Growing up in the Georges household, there were many things that we did or did not do as Georges. Some of those things were a function of our religious beliefs. Others were a function of our culture. And some were simply a function of being born to Emmanuel and Guirlene Georges. While there were a few things I wished we did differently (at least when I was young), I have found that I would stand by most of those customs we held even now as an adult.
My children will not be involved in the happy little lies that folks tell about Santa or the tooth fairy. They will hear, as I did, that they "are not in school to make friends". They'll observe quiet time for themselves each day. I love all of these things that my parents held to in our home.
One thing I remember most is the observance of Halloween. The Georges do not do Halloween.
At this point, I consider Halloween to be just a commercial holiday for consumers to waste money on costumes and candy. I do not buy into any of that (although I will stock up on all the candy that will go on sale afterward). However, I do understand the desire that children have to be a part of all the fun around them during Halloween. I remember wishing that we could have joined in when I was younger. In time, I got over that, and I came to realize that there were better ways to spend our time on Halloween. Here are 10 ways to spend Halloween.
image via odyssey
Watch movies
So this might seem like kind of an obvious choice, but you have to do it right. This is not a night for just any movie. Scary movies are a good idea if you're into that (which I can be - it depends). I would personally recommend classic horror movies - the kind that are not so much scary as they are suspenseful. We enjoyed some wonderful family nights as our father introduced us to actors like Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr.Watch TV
This has been one of my favorite ways to spend Halloween night as an adult. For folks who do not regularly watch television, this is a great night to plan on binge-watching a show. For example, you would do well to catch the new (or also the old) season of Stranger Things. Occasionally when Halloween falls on a weeknight, some weekly obligations may be canceled. For me, that meant an opportunity to actually catch my show air tonight, rather than waiting to see it on Hulu later. Did anybody else spend Halloween watching This Is Us?Eat Out
Those of us who do not have children may not want to be bothered with the sound of the doorbell ringing all night long and little expectant small people on the other side calling out for candy. You can make like a Georges and hide in your home (we would turn out the lights and ignore the doorbell) or you can go eat at all the family restaurants that will be empty(ish) as all the families are out trick-or-treating.Host a Candy Game Night
Every holiday is an excuse to host a game night. On Halloween, you might consider pulling out games with "spooky" themes, like Clue or Suspicion (I have yet to win either of these games). Make things interesting by adding candy to the mix. I have never played for money, but I will gladly play for Kit Kats."Camp Out"
I'm not really much of a camper, but I do enjoy s'mores and guitar sing-alongs around a bonfire. If anyone in your crew is any good at them, scary stories will really kick things up a notch. Of all the time (not much) that I have spent around a bonfire, the time I spent singing was the best of it.Visit a Haunted House
I have only ever been to a haunted house once, and it was surprisingly fun. I don't know why it is that we can be so entertained by being scared. I went with co-workers and I think it was an awesome experience for us to share and get to know one another better. Once you've seen someone scared, you've certainly gotten to know them a bit better.Catch a Hayride
Not a fan of haunted houses? Hayrides are a sweet alternative. Something about riding hayride makes me feel like I am living in another time, if only for a moment. It's such a simple thing to do on a night when people are pulling out all the stops, and and the tricks, and the treats. With the right weather and the right people a hayride can be especially nice.Get Ready to Write a Novel
(Nearly) Every year for many years now I have joined a few of my friends in a wild idealistic pursuit of writing a novel in a month. We are part of a larger community of writers who take part in what we call Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month). The event takes place every November. For the select number of folks who feel so inclined to write 50.000 words in 30 days, October 31st is full of anticipation for the upcoming challenge. In fact, during the day, there is a Virtual Write-In.Start a new book
Not ready to write a novel? Read one. Hide away like a happy recluse and start a good book. Halloween is a good night for a scary story. I haven't done that in a while, but I used to love reading such things as a kid. My siblings and I loved anything by R.L. Stine or Bruce Coville. Consider choosing a spooky short story collection.Sleep
When I was a kid I used to hate going to bed. I wanted to stay up late with my parents, and I found that sleep was an obstacle in the way of literally everything else that I could be doing at any given moment. My feelings towards sleep are more complex now. I still wish that I could function without it, and in so doing add hours to my day, and I am still a night owl by nature, but I have also come to really love sleep when I am ready for it. There is no other feeling in the world quite like the one you feel when you lay cozily at ease in your bed and let sleep overtake you.