I know it isn't Halloween just yet but it's the Friday before, which means it's officially time to party like the undead.Now if you're a kid this means the Weekend of Free Candy is upon you. Get out there & shake down the neighborhood, kiddoes!
A word of advice, though? If you can shave, drive a car or appreciate an ironic costume, you're too old to trick or treat. Same goes if you either a) want to go as a Naughty Nurse or b) have what it takes to fill out the costume. Time to move on, 'kay? Hand out candy at home, or get out there & TP the cranky neighbors. (Yes, I know I'm asking for it, but seriously, I'd rather get TP'ed than stare down the six foot tall college freshman at my door wearing a t-shirt that says, "This IS my costume.")But I don't want to talk about kids & costumes. Today I want to talk about grown ups. Because grown ups have totally co-opted this holiday.
I'm not whining. Certainly not. I love Halloween. I met my husband at his annual Halloween bash. (He used to turn his entire basement into a haunted house every year. Then we had kids who lose sleep over movies like UP--"The talking dogs were BAD!"-- & that nonsense had to end.)
For us these days Halloween is all about dressing up our little princesses & carving smiley faces into pumpkins but one day...
...one day I want to do the Zombie Pub Crawl.I want to dress up like the undead, parade all over town & drink like my liver really has kicked it. I can't explain this fascination with zombies. I don't normally enjoy dead things, or movies about dead things. Or movies where people make previously alive things dead.
But I thought Shaun of the Dead was one of the funniest movies I'd ever seen.
This shocked the heck out of my husband who, if he wants me to watch a scary movie, has to promise to walk me to the bathroom at any hour of the day or night, and take charge of any household chore which involves going into the basement after dark.And Zombie Land! Oh! Comic genius! This is a movie in which Woody Harrelson (so often underestimated as an actor) watches a female zombie chowing down on some poor guy and remarks offhandedly, "There's a lady who likes her Manwich."
I cried laughing. I still chuckle every time I walk past the cans of Manwich in the grocery store. Based on this, I feel confident it would give me no end of enjoyment to get dressed up in raggedy clothes and stagger through the streets of St. Paul in search of brains (by which I mean beer) this weekend.
How about you? What are you doing this weekend to celebrate? Are you celebrating kid- or adult-style? Any traditions? Let hear 'em!
47 comments:
hey -- is the rooster starting halloween in the states? that could be scary ;)
May take the dog out to the neighborhood halloween parade Sunday to see all the cute little ones dressed up. She's ready with her black halloween bandana cover in ghosts :) I don't go out or dress up myself anymore; I enjoy passing out candy to the kids now that I have a house of my own. Sunday night is football (go Steelers! :D ) so may have to turn the light out a little early this year to watch the game. Bummer, will prob have left over candy ;)
Hoping to remember to finally wear the ghost earings to work Fri -- thought about them beginning of the month that I'd need to pull them out for this week, but forgot all about them till after got to work today ;/ so annoying.
Have a safe one :)
Well done gamistress66 have fun with him and yes he might be a bit scary this weekend I would watch in carefully LOL
Susan
Love the pictures and post we don't really celebrate Halloween here in Oz although it is starting to take of I have been shoping today and there are lots of halloween things in the shop scary lollies and pumpkins and my grandson had a halloween dress up at pre school today he was so excited he had skeleton gloves a mask and a cape and a big plastic scythe and there are a few houses around decorated with ghosts etc but for us it is usually quiet.
We are going down the coast tomorrow for a family reunion which I have been baking for today and am really looking forward to it is always great catching up with Aunts and Uncles and cousins I haven't seen in a while.
Have Fun
Helen
Hi Susan!
Hubby dressed up as Santa last year and handed out candy along with promises of ponies and Playstations. I'm going to make him dress up again so he can tell the same kids why last year's Christmas wish didn't materialize. We get tons of kids every year and I spend a small fortune on candy. Weird how kids now like the sours and gummies..when I was a kid, I'd covet the full size candy bars people used to give.
Congrats on the GR, Game!
Congrats on the chook gamistress66. Have fun with him.
Since Halloween is mostly a non event here in Oz, I just mostly reminisce of my younger days and how much fun I had at Halloween.
Funny you should mention zombies, but I suggested to a friend not a few minutes ago that he should consider a dwarf zombie costume instead of just any old zombie costume.
Enjoy your Halloween holiday. Be sure to pig out on the candy.
Dwarf as in LOTR dwarf + zombie, I meant. Just wanted to clarify.
Yay - The GR is back in the States. He has his vampire cape so he's ready to head out and trawl for candy in style.
Not sure why, but in my town trick-or-treat night was tonight (Thursday). We had about thirty kids come to the door but still have a mess of candy left over (I have a fear of running out prematurely).
