HALLOWEEN PT 2

So after the whole death thing is trotted out, duly noted confronted and made fun of -(See Irish funeral custom of dancing on the grave) and sewn into the natural fabric of the seasonal cycle we can now move to part 2.

I like the Halloween tradition of dressing up into some subconscious, inner layer revealing costume. While not wanting to overread psychology into it, I do think that every mental health profile should include the question "What did you go out as on Haloween when you were a kid?".

I think the answers would just be as indicative as any MMPI, Meyers Briggs or Rorshach test,

Just a few to consider:

Superheroes? that's cool. maybe chronic underachievers have their day. Ghastly ghouls and costumes of serial killers and movie demons have to indicate some underlying anger problem or sublimated fury, don't they? How about the witch, the vampire, Frankenstein? I say those folks are just staunch traditionalists and secure in nostalgia. The pregnant nun and other funny get ups no doubt signify the jokester role and the teweakng of social mores. And of course, my favorite, the SEXY anything. There is a large number of females ages 14-beyond who see the Haloween costume as the great opportunity to release their inner slut. And to close, the couples outfits can be romantic--the peanut butter and jelly jars, mickey and minnie mouse and the pimp and the prostitute all advertise "we go together".

What did you dress up as and why? What are your favorites? As for me, my grandmother just suggested putting on my regular "play" clothes and going out as a bum. Austerity and practicality always trump any kind of elaborate ego/super ego/id/ perspective. And then as a teen of course, we looked FOR the house that was giving out the drugged candy. In adulthood, there were a couple of occassions where I put on a nasty mask and scared the kids of my house and the neighborhood but I knda felt uncomfortable as I was forced to ask "Why am I enjoying this so much?" . The answer of "kids like to be scared shitless" would be inappropriate and punishible in a court of law except on ...............Oct 31............when primitive emotions rule the hour. That's good by me.

WHY I LIKE HALLOWEEN. Part 1.

Some may suggest that Halloween is a frivolous and child-centered celebration. Some may object to it by claiming that it is macabre, mischievious and comprises a maelstrom of worshipping demons and devils. (Which it may be but, -hooray for that too)..... I am not one of those bird brains.

Recent consumer research shows Halloween is ranked 2nd in terms of the amount of cash that is plopped down by Americans--second only to its Glenda Good Witch Doppelganger Image -- better known as Christmas. Monies are spent for costumes (for those uncreative beings) , house and outdoor decorations, pumpkins and candies et al. It is fun and outlandish and this makes it delicious.

However, if one peels back the layers of human (ok, onion) skin, there are a few distinct psychological things a goin on here that make it a lil more interesting. So here is Part 1.

It's the whole Death thing. Death for me evokes Fear and Trembling. I'm not Zen. I'm totally not OK with it. As my early and best mentor Cambell Crockett mentioned once, "It certainly has an air of finality about it". We avoid death, dead people, all things associated with it and live by constantly ducking its shadow. Except on the approach to and day of Halloween. We put reminders of it in our yards!!! Grave stones and spiders and zombies and all things in the cornocopeia of creepy. We let it in. And confront the scariness and the end. And to a large extent, enjoy it....Maybe there is a vestige of fooling around with spirits but we don't see these ghosties bathed in white light and golden robes but rather in bloody, dismembered, hatchet in the brain horrific portrayals.

Give the gore its due. Acknowledge evil. Typically we tell the kids its OK because it's "FAKE". Well, maybe they'll buy that.....for awhile.

PICTURE LEGEND: L- Kins proving screaming comes naturally R My neighbor Ed goes all out for the 'Ween!!!