Holidays feel different to me, now that my kids are grown and out on their own. And now that I’m no longer married. And now that I live with a cat.
Actually, I’ve almost always lived with a cat. But not this particular cat — Roscoe — a cat who cares very little, one way or the other, about holidays.
There are two ways to feel about any particular holiday. You can love it, and you can hate it. Sometimes, both at the same time.
If you’re a cat, however, you wonder what all the fuss is about.
One reason holidays feel different is because of the changes in family structure. Kids leave home. Wives run off with a new boyfriend. Your cat is apathetic.
But holiday’s also feel different also because the holidays themselves have changed — significantly — since I was a kid.
Take Halloween, for example.
October 31.
When I was a kid, Halloween meant dressing up in a costume and knocking on neighborhood doors, and hoping the people living there had some kind of chocolate to hand out. Some neighbors handed out Jolly Ranchers, or Bit-O-Honeys, or popcorn balls, or even apples. Those neighbors were not ‘cool’. The cool neighbors handed out some form of chocolate. Snickers or Kit Kat bars or Whoppers or Milk Duds.
This still goes on. Kids still dress up, and still collect candy from strangers. There are now several organized community events that distribute candy to kids, much to the delight of our local dentists.
One thing that’s changed, though, is the duration. For some reason, it’s not enough to celebrate on October 31. Halloween now covers the entire last week of October.
But the main problem is, the adults have taken over. It’s no longer primarily a kid-centered holiday. Adults now think Halloween is about adult stuff.
Here in Pagosa Springs, for example, Halloween events start on October 24. Sure, we have some kids’ events, but check out the adult events:
Masquerade Ball at Keyah Grande. “October 24th, 6-9 PM. $125. Get Tickets Online.”
Witches Fly-in, October 25. “Witches soar through twilights loom! Drop the broom and fly the balloon!”
“Spaces are limited and pre-registration is required — call/text 970-946-4450 to reserve your spot!”
The Witches on the Water, October 25.
“Spread the word… Can’t wait to see all you witches out there!”
Halloween Hootenanny.
“Join us for a spooktacular day of fun at the Halloween Hootenanny on October 25…”
Multiple beer gardens, for Halloween? Whatever happened to Snickers bars?
And capping off the adult events on October 25 — a full week before actual Halloween — you can check out the School of Movement burlesque dancers at the Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts, with their annual ‘Halloween Boo-lesque’ performance.
Not recommended for kids.
I mean, I get it. Adults are no longer “adults”. We want to be children for our entire lives. We want to dress up and eat candy. (When we’re not drinking beer.)
In case you’re still looking for adult entertainment, the Liberty Theatre is presenting “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at 7pm on October 30.
And there’s a family-friendly Jack-O-Lantern Jamboree on October 31 — an actual Halloween event — at Tennyson Park from 3-6pm… followed by not-so-family-friendly Halloween events that night at Neon Mallard and at Hidden Track.
I distinctly recall one particular Halloween, when I was in kindergarten. I told my mom I wanted to be Tyrannosaurus Rex. My mom took this request to heart and created a dinosaur outfit complete with am elegant papier-mâché head that — to my young eyes — looked remarkably like a real Tyrannosaurus head, with long white teeth that could easily rip out someone’s throat.
I could hardly wait for Halloween to arrive. This was, as noted, back in the days when Halloween happened on October 31, and only on October 31.
The time arrived to get into my costume and go knocking on doors. I put on the Tyrannosaurus head, and much to my surprise, I could barely see where I was going, with all those papier-mâché teeth dangling in front of my eyes. And sounds were muffled and confusing.
Much to my embarrassment, my mom had to hold my hand and guide me through the neighborhood.
I never again asked to be Tyrannosaurus Rex for Halloween. But I suspect my mom enjoyed holding my hand that night.
It was the first and last time she got to hold a dinosaur’s hand.
Ah, yes. Those were the days.
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all. You can read more stories on his Substack account.