My dh and I are heading to an adult party on Saturday. No costumes (darn). I'm supposed to bring dessert. I'm made dead lady fingers in the past. Not sure what to do this year. If anyone has some zombie like dessert ideas, I'd be happy to hear them
I'm looking forward to stuffing myself with some candy that my niece gets. Halloween can be quite scary because there are always some troublemakers out harassing and throwing eggs at pedestrians and buses.
West Virginia's trick or treat was last night too Donna. Froze my keister off but if the kids can do it I can. One teenager (possibly pre-teen, I can't tell anymore) was actually barefoot! That girl is going to miss about a week of school I am sure.
I had 75-80 within an hour and a half, the last half our nothing. I don't think I will be partying this weekend. Don't have any traditions for All Hallows Eve.
Tonight is our carving the pumpkins fun. Nothing fancy, just whatever the kids (and their boyfriends-gasp-when did they grow up?) want to do.
My youngest will actual trick or treat on Sunday with her friends. The older two will watch a scary movie with theirs. I will try not to eat all the candy at home. :)
We have lots going on this weekend. I kicked things off last night at a local festival with my grand-niece (resplendent in her Ariel costume) and her mom. We have two more local festivals Saturday and another one Sunday afternoon before traditional trick-or-treating Sunday night.
I have friends and family coming over for pizza Sunday night (another tradition). I'll be in costume and will go door-to-door with the grand-niece (she's 4) for a few houses, then we'll all come back to my front porch to hand out treats to the kids who come to my house.
Have I mentioned that I LOVE HALLOWEEN? *g*
Well, today is our Halloween party here at school. The kids have been zoo-loo all week, so who knows what they'll be like today?!
Shary has decided she is going trick-or-treating by herself this year. We'll see when the time to go a-haunting comes 'round on Sunday. I'll be passing out the candy---good stuff that, pat on the shoulder, I've stashed away and have not put a finger on any of it.
I remember being a pioneer girl, Raggedy Ann, and an Indian girl when I was little. My mom made all of those outfits. Other than carving jack-o-lanterns, we don't have any traditions for Halloween.
Hey, gamistress66--the GR parties like it's halloween whenever he wants to. That's just how he rolls. Plus, there's that international rooster of mystery thing. He likes costumes. :-)
And awwww, you have a neighborhood costume parade? That's so sweet. I get misty at every kids' parade out there, from halloween to dance recitals. I'm hopeless.
Bummer on the extra candy. Surely you'll find something to do with it? :-)
gamistress66, congrats (condolences?) on nabbing the rooster! Better keep an eye on the candy bowl. He has a fondness for chocolate!
Helen wrote: We are going down the coast tomorrow for a family reunion which I have been baking for today and am really looking forward to it is always great catching up with Aunts and Uncles and cousins I haven't seen in a while.
That's a great way to celebrate any holiday, Helen! Have a great time!
PinkPeony wrote: Weird how kids now like the sours and gummies..when I was a kid, I'd covet the full size candy bars people used to give.
I *know*, right? I appreciate a good Sour Patch Kid from time to time but when I want a sweet, I want it to be, well, sweet. Is that asking too much?
LOL on your husband dressed as Santa making profligate promises. My husband would totally do that. I'd love to hear how this year's explanations go. :-)
Daz wrote: Funny you should mention zombies, but I suggested to a friend not a few minutes ago that he should consider a dwarf zombie costume instead of just any old zombie costume.
Ha! And I totally imagined LOTR dwarves, as you intended. :-) If that happens, you MUST post pictures. Please?
Donna wrote: If anyone has some zombie like dessert ideas, I'd be happy to hear them
You know, I was in the fabric store the other day & found some molds for making witches fingers out of pretzel sticks. They were fabulous, all warty & knobby & stuff. Probably time consuming to make but the idea of all these grown ups standing around chatting chomping away on disgusting, realistic witches fingers just makes me smile. :)
Jane wrote: Halloween can be quite scary because there are always some troublemakers out harassing and throwing eggs at pedestrians and buses.
I *know*! I got egged last year & it took me forever to get it off my van. That stuff just bakes on or something. Ick. Hope you escape the vandals this year!
hrdwrdkmom aka Dianna wrote: One teenager (possibly pre-teen, I can't tell anymore) was actually barefoot! That girl is going to miss about a week of school I am sure.
I had 75-80 within an hour and a half, the last half our nothing.
Oh my goodness, BAREFOOT? Sheesh! I make my kids winterize their outfits before they get the green light from me, & this means layers at the very least, the ability to accommodate a winter jacket underneath it at the most. Sounds like you have a rocking neighborhood, though. We get a smattering of kids, but mostly teenagers milking it. Bah.
