Three things I find particularly distasteful. Giving out my phone number [except to the elect]; surprise parties [what if I've been digging in the dirt or reading in my pj/s-- see entry, July 3]; and Halloween.
Not that I object to donning a good costume for a worthy event. A I donned the garb of the Fourth Doctor WHOse mind boggles. Ah, that was a masterpiece of fancy dress and how it brings fond memories with it.
Back in the day, Halloween was the provenance of dogs and kids only. Kids roamed neighborhoods trick-or-treating for candy. Dogs roamed the neighborhoods looking for houses with rolled yards. [You remember the rolled yard. Kids, armed with rolls of toilet paper, threw those rolls high into the trees of the houses of scolding old ladies, sworn enemies, etc.] There's nothing a dog likes more on Halloween than scampering from rolled house to rolled house.
Increasingly, however, older folks crept in on our innocent fun.
First the 'tweens who still wanted the candy even though they were really too old for kids play. Generally they didn't bother with a costume [being scary enough without].
Then, the older teens looking for an excuse to play spin the bottle while in disguise.
Next college students-- any excuse for partying [concommitantly inventing the verb: to party].
Finally, the death knell. Adults climbed on the lets-get-dressed-up-and-act-like-children bandwagon, effectually burying the holiday by turning it into an opportunity to act like kids. [or perhaps like dogs?]
If you share my Halloween beliefs, feel free to make a comment in the section provided at the end of this entry. Also collecting like minded comments on phone privacy and the abolition of surprise parties.
