This is Halloween
By Clarissa Enos Plagmann
I forgot it was Halloween.
My husband left for work as usual, although a little earlier than usual since he needed to fill up the tank in the car. Shortly after he left, he texted: "I almost forgot... Happy Halloween!" with a little ghost emoji following 'Halloween'.
Oh right, it's Halloween.
I remember as a kid, I loved Halloween! When we lived in Idaho at the age of 6 or 7, my mom would take us out trick or treating. I think once we might have gone out with her sister and our cousins? I am not exactly sure. I have no idea what I wore. And when I turned 8, we lived in Utah and we'd go trick or treating with our other cousins. I think one or two years there I went as Little Red Riding Hood, and wore the red cape (to the right) my mom made for herself when she was in high school. (As you can see, it fit me perfectly in college, so imagine tiny 8 year old me wearing it).
The year before the picture to the right was taken, I dressed up in a dress I borrowed from a roommate (below). Not sure what I was exactly, but I was definitely from another era.
Sometime in my childhood, I stopped caring as much about Halloween. It became an empty holiday. One that was fun because I got candy and I could dress up, yes, but I was never very good at coming up with costumes and that part started to be less fun. And then I was too old to trick or treat anyway.
I remember taking my younger cousins and siblings out trick or treating once or twice in high school, but when we lived in Las Vegas it wasn't very safe to go trick or treating, so we'd just go to the ward Trunk or Treat and then on Halloween night (because it rarely fell on Halloween night itself) we'd put a sign up saying no candy, turn out all the front lights in the house, and watch movies in the back as a family while eating what little candy we did have.
Those were the memories I remember best and most fondly.
When I started dating Preston, I told him I loved Halloween. Which is partly true. But really, my favorite part about Halloween is spending time with the family and having wholesome fun. With it being Halloween, and me being pregnant, I've been wondering what I want us to do as a family on Halloween in the future. Do I want my kids to go trick or treating? Do I want them to grow up dressing up in costume on Halloween night and passing out candy? What do I want? What do we want? Well, I'm not sure yet. We have a little bit of time, our baby girl will only be about 7 months old next Halloween.
One thing I do know for sure: I want Halloween (and all holidays) to be about family. I want to set traditions that bring us closer together as a family, because honestly? Nothing is more important to the Gospel than the central unit of the family. So, whatever we do, you know it will be centered on spending time together as a family. Because that's what's important.
So, you may be wondering what I'm doing this Halloween, to celebrate. Well, I thought I'd turn out all the lights, watch Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus on my laptop on my bed, and eat candy. I'm channeling my inner introvert here. Don't bother coming around, there won't be any candy left.
Have a blessed good time with your family! <3
Happy Halloween!
I forgot it was Halloween.
My husband left for work as usual, although a little earlier than usual since he needed to fill up the tank in the car. Shortly after he left, he texted: "I almost forgot... Happy Halloween!" with a little ghost emoji following 'Halloween'.
Oh right, it's Halloween.
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| College age Little Red Riding Hood October 2012 |
The year before the picture to the right was taken, I dressed up in a dress I borrowed from a roommate (below). Not sure what I was exactly, but I was definitely from another era.
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| Halloween 2011 |
I remember taking my younger cousins and siblings out trick or treating once or twice in high school, but when we lived in Las Vegas it wasn't very safe to go trick or treating, so we'd just go to the ward Trunk or Treat and then on Halloween night (because it rarely fell on Halloween night itself) we'd put a sign up saying no candy, turn out all the front lights in the house, and watch movies in the back as a family while eating what little candy we did have.
Those were the memories I remember best and most fondly.
When I started dating Preston, I told him I loved Halloween. Which is partly true. But really, my favorite part about Halloween is spending time with the family and having wholesome fun. With it being Halloween, and me being pregnant, I've been wondering what I want us to do as a family on Halloween in the future. Do I want my kids to go trick or treating? Do I want them to grow up dressing up in costume on Halloween night and passing out candy? What do I want? What do we want? Well, I'm not sure yet. We have a little bit of time, our baby girl will only be about 7 months old next Halloween.
One thing I do know for sure: I want Halloween (and all holidays) to be about family. I want to set traditions that bring us closer together as a family, because honestly? Nothing is more important to the Gospel than the central unit of the family. So, whatever we do, you know it will be centered on spending time together as a family. Because that's what's important.
So, you may be wondering what I'm doing this Halloween, to celebrate. Well, I thought I'd turn out all the lights, watch Halloweentown and Hocus Pocus on my laptop on my bed, and eat candy. I'm channeling my inner introvert here. Don't bother coming around, there won't be any candy left.
Have a blessed good time with your family! <3
Happy Halloween!
When our son was a teenager, and too old to trick or treat, we would dress up and TAKE treats to our elderly neighbors. Then we would spend a little time visiting with each one. We lived in the country and didn't ever get trick or treaters.
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