The Worst Holiday EVER!

OK, feel free to shoot me but I truly HATE HALLOWEEN!

There, I said it! I have gotten kudos for my blogging honest so here it is again. I ABHOR Halloween!

Now, this has nothing to do with devil worship, with being horror, or anything like that. It also has nothing to do with wanting all the earth to focus on All Saints Day or Reformation. This has no religious overtones what-so-ever.

Why do I hate Halloween? let's think about it...

We are a nation in financial straights right now. Unemployment is higher than it's been in decades. People are losing their homes left and right.

Pediatric obesity is one of the greatest health crises facing this young generation. Experts are projecting that in the next 20 years 1 in every 3 people will be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Some of the causes will be genetic and some will be dietary...obesity.

What does this have to do with Halloween? Between the candy, the costumes, and the decorations some families spend enough money to make several car payments...or buy school supplies for a family that cannot afford it. Do we really need to supply our kids with more junk? Don't they have enough candy options from the vending machines and what we do keep at home as "treats?" If it's a night of fun you or your kids need, throw a party...one for kids, one for adults. Give everyone the opportunity to eat some junk, blow off some steam, act ridiculous, etc. within some rational limits.

I live in an area that thrives on Halloween. The goal is to out-decorate each other. Honestly, it's disgusting. On Halloween, my neighbor plays "ghostly noises" ALL DAY! I leave in the morning to screeching cats, disembodied screams, etc. and come home to the same.

I am pleased to see one awesome thing this Halloween. One of my students asked if he and the Spiritual Life group could borrow our grocery carts (used for hauling theatre supplies across campus) for trick-or-treating. I looked askance at him and he explained. The group is going house to house during trick-or-treat hours with the carts to collect canned goods for the local food pantry. Now THERE is a Halloween activity I can get behind. All that candy going into our already fat children's stomachs? Why not spend the $$ to feed people decent food who have none?

Come ON people, can we do away with this not-spooky, waste of money holiday and deal with what's important...the health of our kids and the fact that most people simply cannot afford to hand out all that good candy! Spend your money more wisely, buy a couple of boxes of instant potatoes and some canned veggies...you'd be amazed how much better you will feel when you hand that out instead of those one bite Milky Way's that don't satisfy!

Oh, and I am dressing up as me this October 31st. Figure that's scary enough. :)