Happy Black & Orange Day? Way to RUIN Childhood!

HAPPY HALLOWE'EN! This year, Edmonton's Youth will be spoiled by Mother Nature. Currently, there is no snow on the ground (knock on wood it stays that way for as long as possible!) and the temperatures are on the plus side of the Celsius thermometer rather than the negative. So, this year, the kiddies will have a more pleasant time while out on their sugar raid! YAY!

There were a couple things I saw and heard over the past week about Hallow'een that really agitated me. No, not about razor blades in Apples or anything nutty like that. (Though I will be disturbed if I hear about kids getting poisoned or razored up candy! Don't get me wrong!) Over the weekend I did see a post of Facebook that my cousin shared about inappropriate costumes parents dress their children in. For example, a little girl that wasn't old enough to walk dressed in a baby bikini with a gold pole in front of her. Yep, they dressed her as a future pole dancer... I'm very liberal when it comes to most things, but it just screamed trashy to me. Another was a kid dressed as a mini-Hitler... Another as a Hooters girl... Another as a Pot Leaf... Another yet as a Middle Eastern "Terrorist". An adult was dressed as Superman but was in a wheel chair... There's a fine line between clever and being down right offensive.

On the other side of the coin, late last week, I heard something that really bothered me though... A few schools here in Edmonton are not allowing kids to dress in "scary" costumes. Why? Not everyone "celebrates" Hallowe'en and the School Administrators don't want anyone to be offended. In my mind, one of the main staples of being a child is Hallowe'en and wearing a "scary" costume to school, or at least being allowed to be something Hallowe'en inspired.... Way to rob a kid of their child hood! Why not just cancel Hallowe'en all together then? Seriously... I've gone many a time as kid to school dressed as a vampire, black cat, witch.... But if I wanted to be a zombie, goblin, mummy, ghost etc I had the option. The kids aren't even allowed to say Happy Hallowe'en! They are expected to say "Happy Black and Orange Day"! This leaves me with one last question, what is deemed as "appropriate" for a kid to wear costume? A princess? A cowboy? A hippie, or would this offend people, too?

 
I've just got one thought on the whole sugary holiday.... Let kids be kids... If they want to dress as a zombie this year, let them... If it's not offensive, let it goooooo! Kids grow up way to fast in this day and age, don't ruin yet another fun time for them. I'm all over not being offensive, but the political correctness is getting out of hand... First it wasn't "politically correct" to say "Merry Christmas" anymore, it's now "Happy Holidays". Now it's not "politically correct" to say "Happy Hallowe'en"? Give me a BREAK!

I'm 30 years old, I'm sitting here at work writing this on my lunch hour... I'm dressed completely in black and have a fake pair of cat ears on top of my head... People older than I am came in dressed in Hallowe'en garb. I saw a devil co-worker, a grim reaper, a jail bird, a witch, a bloodied doctor and a plain old moo cow... The Jailbird happened to be the General Manager for "Satan's Sake"! No one was offended by any of the costumes, and those that don't "celebrate" Hallowe'en weren't forced to show up in costume and participate... Live and let live people!

It's not always about me... I tell you what,though, this switch offends the hell out of me! And I don't even have kids!!!!!!

Beetle Juice, BEETLE Juice, BEETLE JUICE! - Happy All Hallows Eve!!!!!!

The autumn air has a bit of a wintery bite to it theses days, it must be time for Halloween! We've already been threatened with the likes of snow and temperatures have dipped into the low negatives just in time to send the kids for possibly the last trip outside. (Before it becomes unpleasant...... And you have to dress the kids in their snowsuits to escape the cold.... And we all remember how much bulky, uncomfortable fun that was.) Despite the cold, Halloween kicks off the season of fun... It gives us reason to decorate the walls and yards that most of us be seeing a little more of in the coming shortening days. It gives us reason to mingle and socialize. (Not to mention, it gives adults a reason to go out in public in costume to "grow down" a bit and cut loose. Well, the adults that are brave enough to do so.)

