Some may think that I’m getting ahead of myself. but with the leaves and winds changing, my inner kid has started to gearing up in anticipation of the spookiest season of the year: Hallowe’en!

In downtown Elora the monsters are out and BeetleGeuse is in the theatre, so it’s kind of hard to deny that this season has its grasp on the community at large, even tough it’s still only September.  Not that I’m one for going all out on this season’s decorations and fanfare myself, but I am one for appreciating the creative and the macabre that others put out on display around this time of year.  I’ve always enjoyed dressing up, I am a rather big fan of scary/horror movies (as long as they don’t take themselves too seriously), and, of course, I enjoy candy.  More than any of that, though, I love the excitement it bring the girls as they start to map out their costumes and plans for the big day, a task we seem to have traditionally started doing at the end of our Algonquin camping trip; yes, talk of costumes has been in the ether since July…

If I haven’t explicitly stated it before: I am both grateful and appreciative for the town that we live in.  Sure, it can be frustrating when the tourists flock and block the streets in the summer, but without them the businesses would suffer and our town just wouldn’t be what it is.  We moved here about 10 years ago, and in that time we have really come to recognize the community that we’re a part of.  Not only do we know the cast of characters, but we’ve become a part of them.  From shop owners, to buskers, to the folks who walk their dog every morning, we belong to a neighbourhood of people, faces and names and I love everything that comes along with that (namely because we are not a part of the drama that tends to accompany such things…).  As far as communities are concerned, when it comes to events and holidays, the collective tends not to skimp out, and while Christmas tends to take the cake in most places, with lights and parades and starlight shopping events (which Elora does in spades as well), Halloween in this town is not something that simply gets glossed over.

Kicking off with the Twilight Zoo – a cross-town display of monsters and creations by local artist Tim Murton (I mean, come on, how perfect is that?!) – October brings the  fall to life with his art installations that bring out curiosity in our kids as they search for explore the different ghouls, beasts, and critters around the neighbourhood.  It is a tradition that has lasted over 20-years, and continues to grow, bringing people from all corners to immerse themselves into a world of art and wonder.  Then there is the Monster March, where the community at large shuts down the streets and invites anyone and everyone who wishes to participate to dress up and join in a community parade, which culminates at the Bessel park for a dance party and hot chocolate.  Of course there is the Salem haunted house, there a ghost walks, cemetery tours, murder mystery shows, the sensational soup event, and candlelight Elora – an evening dining and shopping event centred around Betelgeuse this year! – I mean the entire month is dedicated to Halloween, so what’s not to love?!  You can check out more of the details and events, here.

With everything I just listed (and there’s even more, trust me), the creativity of this season is, I think, what captivates me the most.  Whether it’s the costumes or the aforementioned affinity for the creepy movie genre, this time of year brings out something in people that doesn’t typically happen among the other traditional holidays.  Christmas has its decorations, and I will not say that I enjoy Hallowe’en more, but where Christmas seems to carry more tradition, Hallowe’en seems to carry more inspiration.  And where a celebration like Easter can be enjoyable for the kiddos, it does’t really reach much beyond that for me, nor does it waver from its usual traditions and activities.  Hallowe’en, on the other hand, is different every year.  It happens on a different day of the week, the build-up is involved and immersive, and the costumes are typically motivated by whatever is current and relevant in our lives.  Looking or thinking back on memories of Halloween past serves as a bit of a time capsule more than other celebrations tend to do.  I can recall the cast characters I would personify as a kid, and they each carry a specific reason and symbolize a different chapter in my life.  From The Mad Hatter or a Care Bear, to a Cob of Corn or Darth Vader, each costume has represented something that mattered to me in the moment, and it’s fun to watch as our girls carve out time capsules of their own.

Beginning around now and lasting until the end of October, with only a brief pause for Thanksgiving, Halloween is one of the few month-long “holidays” that doesn’t usually carry all of the stress and costs as some of the other annual celebrations might do.  Kids of all ages get to have fun exploring thrills and chills, and I am ever-impressed by how detailed some folks are willing to get.  Putting out decor on the lawn is one thing, but for those who go all out with their haunted houses and neighbourhood haunts – to you I tip my hat.  You are creating something unique and fun for others to enjoy, with no reward or payment expected in return.  You do it because you enjoy it and I think that’s pretty darn cool.  Now, where’s that candy…