I don’t know why but lately I’ve been hearing a lot of people complaining about the availability of Halloween stuff in stores. This year the complaints are more heartfelt; the frustration apparent.
This completely baffles me. And here’s why:
I live in Houston. For the geographically challenged, that’s in southeast Texas. For most of the year the temperature is higher than 100 degrees and relative humidity hovers around 100%. The air is teeming with mosquitoes, almost year-round. It is not unheard of to be in shorts and a t-shirt and sweating on Christmas day around here. If it ever happens to snow, even for a few minutes, it shuts the city down. That’s how un-used to cold weather we are here. 8-9 months out of the year we live in a steamy, soupy, buggy swamp where the hot air is so thick, it’s difficult to breathe. Autumn and Winter, rather than being seasons, are simply waves of cool and cold fronts between hot days. Spring is just hot.
The day after Labor Day you typically see Fall-themed or Halloween stuff being put out at retail. That’s pretty common. And every time I see it it makes me happy.
It makes me happy because it’s a promise to the eventual end of 20+ consecutive days of triple-digit heat. It makes me happy because the holidays are coming and the holidays typically mean time off from work, seeing family, and getting food and presents.
Look, I realize that holidays are over-commercialized. If you don’t like that, then make your own costume. Make your own treats. Make your own decorations. Then take a picture of your creation and send it in. That’s why we’re here!
Oh yeah, and another thing, lady: Lighten up. Halloween is awesome.
