Have a fun Halloween

Next week Halloween will be celebrated by both children and adults with decorations, parties and trick or treating. It can be helpful in some ways to writers and readers, both of whom need a good imagination. Writers need imagination to create new worlds and make what is happening in them believable, and readers to enter and believe those worlds.

It’s a great time for horror writers and suspense writers since you never know who or what might pop out on the other side of that bush?

There are plenty of scary corn mazes, hayrides and other spooky events. Cemeteries and old houses seem much more sinister during the cooler, dark nights near Halloween. Since it is part of Autumn, homes are decorated with pumpkins (and Jack-o’-lanterns), corn stalks and scarecrows.

 I have received decorative ideas and recipes from Pinterest. A friend posted the recipe and picture of a cauldron cheese ball on Facebook (it looks delicious) and there are oodles of suggestions for making snacks for children look festive. And of, course there is pumpkin everything.

Halloween is a fun time for children who don’t question why they can’t be a superhero, werewolf, ghost, ballerina or witch. They think only the right clothes and maybe makeup are needed.

My daughter loved Halloween and her costumes as a child included Raggedy Ann, a butterfly, and grave robber. My son was a cowboy, robot (with blinking lights) and Superman.

Some of our costumes were purchased, but most were homemade. Some difficulties were caused by their desire to be authentic.

A few costumes I think we used bent hangers to have my daughter’s hair look like Pippi Longstocking. She and a friend found their own threadbare clothes and made a lightweight coffin which they carried between them when they were grave robbers.

Superman was not a problem at first since my son had the pajamas and even a cape, but as he was ready to go out, he insisted that superman had to have dark hair. Resourceful Mom used black shoe polish smeared over his thick hair. It was dark and it wasn’t flyaway. However, it was hard to remove.

Some people think months ahead of time about their costume while others buy or make one that day. My daughter usually had her costume plans made by August. Her son went as a turtle for his first Halloween children’s party and was a wolf this year. She said she was making the decision these early years because he would probably choose to be a superhero when he is old enough to choose.

The festivities have been part of the recognition of the end of the harvest season. The basics of Halloween also are thought to date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. People would light bonfires and wear costumes that supposedly would ward off ghosts. Around the 8^th century, All Hallows' Day was officially switched to 1 November, the same date as the Celtic Samhain, at the request of Pope Gregory IV. All Hallows’ Day was a special day to honor all saints.

The evening before later became known as All Hallow’s Eve. Later it was called Halloween.

Let your imaginations soar as you are surrounded by fairies, unicorns, superheroes and creatures of the night.

Don’t forget to leave your lights on for the trick or treaters, or make sure they are off if you don’t want to be bothered or won’t be home.

Have a Happy Halloween.