A most Happy Halloween week to all of you kind enough to read my ramblings one more time- now with an extra dose of "Spooky".
When 2020 began all these months ago, I took a look as I always do at the calendar to get an idea on what days the holidays fall. It's always nice to know when the big ones likes Christmas and New Year's will be so you can see if you can get a long weekend out of it perhaps or if maybe they've moved Thanksgiving to a different day of the week just for fun. (Did you know Thanksgiving in Canada is always on a Monday in October?- I have relatives there and I checked. Crazy Stuff). The one thing that immediately jumped out this year was that Halloween was on a Saturday! It's always hard to get into the perfect Halloween mood on a Tuesday or a Thursday. It just doesn't fit. I know many celebrate the weekend before or the Saturday after, but that doesn't work for me. The days before are too early and let's be honest, as soon as October 31st becomes November 1st- any thoughts of Spooky immediately change over to Festive Sleighrides and Decking of the proverbial Halls. But this year was going to be perfect! A Saturday for Halloween and what's more- a Full Moon on Halloween as well. The first time that's happened in 76 years (I checked again). Except for that one year that Halloween fell on Friday the 13th (Don't look that up, just trust me), this was going to be the best ever. And then something came along to screw it all up now didn't it?
I won't even say the name or the number that we're all thinking. It shall now be referred to as "The Thing That Shall Not Be Named" or TTTSNBN for short.
When the TTTSNBN hit our radar, sometime in February for me, I think like most everyone, I dismissed it as another one of those news stories that got blown out of proportion for the ratings. Then in March- they told us to stay home to make sure this wouldn't turn into a big problem. A few weeks should be good, they said. Nope Wear a mask, stay home whenever you can, close the store except for a few hours a day- it will get better. Not so much... The summer will fix it I was told with the warmer temps- I think summer is over, right? Is it all better? Getting pretty sick of this $#*?.
As I work through my anger and resentment (I often have no shortage of those in a regular year)- we know that the TTTSNBN seems to be with us for the foreseeable future. We will all continue to deal with it as best we can even though the damn Spookiest thing that I can remember in my lifetime has undone my favorite Spooky Holiday with a Full Moon and probably perfect weather and the most awesomely spooky day in history that should have been the best ever... (Calming down now). So what can we do?
Deal with it an move on I guess. I'll watch some scary movies and see if we can take my GranDog (Hi Bea!) for some safe Tricks and Treats and make the best of it like everyone else. Thanks a lot TTTSNBN!
To be honest, it's getting harder and harder to make the best of it isn't it? Halloween isn't that big of a deal to many people, but the home stretch of the year brings us to the Big Holidays- and this isn't a game anymore. The TTTSNBN messed with Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, the 4th, Arbor Day, Decoration Day (it was a thing for real) and now Halloween. We have to figure out how to salvage Thanksgiving, Christmas, (Hanukkah and Kwanzaa too) and New Year's.
I have found the answer and it is only two words long. Hallmark Channel.
I have to admit, I have already watched several (even though it totally destroys my Spooky Vibe) of their buffet of sanitized holiday fare, and it is a balm for the soul. No problem that can't be solved, no lost love that can't be found again, no sad widower who buries their joy of the holidays can't find it again with the perfectly timed help of the town's new Teacher/Businesswoman/Nanny. The stories are literally perfect. They leave you feeling better than when you began and that's a real accomplishment right now. Don't discount a few hours of escapism when you need it most.
I know they're cheesy, but that's a good thing too. Where else would you find so many people with Amnesia, Time-Travel, Adorable Children with Single Parents, the actual Sons and Daughters of Santa, people who own Christmas Tree Farms or Christmas Only Craft Shops, Candy Companies, the most elaborately decorated towns and homes, or people who support themselves by making Snowmen from Lint?
And most importantly, business people who need to learn that there are more important things than business. It speaks to me.
We have also learned to heed the cautionary tales that they tell- in my family, no one cleans the gutters because it is the surest way to become a Widow or Widower. I'm not joking here. Real life lessons.
Plus, who doesn't think that Candace Cameron Bure, Danica McKellar, Lacey Chabert, and Autumn Resser are just the best ever. You have to love them in anything they do, seriously. (My wife likes this Andew Walker guy but I don't see it.) (We have also decided we no longer care for Alicia Witt. There I said it- change my mind if you think you can).
If you know who I'm talking about- I'm sure you need no convincing and for the rest of you- give it a chance. The Hallmark Channel & Hallmark Movies and Mysteries are the best thing I've found to fight off the TTTSNBN Blues and we all need more of that.
As a bonus- here is a link to the classic SNL spoof commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSzytvDsPfo Chris Bearstick rocks!
Now I promised an extra dose of Spooky in this post so here it is: 5 Days Until the Election!!! Ahhhhhh!!!!!!
I hope that wasn't too much for some, but you were warned.
Until I find the time to do this again- A Healthy and Safe Halloween to you all,
Uncle Steve
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