The other day, as I was celebrating Reformation Day, it was also Hallowe'en. This isn't a coincidence. Martin Luther actually chose the eve of All Saints Day (All Hallow's Eve) to nail his 95 theses on the church door. It was a statement on his part about false saintliness, apparently.
Ever since I have lived in my own place, I have been excited to welcome trick-or-treaters, even though this really isn't my holiday. Well, I enjoy the fun parts of it, but I am not a celebrant of All Saints Day, Dia de la Muerte, or Samhain.
Still, I like trick-or-treating and seeing families out visiting their neighbors.
The thing is, I seem to always live in places that don't get trick-or-treaters. When I lived on Main St, people would go to the houses but skip the apartment buildings, so I'd get maybe one knock at the door. Now I live on a dead end street. A big year is when five or six young visitors knock while their parents wait in the street.
Last year, I went out and sat at the bottom of my steps with candy bowl. This year, I even put paper lanterns (not as good as the one pictured) out in a line down my sidewalk, hoping for more kids to come asking for candy. We got one.
It makes me sad. I feel left out.
I don't know why the fact that families didn't turn down our street of eight houses, of which only three had the lights on, makes me feel rejected. It can't be personal these people don't know me. It just isn't worth the time to come to our house. Or they don't see it.
But it does. There you go.
I guess I just want to feel like I am participating in my community.
Ah well. I did visit a "Haunted House" neighbors around the corner setup. That was fun, but it was just me, my son, and the homeowners.
I think I long for the days when small neighborhoods did things together and neighbors knew each other. Holidays all had a communal aspect. We were together.
Maybe someday, I'll be part of that again.
Anyway, have a blessed day!
Ever since I have lived in my own place, I have been excited to welcome trick-or-treaters, even though this really isn't my holiday. Well, I enjoy the fun parts of it, but I am not a celebrant of All Saints Day, Dia de la Muerte, or Samhain.
Still, I like trick-or-treating and seeing families out visiting their neighbors.
The thing is, I seem to always live in places that don't get trick-or-treaters. When I lived on Main St, people would go to the houses but skip the apartment buildings, so I'd get maybe one knock at the door. Now I live on a dead end street. A big year is when five or six young visitors knock while their parents wait in the street.Last year, I went out and sat at the bottom of my steps with candy bowl. This year, I even put paper lanterns (not as good as the one pictured) out in a line down my sidewalk, hoping for more kids to come asking for candy. We got one.
It makes me sad. I feel left out.
I don't know why the fact that families didn't turn down our street of eight houses, of which only three had the lights on, makes me feel rejected. It can't be personal these people don't know me. It just isn't worth the time to come to our house. Or they don't see it.
But it does. There you go.
I guess I just want to feel like I am participating in my community.
Ah well. I did visit a "Haunted House" neighbors around the corner setup. That was fun, but it was just me, my son, and the homeowners.
I think I long for the days when small neighborhoods did things together and neighbors knew each other. Holidays all had a communal aspect. We were together.
Maybe someday, I'll be part of that again.
Anyway, have a blessed day!
I now live in a place where the troops (marshalled by their parents) provide a non-stop assault. Compared to when i lived on a sleepy, tree-lined street, where nary a soul came. I think I prefer being able to read my paper and sip my wine undisturbed.
ReplyDelete:) Perhaps we could switch every October 31!
DeleteMy community does trunk-or-treat in the town common. We didn't participate this year, but maybe that's something you could organize with some friends or at church with a group of people.
ReplyDeleteWe did that once or twice with a church. It's a great idea. Maybe next year. :)
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