Gillian Layne wrote: Tonight is our carving the pumpkins fun.
I'm so glad to hear you say that! I thought we were the last people on earth to carve our pumpkins! But after last year when the squirrels got after my oldest's pumpkin over night & we woke up to Night Of The Living Dead pumpkin on our porch (she cried, poor kid), we decided to wait til the last minute. So we're carving tomorrow. :-)
PJ wrote: I kicked things off last night at a local festival with my grand-niece (resplendent in her Ariel costume) and her mom. We have two more local festivals Saturday and another one Sunday afternoon before traditional trick-or-treating Sunday night.
Good heavens, I feel faint just thinking about this schedule of festivities! Hope you have a marvelous time, & any time you feel compelled to bring your holiday-ing energy north, please feel free to visit me! Once my kids decorated the vaccuum like a Christmas tree because I waited so long to get one. It was embarrassing.
Deb wrote: I'll be passing out the candy---good stuff that, pat on the shoulder, I've stashed away and have not put a finger on any of it.
Atta girl! I had to hide our stash, too. Not from me or my husband, but my 7 yo. Okay, this kid throws up from birthday cake & ice cream. Why she thinks she has the chops for a giant bag of mini snickers is beyond me but there you have it. We're going to have to ration out her haul very, very carefully....
Okay, everybody, I'm off to do the halloween party rotation--preschool through elementary this morning! I'll be back later this afternoon--happy haunting while I'm away!
I'm not big into zombies, but I hae a friend who is. She recently took part in Nashville's Zombie Walk. A bunch of people dressed up as zombies and walked around downtown, creeping out and entertaining the tourists. :)
Trish - Love the idea of a Zombie walk...and if they can do the Thriller dance so much the better. What fun!
The GR is ALWAYS in costume! Glad to see he is Stateside to kick off the holiday!
I was supposed to work Sunday, but my schedule has changed so I will be OFF !!! Yay!
I will watch a marathon of scary movies to celebrate the day (and probably bring at least one bag of candy home ALL FOR ME !!) I live in the boonies so I don't get trick or treaters. And of course I will watch Shaun of the Dead ! LOVE that movie. Haven't seen Zombieland. Need to get that one.
We used to have a costume contest at work, but now company policy says no. People always said I cheated because I was fortunate enough to keep some of my costumes from my singing days. My costume from the last act of Lucia di Lammermoor is great. Nothing like a woman in a bloodstained white nightgown with a big knife in her hand to win the costume contest!
Timely topic, Susan! I used to adore Halloween, dressing up myself and getting homemade treats back when your mom didn't have to "inspect" the candy first.
Our dentist always gave out toothbrushes and while my kids hated it, I loved it. Hey, doesn't everybody need extra toothbrushes on hand?
Keep an eye on that sneaky chook, gamistress, is you have him over the weekend. He's sure to cook up something naughty for Halloween.
Hey, Susan, did you see that AMC is bringing a new series this Sunday called THE WALKING DEAD? Matt Roush calls it "vulgar and noisy, and often disgustingly hilarious." Sounds like a whole lot of graphic camp LOL. And definitely not for kiddies.
I'm not doing anything Halloween-y this year. I missed my friend's Halloween party and she always puts on a great party. My dh will be out of town so I'll be handing out the candy while my 13 yr old goes out for his last trick or treating.
I'm not even carving a jack-o-lantern this year. I decided last year that I was done. I told my 13 yr old I would get a pumpkin if he wanted to carve and he declined.
So it should be a quiet one here.
Our dentist always gave out toothbrushes and while my kids hated it, I loved it. Hey, doesn't everybody need extra toothbrushes on hand?
Jo, a local dentist office was handing out toothbrushes at the festival yesterday and I was surprised (and pleased) to see how excited my grand-niece was to get one!
Louisa, I would love to see you in that costume!
Susan said, Hope you have a marvelous time, & any time you feel compelled to bring your holiday-ing energy north, please feel free to visit me! Once my kids decorated the vaccuum like a Christmas tree because I waited so long to get one. It was embarrassing.
LOL! I don't think the vacuum decoration would be a problem in my house, Susan. It's more likely they'd be embarrassed because of too many Christmas trees! I do tend to go a wee bit overboard. ;-)
Btw, if you want to see some of my Halloween Hall of Fame photos, drop by The Romance Dish today. I'm taking a stroll down memory lane.
Louisa,
You will LOVE Zombieland! It is a total hoot. ;-) And I'd LOVE to see you dressed in that bloody nightgown. Not at all surprised you won a prize.
Speaking of prizes, congrats gamistress! I'm sure the GR has even more tricks under his vampire cape than usual so keep an eye on him.
We used to carve 2 faces on my son's jack-o-lanterns -- one scary and one smiling. That happened because of a plastic 2 faced one my mother gave him when he was about 5.
