Halloween, again

 

A ghost, a chandelier, and a creepy watching figure in the crook of the tree show Halloween is still alive and well in this household.

Go big or not at all seems to be the attitude toward Halloween this year, our second go-round with this festivity during the never-ending pandemic.

Last year, the media was full of stories about safe ways to give out treats – dangle them on sticks from the top of your stairs; shoot them down toward the kiddies through a pipe attached to your stair banister. Noticeably fewer houses were decked out for Halloween 2020; after years of mounting enthusiasm, the celebration was flattened by Covid.

This year, it seems many householders have bowed out of the Halloween business altogether. During a walk today, I saw whole blocks without even a doorstep pumpkin. But in some areas – probably those with more kids – decorations were more lavish than ever. Ghosts and skeletons were ubiquitous, but there were also gyrating mechanical monsters, fake fog, firepits ablaze, creepy noises and cackling voices, and a whole family of scary creatures gathered in one front yard.

Even before the sun went down, I spotted a fully made-up witch walking her dog, twin toddlers in matching full-skirted purple dresses and witches’ hats, and groups of costumed parents and children gathering around outdoor treat stands. Halloween may have suffered a crisis, but I suspect it is not dead yet.

Along with the elaborate decorations I noticed this year, there were also very simple ones. A string of pumpkin lights in this shrub will turn it into something interesting in the dark.

Ghosts hanging in a garage door are another simple way of declaring Halloween.

Another view of the earlier ghost dangling over the sidewalk, with a dark-shrouded figure of who knows what providing a counterpoint. 

A crowded front yard of Halloween figures prove that more is more when it comes to celebrating this holiday.

The family, gathered to await the evening's trick or treaters.