As Halloween 2020 draws closer, I have seen more and more controversy around the internet about how, and even if, it should be celebrated during this strange, difficult year.
Many popular events have been cancelled. Some towns and even full states are trying to outlaw trick-or-treating. And the response has, understandably, been mixed.
This is a very hard subject for me to have an unbiased opinion on. My entire life is dedicated to celebrating Halloween, and while it’s true that there is always the option of staying home and watching a movie, that doesn’t exactly count as a real celebration of my favorite holiday in my eyes. Activities that involve staying home, are the things I do throughout the year to tide myself over until the actual time comes. A Halloween night spent marathoning movies like Hocus Pocus and Trick ‘r Treat, while cozy and fun, would be extremely unfulfilling to me.
With that said, I do understand being hesitant to celebrate traditionally this year. How exactly can crowds be regulated at certain events, and social distancing maintained? How safe is it, really, to be going door to door accepting candy touched by strangers during a global pandemic? These are valid questions, and safety precautions should be firmly in place, no matter how one plans to celebrate.
I don’t expect everyone to agree on how to celebrate, or not, this year. And I fully admit that, due to my line of work, I’m almost desensitized to the fear of being in a crowd and coming into contact with strangers, as thousands of people flood into my place of employment every day with no real regulations in effect.
But this isn’t about me. I see such mixed reactions to the idea of “canceling” Halloween this year and I feel like I need to speak from the heart about what that truly means, not for me personally, but for anyone out there who may be struggling in deciding what to do for themselves, or their children.
A comment that really got to me was someone that said “The kids will survive one year without celebrating Halloween.” While I don’t think anyone is necessarily going to die from not having a traditional Halloween celebration, I can’t help but think about how it would’ve hurt me, deeply, as a child, to have a year without Halloween in any capacity. I have no way of knowing this for sure, but I think it would’ve had an effect on the person I turned out to be. Halloween is what shaped me; what always kept me sane. And while I understand that traditional trick-or-treating or parties may not be the way to go for some kids this year, I do hope that parents will be mindful, if Halloween is something that seems to light a spark in their child, and still try to find a way to make the day special even if they’re not comfortable with the regular traditions.
Even before COVID-19 became an issue, Halloween celebrations seemed to be diminishing. It’s long been a fear of mine, not so much for myself but for the children who may feel the same way I did when I was their age, that Halloween may eventually become “just another day”, and I don’t want to see this year, which has already taken so much away from us, finally kill that magic. I want to see those that love Halloween fight back, even if it’s not in the most traditional way. Find a way to make it special; don’t let your jack o’lantern blow out.
Even if trick-or-treating doesn’t happen, or is minimal, this year, I hope that everyone will still decorate. No matter what your situation is, be it personal or based on restrictions where you live, don’t let yourself be defeated. Surround yourself with the things that make you smile, and put a little smile out there for your friends and neighbors as well. You never know who’s day you might make with a spooky scene as they pass on their way to work or school or wherever else.
And as for your own celebration, if a spooky movie marathon fulfills you, by all means, go for it. But if you or your children desire something more, maybe come up with fun little games, or small parties with family members. Perhaps save the pumpkin carving til Halloween night itself. Participate in fun activities held by the Halloween community online. Just listen to what inspires you, and your kids. If you’re uncomfortable or unable to celebrate in the traditional ways, just don’t let it discourage you from still making it a special day. Holding on to the spirit of Halloween, no matter the circumstances, is a source of sanity for some of us, and has been a main comfort in getting us through this year.
I’ve only lived through one other “cancellation” of Halloween in my life, in 2012, after Hurricane Sandy. Though I was twenty-five at the time, it still was a devastating blow, and there was no real way to celebrate at all, since we had no power to even just bite the bullet and watch movies that night. I spent the night wandering around a grocery store, one of the few places that had electricity and hot food, looking at their Halloween items, feeling lost, and it did affect me for the remainder of that year. It was terrifying to me, even as an adult, to have that one thing that meant so much to me, that I thought could never be taken away no matter what else happened in my life, stolen from me.
And in a year that’s already brought us so much loss and fear, I think that those of us who spend our year looking forward to this special time, may need it more than ever.
Stay spooky, my friends.
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