I remember a few Halloweens growing up... I remember a few costumes, trick-or-treating neighborhoods and trick-or-treating mates. For the most part, I wasn't a creative kid... I remember being a witch, black cat, construction worker and gypsy, and all more than once. They might have been the same generic costume idea, but they were added to and twisted around so it wasn't the exact same every year. One thing that did seem consistant on Halloween nights... Supper before Trick-or-Treating could commence. Every year we'd have Lipton Chicken Noodle soup and Hot Dogs. It seems as though this was a tradition passed down by my Mummy. She and her siblings had the same thing on Halloween Nights.

I've trick-or-treated in a few different neighbourhoods. I used to live out in a subdivision out in "the country" that had a big long hill to the top. Of course, I lived at the bottom of that long hill, so we got our workout while trick-or-treating there. I'd obviously go with my younger brother, occasionally we'd join up with the neighbours' kid - who was my age. Grade 5, one of the last years I went out, I brought along my best friend. She was happy to tag along in spite of that hill. The year before she went with her neighbours and their Mum wouldn't go with them, but also wouldn't let them go any farther than the end of the block. (BOOO and not the ghostly kind!)

To give us a break from that torturous climb, we went with our cousins at least one year. (They were cousins through my Mum's sister, so we had some chicken dogs that night.) That was a LOT better. We had 4 cousins to wreak supervised havoc with and they were in a more suburban setting, which meant more loot! Like most parents of the day, our parents wouldn't allow us to eat the candy until they had "inspected" the stuff first... You know the Urban Legend, Halloween candy with razor blades in them or some how poisoned... Some how we all survived Halloween to make it to adulthood. =0)

My favourite houses to Trick-or-treat at were the ones that were decorated to the nine's. We still got the same mini-chocolate bars, or whatever other sugary goodness they had bought, but I did appreciate the effort they put out... I'm ashamed to say that my Hallows Eve decoration collection is pretty sparse, but I've got a few things out. I've had about six trick-or-treaters since I stopped candy whoring myself out on Halloween and subsequently moved away from home. (And I believe those kids were friends' kids, they weren't random kids out trick or treating.) I'm not sure why I've gotten so few but hey... I don't mind snarfing down the candy I had bought for the kids... I just make sure I only get a little and that I get those molasses candies... Mmmmm, My fave! =0)

Since out growing the acceptable trick-or-treating age, I've gone to a couple Halloween house and/or bar parties... But it just isn't the same for me. I've been known to watch "scary" movies on Halloween too. It just isn't the same. The movies aren't overly scary, cult classic or not... I just got sucked into watching Hocus Pocus last weekend. I hadn't seen it since it was considered a New Release. (It's the one with Bette Middler and Sarah Jessica Parker... And if there are any NCIS fans out there, McGee is in it too.... Didn't realize that until I watched it again.) It was a ridiculous movie but has the Halloween theme down. Call me immature, but I still catch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown if I'm around and it's on. Then, of course, you've got the rest of the Halloween "Classics" in Friday the 13th, Jason, Halloween (And all it's sequels and prequels), any Stephen King novel made movie (Carrie, The Shining, It, Pet Cemetery), The Exorcist, Beetle Juice and the Chucky Series. The list could go on..... Though they may not be "horror" really, I'd thought I'd mention Ghostbusters and Beetle Juice as well.

(The only movie that has ever seriously scared me, was Seven - the Brad Pitt/Morgan Freeman flick... I had to turn every light on in the house, then quickly go back and turn them off... Just to get from the living room to my bedroom.) There's also a load of TV shows dedicated to the idea of Halloween, though not directly. For example, there is Paranormal State, Psychic Kids, Ghost Whisperer, Ghost Hunters, Medium, Most Haunted, A Haunting , Ghost Stories and Unsolved Mysteries - has ghost/supernatural segments. (I've watched all and enjoy most.)

