By Whitney Elfstrom
Halloween as a child is one of the most magical and spooky nights of the year. Halloween as an adult, however, is full of bad decisions, expensive costumes and too much money spent on alcohol.
When I was a kid I looked forward to Disney Channel movies, fall festivals and free candy. I mean, who didn’t love eating mini-sized candy bars while watching “Hocus Pocus” and “Halloweentown”?
But as an adult, the allure just isn’t there.
The days of relaxing at home after school with a bag of candy corn and a Disney Channel Original Movie on in the background just isn’t realistic anymore. For starters, most of us don’t watch cable anymore and now we realize that candy corn is, well, trash.
Halloween night is no longer about throwing on the costume your parents bought and knocking on strangers doors while singing “Trick-or-treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat.”
I mean, I’m sure you could, but it’s probably not the best idea.
Instead, as an adult, we’re expected to done an expensive sexy cop or nurse costume. Last year I even had a friend dress up as a sexy fly.
We spend hours getting ready to head out to the bar in costumes that will make it a few hours at best, while proceeding to spend way too much money on shots, often trading common sense for spooky mistakes.
Maybe my bad attitude stems from more than just being annoyed by hangovers and misplaced dollars. The root of my issue with Halloween is that it’s supposed to be the most magnificent fall holiday there is.
It should bring crisp breezes that blow the red and orange leaves around. It should bring strolls through pumpkin patches. It should bring sips of hot chocolate on cool fall nights by a bonfire, wrapped in a blanket.
Here in Florida, we don’t get to relish in the luxury of fall.
Instead, we’re met with 80 degree weather — with the exception of a few cool nights — and the only way we remember that it’s Halloween is when our favorite grocery stores start selling massive bags of candy and when Halloween Horror Nights commercials come on TV.
In my opinion, the best part of any holiday is the time spent with loved ones. That’s why my favorite thing about Halloween is that the next day is Nov. 1, meaning that in a matter of weeks I’ll be sitting around a table full of Thanksgiving fixins and my favorite family members.
After all, Thanksgiving is the superior fall holiday. Because instead of wasting a month’s paycheck on booze and boos, you’re welcomed by free food and wholesome family fun.
What could be better than that?
So if Halloween is your cup of poison punch go out and be spooky. I, on the other hand, am OK with staying in, putting out a bowl of candy and counting down the days to a holiday that actually has a little meaning.
Pictured Above: Despite not being a big Halloween fan, Whitney Elfstrom ate her own words and dressed up last year as “Sexy Little Red Riding Hood.” Whitney Elfstrom | The Crow’s Nest
