My Halloween

Greetings, one and all!

It's that spooktacular time of year when toddlers and elders alike line the streets entreating their neighbors for confectionary bits. Wraiths roam freely, bones bandy of their own volition, and vampires search from skies above for carelessly bared necks.

Fun fact: Derived from the older phrase "All Hallows Evening", which is used for the night before All Hallows/Saints Day, the word Halloween is the result of years and years of people shortening the older, overlong phrase. "All Hallows Evening" became "Hallows E'en" and eventually "Halloween".

So, here's how I spent my hallowed evening.

I have cousins visiting from out of town with two children. So, they wanted to dress up and go treating in a nearby neighborhood. My home is a bit rural, so they had to venture wider afield to get better odds at candy dispensing. The two kids dressed up as matching Grim Reapers, complete with blacked-out faces and fierce, light-up weapons (a scythe for one & a battle axe for the other). We called them the Twin Reapers. And lo, did the neighbors quake at their terrible approach!

Personally, I stayed indoors, as I had a pressing appointment with a comfy couch and Joe Bob's Halloween Hangout on Shudder. He was screening Elvira's Haunted Hills, which is a great comedy-horror film, and hanging out with Cassandra Peterson (the maven behind the make-up of Elvira) and Darcy the Mail-Girl. It was a fantastic show, with Joe Bob regaling viewers with highly sought-after tips on how to properly conduct Halloween tricks. And Cassandra was a delight as well, revealing lots of interesting behind-the-scenes tidbits about her film.

So, for my Halloween, I tempted fate by turning off the porchlight, closing the curtains, and having a wonderful night in. But, fear not for my safety, dear readers! I took proper precautions before hunkering down. I lined my doorsill with delectable treats to keep the demon-souled at bay. For while salt works at warding against vengeful spirits, candy does the same against carnivorous tricksters. And thus, I felt secure in closing the door for the night without fear of triggering a terrible curse.

So, tell me, how did you all spend your Hallows Eve?

Max (Novus Operandi)