Happy Halloween! I hope that if you have any big Halloween plans, you are able to enjoy them. For those of you on the east coast, I’m hoping that Sandy hasn’t flushed your plans down the drain. We don’t have anything planned. No trick or treating, passing out candy, or Halloween parties. But I think we’ll probably watch a scary movie. (I’m hoping for The Naked Jungle. It’s not your average horror movie; it stars Charlton Heston, and the killer ants. Pretty rad.)
(Note to self: Google “the naked jungle” with extreme caution.)
When it comes to holidays, this year feels so different from every other year. The only thing different is that last year Stephen was deployed. Still, every holiday seems more meaningful, more important, more special.
Stephen loves pretty much all holidays. His joy is child-like, and it’s contagious. When Stephen goes head over heels for a holiday, I follow suit.
Without him, I’m pretty much a Scrooge. No decorations, no parties, no holiday music. I could pretty much care less. (Enter: Thanksgiving 2011. It sucked donkey balls, pardon my French.) This year we are re-experiencing all the holidays. Him, after a time spent sans holidays. Me, with a renewed appreciation. Sure, some of this holiday stuff is pointless or frivolous, but it’s pointless stuff that I fully intend on enjoying. I’m embracing all things cheesy, cliché, and yes, pointless.
So even though we have nothing special in mind for Halloween, it feels very festive. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s aren’t far behind. I’m ready for decorations! Songs! Holiday foods! In fact, we already have our Thanksgiving turkey. (That’s how we roll.)
So what are your Halloween plans? Any fellow fans of The Naked Jungle? Are you gung-ho over holidays or are you a Scrooge?*
Every year (this is our last, sniff!) we trick or treat with our neighborhood friends. This year, two friends from surrounding ‘hoods are joining us. Three girls are dressing as m&ms, one as a tootsie roll and another as a banana. Yep. It will be fun and we will have too much candy. Tomorrow we’re going to one of the m&m’s church trunk or treat which was postponed and then rescheduled due to Hurricane Sandy. Halloween isn’t one of my favorite holidays, but I do enjoy walking with my neighbors while the kids push each other out of the way to get to the door the fastest. We live in townhouses with steep steps leading up to the front door; those kids have to WORK for their candy.
Enjoy your movie! I’ve never heard of that one. But, I live under a rock.
Your Halloween sounds so fun! I’m betting that it’s an easier holiday to enjoy when you have a kiddo. With no kids and no trick-or-treaters, it doesn’t feel very Halloween-y. But Stephen’s kind of like having a kid, so there’s no way the holiday will go by unnoticed or uncelebrated.*
This is sort of unrelated, but your reply about Stephen being like a kid, made me think of this. When Craig and I were first married, I totally packed pudding cups and fruit snacks in his lunch. Everyone would ask him how many kids we had and he’s be like, um, none….I just like pudding.
My point being: you don’t have to have kids or trick or treaters to eat some mini sized Snickers bars. Enjoy!
Halloween is my favorite holiday. I’m not into the gore and scary stuff, but I love the cute pumpkins, and the whole idea of kids getting candy from their neighbors makes me smile. Plus, it’s so much more low-key and stress-free, compared with all the highexpectations and stress that come with Thanksgiving and Christmas. Do the kids not trick or treat in Germany? That is so sad!
Word on the street is that the German kids will some times go looking for candy in the military neighborhoods because they know we do it. Our neighborhood is so tiny (There are probably less than 20 families here) that I’m not expecting any trick-or-treaters. The Germans get off work on November 1st for All Saints Day. I wouldn’t mind that, if I was actually working, that is.*
Oh I bet you are ready to celebrate the shiz out the holidays this year! Especially since it will be just you and you hubs!!
We had our first thanksgiving last year, and it ended up just being the two of us and it was so special and fun. I hope you y’all enjoy these next holidays together and how special in Germany!!! As like last year, we are spending our Halloween super duper low key. Last year we were in a hotel waiting to move into our place on Ft Benning, and this year, we will be slumming it on an air matress with no internet or tv in our new house! (Yes, new house — we closed yesterday!!)
Stephen told me today that he’s ready to go all out for every single holiday this year. He’s even ready for Christmas music! Think he missed the holidays last year? Haha! Big time!
