Boo-humbug…

I’ve always been a bit of a Halloween hero for my kids.

Usually, in early October, the crates of decorations come up from the basement. The mantle is decorated, the tables look like they’re ready for a ghoulish feast, the windows are filled with Halloween “daycare art”…lovingly saved through all these years.

I started the Phantom in the neighbourhood over fifteen years ago…filling baskets and knocking on doors then leaving the poem telling how to “Phantom” so others can join in the fun.

This year…I just didn’t feel it.

I did nothing.

There are no pumpkins, no phantoms, no decorations…no Halloween candy. Tonight, the kids will head to their father’s for the evening and I’ll be turning off the lights and heading out with friends.

And I’m not really sure why.

I guess we can rip this one apart and try to figure it out but bottom line is I’m tired. I’m busy. I’ve a million things on the go and the thoughts of hauling out those crates of decorations on an occasion I usually love is just one more daunting thing on the “to do list” that I couldn’t get my head wrapped around.

Maybe if the kids were home this evening I’d put in the effort…but honestly, I think I’d still find it to be a bit of a chore.

It’s not that I hate October 31st. In fact, last evening, Bones and I headed to the Halloween store to get some fake blood and a couple of scars. We perused the aisles and got a kick out of the costumes then this morning…she got up early to put on the most fantastic Zombie makeup you can imagine! In some ways, I feel like she’s picking up where I left off and maybe I should have encouraged her a few weeks ago to haul everything out of the basement and set it all up.

I enjoy Halloween. Bones will be cleaning off her Zombie face tonight to go out as Jelly Bellies and The Tall Blonde will be trading in last night’s “French Kiss” outfit to go as the “Paper Bag Princess.” I find the creativity of this holiday incredibly exciting and I love that my kids embrace it. But this year…I’m just kind of spent.

Maybe there’s just scarier things going on at the moment and I can’t quite concentrate. Maybe my kids are older so it doesn’t quite mean the same. Maybe I’m the grinch who stole all the pumpkins or maybe I feel like the zombie that Bones dressed up as this morning.

Whatever the reason, tonight, I’m turning off the lights and going out to dinner with a couple of single friends where hopefully…I can recharge my otherwise burnt out glow stick!

And hopefully, this will all pass, before the next big occasion arrives!