No trick or treat for me this year, it will be strictly TREAT as I am sailing the high seas on Halloween day! Don't have too much fun while I'm gone, everyone.
AC
Trish wrote: She recently took part in Nashville's Zombie Walk. A bunch of people dressed up as zombies and walked around downtown, creeping out and entertaining the tourists. :)
I have a cousin (on my husband's side, of course, as my relatives aren't funny enough to think of this themselves) who dressed up in zombie gear to have his driver's license photo taken. Apparently, the great state of Wisconsin is okay with that kind of thing.
He's a funny guy, though. He's one of the minds behind the Found Footage Festival & Kenny Strausser, the yo-yo champion/fraud of daytime news programming infamy. Google either one & you'll see the kind of humor I'm related to (through marriage on the Pickett side.) :-)
Louisa wrote: My costume from the last act of Lucia di Lammermoor is great. Nothing like a woman in a bloodstained white nightgown with a big knife in her hand to win the costume contest!
Wow, that would be something if the lady behind the counter emerged wearing that! I'd buy whatever you were selling, pronto! :-)
And, definitely, check out Zombieland. It's a huge favorite around here.
Jo wrote: Our dentist always gave out toothbrushes and while my kids hated it, I loved it. Hey, doesn't everybody need extra toothbrushes on hand?
I just saw that one of our local dentists is doing a candy buy-back--they'll buy your kids' candy at $1/pound & send it to the troops overseas. Apparently, nothing says "I served our country with honor" than a mouth full of cavities. :-)
Jo also wrote: Hey, Susan, did you see that AMC is bringing a new series this Sunday called THE WALKING DEAD? Matt Roush calls it "vulgar and noisy, and often disgustingly hilarious." Sounds like a whole lot of graphic camp LOL. And definitely not for kiddies.
Ooooh, vulgar, noisy AND hilarious? Totally up my alley! I'll check it for sure--thanks for the heads up!
Christie wrote: My dh will be out of town so I'll be handing out the candy while my 13 yr old goes out for his last trick or treating.
Aw, his last trick of treating? Are you feeling a little misty over that? I'm already nostalgic for trick or treating & my kids are 3 & 7. They have a ways to go yet. :-)
I can't bring myself not to go trick or treating with them, so I put a big bowl of candy on the porch with a sign that says, "Help Yourself but Don't Be Greedy!" I have no idea how long it lasts, but it's empty as Mother Hubbard's cupboard when we get home.
PJ wrote: Btw, if you want to see some of my Halloween Hall of Fame photos, drop by The Romance Dish today. I'm taking a stroll down memory lane.
Oh, PJ, those photos are priceless! Thanks for sharing that!
AC wrote: No trick or treat for me this year, it will be strictly TREAT as I am sailing the high seas on Halloween day! Don't have too much fun while I'm gone, everyone.
Oh, AC, you're off again? Have a great time! Where are you bound? Say hello to the tropics for me, if it's southward! We had our first hard frost this morning & I'm a little bummed to see my garden in brown, slimy dangles.
We've already had our pumpkin carving halloween party. It started when my kids were young and continues although they are all grown and one married. Even my 88 yr. old mom has a blast! It will be fun when we have some more young ones to join in.
PJ said, "I was surprised (and pleased) to see how excited my grand-niece was to get one!"
Now there are parents who teach their kids good dental hygienne! Kudos to your niece/nephew and grand-niece!
Susan said, "Ooooh, vulgar, noisy AND hilarious? Totally up my alley! I'll check it for sure--thanks for the heads up!"
I'm definitely going to watch the 90-minute pilot, but it'll be my guilty pleasure. I'm sure Boyd will guffaw it all the way around.
Hi Susan! As usual, laughed myself silly over this blog. Manwich! Snork!
We don't do Halloween much over here in Oz but it is growing and having a ghoully 4yo, I recently threw a Monster Mash for him. He has a onesy skeleton suit that will be great for trick or treating in. Not sure if our street does the whole Halloween thing. I guess we'll find out when we knock on the door and get short shrift from our neighbours!
Hope you have a great one!
catslady wrote: We've already had our pumpkin carving halloween party. It started when my kids were young and continues although they are all grown and one married. Even my 88 yr. old mom has a blast! It will be fun when we have some more young ones to join in.
That is SO cool! I wish I lived close enough to family to carve pumpkins together. Heck, to celebrate anything together. It sounds like so much fun. Enjoy the holiday!
Christine wrote: Not sure if our street does the whole Halloween thing. I guess we'll find out when we knock on the door and get short shrift from our neighbours!
Wow, brave! Get out there & shake down the neighbors for candy & let us know how it goes!
Give your little monster a BOO from us!
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