I miss the good old days... You remember the ones... Where the biggest concern in the world was what you wanted to be for Halloween and putting the costume together... Then hoping it wouldn't be too cold, not for our own sake by any means... So we could go in the first place and so we didn't have to wear the costumes under a big bulky coat, or worse - be uncomfortable because the costume was just big enough to be worn over the bulkiness. Carving pumpkins, there's another thing I miss. I could carve a pumpkin, but it's just no fun when it's just for my enjoyment. (If I got more dang kids looking for a sugar high, I'd definitely carve a pumpkin or two!) I hope the kids enjoy it while they can still get away with begging for candy from strangers!

It's not always about me; I hope y'all have a safe, fun and non-razor bladed Halloween!

I'm Dreaming of a White Hallowe'en: Who Invited Snow to Town?

I woke up to disappointment yesterday morning. There was a skiff of snow on cars and the garbage can cover... Just enough to let it's presence known, and make me cry a little. It seems as though Mother Nature is playing an opposite hand than what we saw over the past couple of weeks. (You know, when she spoiled us with almost summer like temperatures.) The skiff was gone by noon, but the damage has been done... It continued "misting" through out the day...

From here on out, it will only get easier for the undecided Mother Nature to screw with us by using the snow card. Proof would be the snow again this morning... There was a little more snow, just enough to force people to wipe their cars off before the endeavor to work. The temperature is supposed to remain consistent through out the day... And that temperature isn't very high, around -1 Celsius to about +1 Celsius... Just low enough that the white stuff keeps falling from the sky little by little... And it looks like it could go either way - stick around or melt by mid week, when meteorologists call for +5 weather.... Happy Monday!

I live in Alberta, snow could feasibly come at any point during the year... Every year though, I hope against hope that the snow will wait until after Halloween to make it's appearance....(The year before I moved here, there was snow in July... The year I actually moved here, there was new snow a week before I got here... At the end of May... Both didn't last long, but the point of the matter is, it fricken snowed in July!!!!!) My first Albertan winter left a lot to be desired... I had long johns/underwear on, three pairs of socks and -25 rated boots on, a winter jacket, sweatshirt and t-shirt on and was still chilled to the bone... I remember getting home from work and calling my Mum on her birthday - the day before Halloween - and had to call her back... My feet were purple they were so cold and required a hot shower to get them back the correct colour... I guess I was spoiled by BC winters...

For all those who bitch about the other guy while driving through the first snows of the season.... On the behalf of the rest of us, keep your big, fat mouths shut. It is the season of slippery driving and accidents, we all know this... Give yourself a few extra minutes in the morning to drive... Even though snow is a part of our lives for roughly 6 months out of every year in Edmonton, some of us do forget how to drive in it... Every time I hear someone crab about that fact - I'd like to smack the person in the mouth... Wanting to smack that person is pretty ignorant, you might say... And so is the reason I want to smack that person in the first place... No one's perfect, so keep that in mind prior to your bitch fest on crappy winter drivers. They had as much notice as you did.... And I'm glad that your perfect enough to get to work on time, without any incident... Some of us aren't that lucky. (I'm a transit rider, how much fun do you think I'm having out in varying negative temperatures, waiting for a bus that's late due to snow and accidents! Just be glad you're in a warm vehicle out of the elements. I'd gladly switch you spots... I doubt you'd like that trade much.)

Some people genuinely enjoy the snow, unfortunately I'm not one of them. I have accepted the fact that snow, for the most part, is a part of a Canadian winter, and I do enjoy being Canadian in spite of the snow factor. (Though fresh snow on bare trees etc is quite pretty.) I will say one thing for snow - It makes Christmas. I've witnessed a few "green" Christmases - they're more like Brown Christmases - and they sucked... I have partaken in tobogganing, skiing (both down hill and cross country), ski-dooing, and the making of snowmen and snow angels. I've seen winter carnivals and festivals with amazing ice sculptures and snow structures. If I had my way though, snow would come a week before Christmas and leave by January 2nd... I've yet to get my way though.

It's not always about me; to clear up any misconceptions... No, I don't take a dog sled to and from work... No, I don't cross country ski to work either. (I live in Edmonton, there aren't many hills or mountains to ski down here either.) No, I don't have a pet seal or polar bear to feed.... No, I don't live in an igloo...