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Put the ice queens, princesses, witches, monsters, pirates, Doctors, and whatever other costume the kids wore away.  Halloween is almost ove...

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Halloween Trunk-or-Treat

This summer there was a huge debate that started and continued into the school year and made it onto the news: should the date of Halloween be changed? 

Why would anyone even suggest changing the date of a holiday that children can look at and not ask what day it falls on?  I remember when I was a child in one place I lived, there were two nights for trick-or-treating and being scared (my fave part!)  When we moved to a different state it became only one night, which was disappointing, but not because of the smaller amount of candy!  After all, I have four siblings!  The debate, however, was to try to convince the government to change Halloween from the 31st of October to the last Saturday in October.  While I can sort of understand why parents would want to have Halloween be on the weekend, meaning Friday or Saturday, there is a fairly new event that is Halloween-oriented and typically scheduled for either Friday or Saturday - Trunk-or-Treat.

Trunk-or-Treat is an event that allows children to go to a place where groups, businesses, and other people set up vehicles for trick-or-treating.  The first time I heard about one was about five or six years ago when a local church hosted one.  The next year, there were two - one at the church and one put on by the local high school.  Since then, it has become a yearly event that has actually grown in size from one block to apparently three this year.  It's a bit safer as well than going to different areas to trick-or-treat, but my husband and I plan to be ready for possible costumed candy-hunters.  Of course, the candy will be something we like, but I love Halloween for the scares, not sweets, though those are pretty good. 

Trunk-or-Treat has made there be fewer trick-or-treaters going door to door in those towns that have them and I've heard fewer reports of Halloween hijinx in the towns that have them.  While some still celebrate in the traditional way of door-to-door trick-or-treating, it feels like Trunk-or-Treats and decorating the home without expectation of Halloween visitors.  It allows for Halloween to remain on its traditional date, but still have parties surrounding the day.  For those who've already celebrated, hope your Halloween was safe and scary, for those who've yet to celebrate - have a happy Halloween.

At work I've been seeing signs that say "It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween" and I couldn't help creating the following parody:

It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween
Everywhere you go;
Take a look in the five and ten autumn once again
With candy corn and pumpkins aglow.
It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween
Skeletons in every yard
But the scariest sight to see is the children that will be
At your own front door.A pair of hopalong boots and a pistol that shoots
To help disguise Barney and Ben;
Dolls that will talk and will go for a walk
Is the quest of Janice and Jen;
And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for the night to end.
It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween
Everywhere you go;
There's a ghost in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well,
The pale kind that doesn't mind the boo.
It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween;
Soon the screams will start,
And the thing that will make them true is the scare that you do
No matter your costume!

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Apolo-Update

I know, I'm horrible!  I truly did mean to keep on top of these only to fall seriously behind and NaNoWriMo begins in less than a month!  I ended up getting too busy in real life (RL) and forgot to make certain to have my posts typed up and prepared/scheduled to publish on Sundays.  But I am going to get back to it.  This month is October.  I know, it's rather obvious and I missed the first week's posting, but, hopefully, this makes up for that.  

First off, this is the month of frights and scares.  My favorite holiday exists on the final day of the month, and not because of the candy!  Halloween has a lot of great memories but also has become almost disappointing.  When I do my Halloween post this year, I'm going to write about two things that I've seen a rather large number of posts arguing either for or against - changing the Halloween date and Trunk-or-Treat's.  This will hopefully be posted on the 27th.  My hope for next week is to finally get that first episode of my rewatching of Charmed posted.  No matter what though, I'm still here and I'm still trying!

Next month I'll be focusing on NaNoWriMo.  When I glanced at my past posts and saw that my last one was for Camp in July, I realized that I never updated on what I was doing.  Well, I did a small amount of work, but I didn't keep track of it nor did I win, sadly.  It does not mean I've given up though.