That hair-raising, bone-chilling and ghoulish time of year is almost here and I could not be more excited. It’s like Christmas, but much darker - like the grim reaper who lurked around my nightmares as a child - or the thick fog that rolls in through the Cariboo as the season changes from summer to fall.
It’s time to put away the barbecues and break out the pumpkins, gourds and Halloween spirit. For one month out of the year, I can be my weirdly, witchy self. I am not sure where it comes from or why I am drawn to Halloween because, in reality, I am a big scaredy-cat. I don’t do well in scary movies and the thought of paranormal activity makes my eyes water, but here I am, drinking my pumpkin spiced latte, mentally preparing myself for all things spooky.
I have this tradition, each year, I must start the season by watching all of the Scream movies. There’s something about Drew Barrymore in the opening scene that I just can’t get enough of - I’ve watched it so many times that I feel like I could play the role… if I couldn’t, well at least it would be the perfect costume idea. Of course, I would be in drag as Casey Becker and my imaginary partner as Ghostface.
After Scream, then come the others like Hocus Pocus, Halloween Town, Beetlejuice and then the horrors. The scary movies are really a minuscule part of my Halloween oddities. Little does my roommate know, our apartment is about to get really festive. I have already begun buying pumpkins and gourds, but there is going to be so much more.
This year is different.
I will be experiencing Halloween in the Cariboo for the first time. Living in the city, the lust for Halloween really lost itself because there are so many people and so many things going on.
I remember as a kid, living in a neighbourhood and the streets would be filled with children, dressed in their best, trick-or-treating from door to door and filling their pillowcases up with enough candy to last until December.
That has changed over the years, at least in the city.
I’m sure my friends are happy I am not around this year for Halloween because I would force them into taking it as seriously as I do. I mean, we only get one day a year, where we can be whoever we want, so it has to be good. While I will be missing my friends and family, I am looking forward to Halloween with a small-town feeling.
My imagination sees 100 Mile being dressed in it’s Halloween best, but that’s just in my head. However, with all of this hay, I sure hope there are haunted hayrides - not that I am willing to participate, but I like to know the option is there.
I am not quite sure what the town is like around this frightful time of year but I can’t wait to find out.