I've realized as I get older that Halloween is steady becoming my favorite holiday. Here's why:
1) It's sexy. When you're an adult, that is. You get to be someone else for an evening, and everyone gets to be someone else too. Flirtation is standard. There's nothing like seeing young women running around in wet leather catwoman costumes or of course the classic kitty cat costume. Halloween becomes a sort of "fantasy fest" where everyone gets to be their sexiest self for an evening.
2) It's non-denominational. Well, in current times at least. You don't hear controversy over whether stores should be selling "halloween costumes" vs "holiday costumes." Everyone celebrates it. It excludes no religion, sect or belief. No matter who you are, you get to get dressed up and run around in guise all night!
3) It's fun. I mean, other holidays are fun too. But the "soul" purpose of Halloween is to have fun! There's no religious iconography involved. You don't have to worry about proper etiquite, putting your eblows on the table, bringing the wrong gift, having bad company, or cooking for 25 people. It's just fun!!
4) It's creative. I mean, what other holiday begs you to be creative?! Other holidays seem to mandate what we wear, what we say, when and how we say it. Halloween lends you the rules, so you may break them! A festival for creative minds!
5) Candy
6) It's not hugely commercial or materialistic. Sure, we have to go out and buy costumes (or material to make them), candy, pumpkins, and decorations. But the "spirit" of the holiday is not based in consumerism, though I guess one could easily argue it is becoming more so. No matter. All you need to celebrate is a bunch of funny clothes and a big, orange vegetable!
7) Jack-O-Lanterns. I mean, come on, how cool is this tradition?!
8) Haunted hay rides, haunted houses, haunted mazes, corn fields, etc. What other holiday has its basic premise in creating fear?! Most other holidays are busy making you feel warm and fuzzy, cozy, grateful, patriotic, or some other fun feeling. Not Halloween!
9) The kids. I mean, when do the little guys get a holiday for themselves? Other than birthdays, of course. They get to get creative, dress up, and run around asking for candy. Throw in some family time carving pumpkins and hanging decorations, and you got yourself a family holiday!
10) It's cool. I mean, no other holiday is cool. We all love Christmas. We all love stuffing ourselves silly on Thanksgiving. On the 4th of July we always feel patriotic and love America. New Years is fun, reckless, and full of promises and predictions. Other memorial holidays might cause us to stop and take count of what a certain man, woman, or president has done for us and this country. And who doesn't love getting a card from a secret admirer on Valentine's day. But none of them are cool. Halloween wins this one hands down.
So there you have it, my spontaneous list of why Halloween is fast becoming my favorite holiday. For those of you who haven't truly experienced the magic and fun of this holiday, make sure you get in it next year and have fun!