What is it that makes Halloween such a extra time? Is it the candy corn, old nightmare movies on television, or the latex masks hanging from store shelves? No, I put forth the idea that it is the nostalgic factor that makes Halloween special.
As I sit here and watch a Friday the 13th installment and look at Halloween props on the Internet, I think about Halloween and, in turn, youth. I remember being a child and getting excited each fall when my parents would take me to a local group store to pick out my Halloween costume. When I was very young, the costumes came in quadrilateral boxes with plastic masks you could view through a thin layer of some see-through material that escapes me. Later, latex masks became the big thing (and to an extent, still are).
Animated Halloween Props
I remember going to all my grandparents' homes trick-or-treating for candy and also to homes in my neighborhood. Halloween was a magical time. It was a time when looking vampires and werewolves on the sidewalk was perfectly natural. It was a time when leaves were changing, the Great Pumpkin was on television, and kids could play "monster" and be kids. It was the best of times. It still is the best of times!
The great thing is that even as adults, we can still tap into that sense of nostalgia. Each fall, we can play "monster" and watch nightmare movies. We can decorate our homes and yards. We can remember what it was like to be young and not feel guilty about having fun. So, go out this October and allow yourself to feel young again. It's Halloween.
Halloween - Nostalgia is Key Part of Haunting Season