Now that Christmas is over, it is time to reflect on the difference I see out on peoples lawns. Personally, I love Christmas. I love the season, the food, the gifts and the f-f-f-family togetherness - two hours tops, and a game of Scrabble and get out!!!. Just kidding. Maybe.
However, I have seen how people decorate their homes for Christmas and I am curious why they cannot put the same effort into Hallowe'en. Is it because one holiday is a day long, and considered by some to be Pagan and immoral? Whereas the other, incidentally, also has hidden Pagan roots, is overwrought starting unofficially November 1 and has the uncanny musical ability to turn store employees and customers into mindless drooling zombies. Perhaps is Hallowe'en is not enough of a dreamy wonderland for some.
The fact is I love Hallowe'en, I don't know if it is the thought of what can we do on the front lawn or the actual building part. But I have never grown tired of the possibilities. Yet come November, there are a number of homes here in town that go nuts for X-Mas. Without hesitation they ditch a lame ghost or cheesy Michael's scarecrow for a herd of reindeer, cutesy snowmen up the wazoo or enough coloured lights on every tree, bush, twig, stray animal and tuft of grass to tan George Hamilton happily.
Sure Christmas is nice, but Hallowe'en is the time to unleash the warped creations from your darkest imaginations or fears. Just imagine being back in the dark times of Samhain celebrations, when people believed that the borders of shadow and light were gateways from which came the dead and creatures from the underworld so they could walk the Earth amongst the living for one night. Where hills would open up to unseen worlds of horror, or where those same gateways sometime led a hapless traveller to his doom.
This what we create in our yard haunts. This is the reason people come around to tour your yard. The vision that is built from a plan on paper to stand in your yard is the fear adrenaline that we all need.
I cannot say that I have had the same rush from seeing Frosty or Rudolf. Nor do I recall asking if the Santa on the grass is real or not. I do celebrate Christmas with my family and thoroughly enjoy watching my daughters turn on the lights that I hang from the eaves. No, I do not have a Santa on the roof, nor a snowman or ten foot candy canes leaning precariously. Call me a hypocrite. You may ask why can't I put the same effort into Christmas as I do for Hallowe'en? Simple, it has become too commercial and too long and drawn out. By the time Christmas does come around, we have been bombarded by the repetitive playing of canned Christmas music so much that we go numb to it. So sadly by Dec. 25, the lustre has faded.
In closing, I suppose I will have to bear the gingerbread flotsam that will hang wind blown and tattered until the unofficial close to the Christmas season...St. Patrick's Day.
Happy Haunting, Hallowe'en Rules.
:) Big Smile.
ReplyDeleteThat was a great post and I could not agree with you more. I prefer Halloween...well because I just do, but more so because it allows me to be creative and clever.
That is why I do something simple for Christmas -simple, but original - because I cannot be one of the masses that puts out 10,000 lights on their house.
Being part of the crowd has always never been my thing. Maybe another reason I love decorating for Halloween.
Maybe the day will come when everyone decorates like I (we) do - will I give it up then to avoid being part of the "crowd"? :D
I will likely never find that out - although some say Halloween is gaining....I don't think I have anything to worry about :D
Thanks again for the great post.
Happy Halloween!!!
Cheers!