Only one day a year can people dress up like a Disney princess and not be judged.
Halloween.
The second-highest-grossing holiday behind Christmas, Halloween is the ideal holiday for kids who want to dress up like a superhero, rake in the candy and call it a night.
Because of the holiday’s close association with a younger audience, it is often considered childish and even dangerous to adults.
A sort of wariness befalls adults during Halloween. Arguments such as religion, safety and, most interestingly, age have been raised in opposition to the haunted holiday.
The fear of what others think plays a big part on whether we leave the house in fangs or stay home and ignore the doorbell.
This begs the question: After a certain age, is it shameful to be spooky? Are we ever too old to trick or treat?
We say, never.
Halloween is for everyone who needs to let loose and have fun just for the sake of it.
No other group could benefit more from this than adults.
We are constantly moving, working so hard for our families and ourselves that holidays can transform into another added source of stress.
A mental checklist forms weeks before the event: get the candy, get the costumes, hang the decorations. If we’re not careful, we begin to view Halloween more as an expensive hassle than a celebration.
This is when we lose sight of the essence of Halloween: creativity.
We shouldn’t let anything keep us from creating a costume that reflects our innerselves or pays homage to someone or something we admire, taking in a party, or eating candy.
It should be considered a crime to pass up good candy.
People who have had less-than-favorable Halloween experiences shouldn’t hesitate to change that.
We learn what and when to celebrate as a child, and we usually transfer that same knowledge to our own families later in life.
So parents especially should celebrate Halloween. The day offers a chance to inspire tradition and provide happy memories for children.
It can also demonstrate that it’s OK to be oneself and let Dad take a backseat for one night.
Who’s Dad? He’s Elvis. Or a werewolf. Or maybe Justin Bieber. Anything is possible.
Don’t be afraid to embrace your inner child. We know that child is in there somewhere.
