Halloween, Who Thought of this Holiday

    Halloween is my least favorite holiday.  Always has been.  I hate haunted houses;  I hated them as a kid and still hate them today.  I don't like being scared or scaring people.  I refuse to watch scary movies.  As a tween and teenager I would hide under my blankets, plug my ears and force myself to be the first person sleep.  My hope was no one would notice how much I was really scared.  I didn't find it romantic to go to horror films on dates.  I avoided those by enjoying kick-butt action films and talking my dates into seeing almost anything, but horror flicks.  Trick-or-treating was okay, but I was never a die hard.  The amount of walking and dealing with strangers never seemed to equal the reward of candy.
    Then comes that year, somewhere between when you turn 12 and 14.  That year when it seems that every door you knock on you hear, "Aren't you a little old to be trick-or-treating?"
     Halloween is all down hill from there.  You're now officially a candy passer outer.  You're stuck at home usually answer the door and giving candy away.  If it's a year when Halloween isn't on a school night, you hope you get invited to a party.  However, if you're not invited anywhere door duty is event more depressing and embarrassing.
   As a parent Halloween means helping kids afford, find, create or sew a costume.  It means hyper kids, too much candy and wandering the neighborhood in the cold.  Sometimes you just want to say, "Can I buy you a bag of candy?"
     As a teacher it means hyper kids, little can be accomplished the day of Halloween in a classroom.  There are endless distractions: who's wearing what costume, where everyone is trick-or-treating, and the piles of treats sent to class so we can celebrate.  The day after is full of over sugared, under rested, cranky, moody students.  Around Halloween is not optimal learning time.
     Occasionally dressing up intrigues my creative side a little.  However, I rarely have somewhere to wear a costume or the time to create something for myself.  Halloween is one holiday that I don't have the spirit for and I can wait until it's over.