Congrats on closing on your house! I bet y’all are feeling like, “finally!” Now you can settle in at last!*
I love Halloween! We’ve been celebrating all week at my dance studio…the kids get to wear costumes, bring a friend to class, and I give them candy at the end. I’m not doing too much on the home front though. We didn’t dress up because I’m lazy and it was too cold this weekend haha. I am making some chili tonight though, and maybe I can talk Austin into watching Hocus Pocus or something! Y’all have fun with the ants in the jungle
Aww! I bet Halloween is so fun at the dance studio with all the little kiddos! It might be another story at the middle school. I know some of the kids go crazy with all the candy. (That plus a full moon, and they might be really hyper!)*
Is being a Scrooge a bad thing? I do a family Christmas shirt and family newsletter every year and that’s my contribution to festiveness. Oh and I must have a tree. That’s it. Otherwise, I just want to spend time with family and not go all gung-ho. I think that’s because going gung-ho means I’ll stress and spaz by trying to do too much too perfectly. haha.
Does Stephen’s holiday enthusiasm warrant a holiday guest post?!?
Happy Halloween!
A family shirt? That’s so cool! Do y’all just wear matching sweaters or do you design a t-shirt? I’m so going to steal this idea one day in the future when I’m super mom and have more motivation and creative abilities.
I’m not sure if being a Scrooge is bad, but it feels wrong when it seems as though the entire world is Whoville, meerily flinging themselves into holiday cheer. As for a guest post, I don’t know. But, one a somewhat related note, I am thinking about starting a blog for Geronimo. Can you tell that I have lots of free time on my hands?*
I design a tshirt that everyone wears. Since we’ve been doing it for a few years now, packing for our xmas get-together is fast because you just throw all the past shirts in your bag! Designing the shirt is easy; it’s pleasing everyone that’s tough
I wrote about our shirts last year: http://the20what.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/christmas-in-july/ (hope that link works). 2011′s shirt was Carolina blue and had a NC theme since that’s where we were. This year we’ll be back in Philly and hoping to rock a Philly/honoring the grandparents theme.
Somewhat related to G-mo blogging, have you read http://textfromdog.tumblr.com/ ?? omghilarious.
Do they celebrate Halloween in Germany? For some reason I always pictured that as a US thing… I’m not a Halloween fan but I do love most every other holiday and love doing all the pointless stuff just for the sake of tradition. There is something about it that helps you feel at home no matter how far from home, home you really are! I’m glad you will be embracing the corney this year
Enjoy!
The Germans don’t celebrate Halloween, but all of the American families here do. There has been a ton of stuff going on on post, but I’ve been avoiding pretty much all of it, being the Scrooge that I am.
I love what you said about celebrating making you feel at home. So true! Something I will remember as we prepare for all the big holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas) sans our extended family.*
Halloween has taken a bigger ranking in our holiday listing mainly because of the kiddos. They are super excited this year. This morning I almost convinced Addison you get toothbrushed and vegetables when you trick or treat so she should just give her bag to me. I was sooo close. So, tonight, Ariel and Boba Fett are going to be crusing around our neighborhood looking for handouts.
Ariel and Boba Fett! Ack! So cute! Your kids are adorable!*
Halloween plans = a party this weekend (my friends are cheap and we planned it for after to take advantage of the costume sales!). Tonight? Not sure. I rarely get trick-or-treaters. I may watch the Great Pumpkin and relax with some hot apple cider!
That doesn’t sound cheap, that sounds brilliant! Hot apple cider sounds so good right now.*
Well u know halloween is my favorite holiday, however this year I just didn’t get any decorations up or anything. Too much other stuff going on, so its going to be a quiet evening, not even doing candy!!! Watch out for next year!!!!
No decorations? Boo! It does seem like you have your hands pretty full right now. I guess you’ll just have to go all out next year.*
Maybe Stephen should hang out with Uncle Brian! He loves to decorate for every holiday. You should listen to him talking to the kids coming to our door for candy. He gets so excited about their costumes. He sounds like an old lady!
That’s so cute! It’s always the big, tough guys that are kids at heart!*