. The problem is I don’t dislike what it should be but rather what it is to many adults…an excuse to turn back the clock and act like a kid.
When I was a child I loved Halloween because it was OUR day and time. We dressed up, we trick-or-treated, and we ate the candy…which by the way was so much better in those days. You always got the big candy bars and of course at that time things like candy apples…man it was great. I’m sure a few of you remember when you used to get those little individual bags with all kinds of treats. That was during innocent times when you actually ate loose candy and didn’t worry about someone doing something bad to it.
Anyway back to my point. Halloween was truly a day for kids but it seems to me more and more adults want to take it over. They feel the need to dress up and parade themselves around, sometimes even stealing the spotlight from their own children. I’ll admit some can pull it off but others, well it’s not a pretty sight.
We adults have plenty of days to call our own….Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Grandparents Day, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, even Super Bowl Sunday. Do we really need to hijack Halloween and try to butt in on the kid’s fun?
In full disclosure I will dress up this year…as a grumpy old man. I don’t need a costume.
Spirit Halloween is back! Here's every NJ location for 2023
Gallery Credit: Mike Brant