13 Days of Halloween: By Now You're In A Panic

There are just four days left before Halloween. Let that sink in.

I've been noticing a lot of panic around that thought. Costumes aren't finished (or even started), favorite horror movies haven't been watched, and the spooky events we were making lists of in August somehow passed us by. Is your heart racing? I think we all need to pause and take a deep breath. Now, I want you let out a loud moan that will rival the un-dead. Feel better?

People always ask me if I get depressed after Halloween, but for me, the truth is that Halloween is just a moment. Writing the blog allows me to experience the atmosphere of Halloween almost everyday. It's true that the month of October gives us lots of opportunities to shop for costumes in our local stores and attend parties and visit haunted houses, but you can find those things all year long if you look hard enough. So don't despair! You haven't missed anything yet. Halloween hasn't even arrived.

Once you accept that you are Halloween royalty, you are allowed to celebrate all year long. It comes as no surprise to my family and friends when I send spooky birthday cards or wear macabre jewelry or bring in skull cookies to work in July. It's a lifestyle. Own it.

In the meantime, I want you to think about why you enjoyed Halloween as a kid 

and plan to recreate that for a least one hour in the next few days. 

I have a few suggestions, of course.

Purchase a Halloween decorated cake, cupcake, or bag of candy
and eat it by candlelight. Only share it with someone very special.

Forget the costume and dress like the Halloween royalty you are. 

Go out on the town and hand out ribbons for other people's costume efforts or

just sit at home and watch television- you probably did that a lot as a kid. 

Listen to a spooky podcast in the dark.

Carve a pumpkin.

Really, it only takes about 15 minutes if you don't get all fancy. 

The smell and ooze will take you back years. And those seeds? Yum.

If you do just one of those things, you won't have missed Halloween. REALLY. Enjoy Halloween night, but remember it's the beginning not the end. How will you make it last?