When people are asked what their favorite holiday is, most people either say Christmas or their birthday. That's not an assumption. It's just stone cold fact. Science even! Don't get me wrong, I love a good snuggle by the fire with the smell of fresh Christmas tree pine in the air and "Elf" on a constant loop on the TV, but my favorite holiday, hands-down, is Halloween. There are so many reasons to love Halloween! Maybe my affinity for scary movies and skulls has something to do with my excitement this time of year, but I think it has more to do with the fact that Halloween is perfect in every way possible. Here are some of the things I adore about the spooky season:
1. As previously mentioned.. the movies!
Odds are, you can't look me in the eye and honestly say that you don't enjoy It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. I get it; scary movies aren't for everyone. That's fine, but hear me out. There are so many other classics i.e the cinematic masterpiece that is "Halloweentown." (Nevermind the fact that the following "Halloweentown" movies were massive let downs. Let's just pretend they didn't happen.) "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a seasonally ambiguous film; it can be enjoyed during Halloween time or during the Christmas season — there are so many options! And don't even get me started on "Rocky Horror Picture Show." I'll be Time Warp-ing all month.
2. The costumes
Figuring out what to be for Halloween is one of the biggest and hardest decisions I have to make during the year. What you choose to be for Halloween is important; it says something about you! Be creative and don't worry about what other people will think! If you want to go as a cat, do it! If you want to go as a minion, do it! But if you want to go as Iron Man with your whole costume made of carefully crafted and placed balloons, then you win Halloween, my friend. The more effort, the better! You can never go wrong with a punny Halloween costume — everyone loves a good pun. When in doubt, go as Britney Spears. Any Britney Spears. There are so many options. People love a good 90's throwback almost as much as they love a good pun.
3. Candy
I mean, this is pretty self-explanatory. Candy is love, candy is life. I have a huge sweet tooth, so any holiday that celebrates the consumption of absurd amounts of candy is great in my book. Even though I'm too old to trick or treat anymore, you better believe I still have a bowl of candy at the ready. The after-Halloween candy sales are the best too. It's really just the holiday that keeps on giving.
4. The decorations
I'm a big decorator! No matter what holiday it is, I go all in when it comes to creating the right atmosphere. I have an obsession with skulls, so when I see skull items on sale at pretty much every grocery store in America, I get excited. One of the best things to do during this holiday season is to go pick yourself out the perfect pumpkin to carve! Pumpkin carving is something that I take very seriously. I'm not saying that my carved pumpkins are the most amazing, but that's exactly what I'm saying. I don't go with just the classic Jack-O-Lantern look (not that there's anything wrong with that); I spend time on my pumpkin. Pumpkin carving is not just a hobby, it's a lifestyle.
5. The TV show specials
Pretty much every TV show has Christmas and Halloween specials, and they're always amazing. TV channels love a good Halloween special. Some of the best and most notable are the Parks and Recreation, Bobs Burger's, and The Office Halloween specials. There's something about seeing what fictional characters would dress up for as Halloween that is just absolutely amazing.
There is so much to celebrate during the year and so many opportunities to be festive and fun. I celebrate every holiday to the best of my ability with equal enthusiasm, but there is one day of the year that will always hold a special place in my heart because of all the amazing that it brings. Halloween is such a great time to get in touch with our spooky sides and be something that we've always wanted to be! Happy Halloween, everyone, enjoy all the creepy, creative goodness!
