October!

In the U.S., October is all about Halloween (unless you are shopping and then half the stores are already putting stuff out for Christmas)! People spend the entire month getting ready for the last day. At work we've been making decorations since September (but everything is homemade, which is not usual, so we had to start early.) Neighbors already have fake tombstones and spiderwebs streaked across the lawn and window clings of pumpkins and spiders and vampires decorating the windows. Orange strings of lights are hung in trees or along sidewalks, and the newest decorating craze (not just for Halloween) is the inflatable objects. There's a house on the street where I work with an inflatable death coach. There are also pumpkins and witches and vampires that are blown up in the evening and light the way to a house that will probably have good candy.

At the beginning of October tons of haunted houses open their doors to those seeking a thrill. Most of the time these are basically dark rooms decorated with flashing lights and fake monsters, where people jump out to scare passer-bye, but some of them have wavers for patrons to sign before entering, because of the danger involved. The Haunted houses aren't always in houses. There are variations such as haunted trails and haunted river boats and haunted hospitals... the list could go on forever.

One of my favorite things to do during October is the hayride and grill out at my Granny and Papaw's farm. We ride through the fields on a trailer with church friends and hay bails and sing songs and tell stories and just enjoy each other's company. Then we grill hot dogs and hamburgers and play games and things like that. It's a nice tradition.

A non-Halloween event that many in my area part take in is traveling through the Smokey Mountains to see the trees changing color. The reds and golds and oranges on the hillside is breath-taking and really helps you to appreciate the world's natural beauty.

When Halloween finally arrives, there are many celebrations. Children go Trick-or-Treating house to house asking for candy while dressed in costumes. Most Schools have costume parties in the classroom and other organizations might get into the spirit and have parties as well. Games might include a costume contest, bobbing for apples, or guessing what you're feeling while blind folded (you have to feel things like peeled grapes and are told they are eyeballs). Treats usually include popped corn and candy and cookies shaped like bats or pumpkins.

Older kids might feel a little more mischievous and celebrate the night before Halloween (sometimes referred to as "Cabbage Night") by playing pranks like egging or toilet papering houses or putting flaming dog poo on a neighbor's porch. I've seen older photos of cabbage night escapades such as putting a tractor on a barn roof. Sometimes Cabbage night activities carry over to the night of Halloween and the tricksters go around smashing jack-o-lanterns in the street.

Adults enjoy either taking their children Trick-or-Treating or attending grown-up costume parties. Some parties have themes and others all costumes are welcome. Many adult parties also have contests, and especially at bars or dance clubs, the prizes can be very nice. The trend for adults in recent years has been to dress as scantily as possible. There have been news reports of about how younger adults and teenagers are wearing costumes cut short with low necklines and midriffs showing.

Scary movies are a big part of the holiday. Many TV shows have Halloween specials and some channels show a mostly Halloween related line up. (The History Channel has shows about where vampires, werewolves, Frankenstein and other Halloween traditions originated.)

I should also mention that a large number of Americans don't like to celebrate Halloween at all, seeing it as the Devil's Holiday. I don't have much to say about them, except that Halloween's origins are Pagan, but religious, and it's mostly good clean fun.