I’m not about to admit to breaking the law, but let’s just say that I went a ~couple~ of miles over the speed limit when I was on my way home for fall break. But who can really blame me? I was just so darn-tootin’ excited to see the Halloween decorations that my mother has put up every year since I was a wee babe. I mean, these Halloween decorations aren’t like the rinky-dink Dollar Tree decorations that my roommate and I bought for our dorm; my mother goes above and beyond. I’m talking ghosts on the banister, crows in light fixtures, mummies on the front porch, witch hats on the fireplace mantle, eyeballs in jars on the coffee table, and so much more.
So I expected some true Halloween glory when I returned home. But alas, when I arrived, there was not a single ghost, not a single mummy, not a single sign that it was the spooky season. Instead, I was told that there would be no Halloween decorations this year, that the spirit of Halloween was dead, and that Halloween was not even worth celebrating at all. I was and am still devastated because for no reason whatsoever, my mother has become the Grinch who stole Halloween.
But luckily, I know the story of the Grinch, and all the Grinch needed was a little persuasion from Cindy Lou Who, who showed him that Christmas is about more than just presents and decorations–Christmas is about love. And because I am a dutiful young daughter, I have decided to use Cindy Lou Who as my role model, and to convince my mother that Halloween is about more than tricking and treating–just like Christmas, Halloween is about love.
Sure, Halloween’s origins deal with death and warding off evil spirits, but historically, Halloween also has ties to love. In Scotland, for instance, Halloween night used to be considered the prime time for maidens to find out who their future husband might be. On this night, young single women would hang wet sheets in front of a fire and look for images of their future husbands’ faces (and let’s face it–if you couldn’t pop a scary movie in the DVD player, you’d probably be watching shadows dance on a sheet, too). These Scottish maidens also thought that if, on Halloween night, they looked in a mirror while walking downstairs, they might see their future love’s face. Also on Halloween night, they would go out into fields with shut eyes and pull up kale stalks, the length of which would reveal the height of their future spouse.
Essentially, these Halloween superstitions prove that there just is something about Halloween, going back to its origins, that screams love. Not to bring in Christmas again, but in my favorite Christmas movie, Love Actually, Hugh Grant says it perfectly, “If you look for it, I’ve got a sneaky feeling you’ll find that love actually is all around.” And indeed, love is all around during Halloween–whether it’s giving candy to a stranger, complimenting someone’s costume, protecting a loved one at a haunted house, or making your daughter’s day by decorating your house.
So my dearest mother, and any other Halloween Grinches–if you’re reading this, please consider letting your heart grow three times and being open to Halloween again. After all, Halloween is truly a holiday where love prevails; some might even say it’s the most wonderful time of the year.
Credit: Nightmares Fear Factory
**For any converted Halloween Grinches and any other Cindy Lou Who’s, seeking to convert a Halloween Grinch, check out this Memphis Guide to Halloween if you wanna soak up that Halloween spirit!**