NFR Am I the only grump who doesn't care about Halloween?

Non-fishing related
Josh

Josh

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I've just never really cared much about Halloween. Oh sure, I dressed up and got candy as a kid and I made sure my kids had the same experience. But overall I just kind of feel like it's a PITA holiday that makes me have to put a bunch of effort into coming up with some sort of clever outfit that will never get used again, deal with random people at my house, and loads my kids up with candy that makes them bounce off the walls for weeks. Maybe I'd feel differently if I lived in a neighborhood where everyone celebrated together and there was a big tradition around it?

I'd rather be fishing.

Now Thankgiving.... THERE'S a holiday worth having.

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As an adult I feel this way about every holiday... Except Thanksgiving. Get ready for Christmas music. No dressing up for me, no parties, I'm a 40 year old grumpy old man. Kids are doing their thing though.
 
I honestly don't enjoy holidays, period. I don't like feeling obligated to do a bunch of things I don't much enjoy anyway. I'd rather just hang out with friends/family when we're inspired to do so and do the things we enjoy. Holidays are a source of too much stress for me... especially with a split family on both mine and my wife's side, and all of them being upset at us for not spending XXX holiday with THEM.

So this year for Thanksgiving, we're not spending it with anyone and driving up to see friends in Canada instead. Thanksgiving might be one of my personal least favorites for a long list of reasons including but not limited to: hating being in a crowded house and not liking anything on the traditional menu.

For Halloween, I'm indifferent. I don't like dressing up or anything, but I like seeing how excited some of my friends get about it, so sometimes their joy is contagious.
 
I really enjoy the little ones, especially those that are out for the first time.
Oh, and being 73, I have no kids at home to be bouncing off the walls for days to come. :ROFLMAO:

Like others, Thanksgiving is by far my favorite.
 
I fully recognize my dislike of Thanksgiving isn't normal and don't begrudge anyone for their joy of it. It's just not for me.

That said, I LOVE having dinner parties with friends and family throughout the year with food we're inspired to make and people we want to see and visit with at the time. So it goes back to my having an issue mostly with being told to do a list of arbitrary traditions on a specific day because someone a long time ago said so.
 
I bought two big bags of candy yesterday. If the kids come by, fine. If not, the folks at my office will get to eat it.
I personally am not a fan of the upcoming holiday season except for Thanksgiving, which is my favorite by a huge margin. Unfortunately the most over hyped holiday which is Christmas has ruined Thanksgiving…..
I’m always glad when Christmas is over and I can just relax, eat and drink on New Years break while watching endless bowl games.
SF
 
Evan B said:
I fully recognize my dislike of Thanksgiving isn't normal and don't begrudge anyone for their joy of it. It's just not for me.
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I'm pretty pro Thanksgiving in concept. I do love lots of the traditional menu (at least having it once a year). And to be honest, it's awesome to have a holiday that is about appreciation for what you have in your life and isn't just an over commercialized shill for corporations to sell you more crap. You can celebrate it however you like with whoever you like. Raise a glass and give thanks for the life you live and those you love (and those who love you).

Yes, yes, Black Friday has somehow latched itself onto Thanksgiving and is perhaps the worst example of buybuybuy consumerism. But that doesn't mean Thanksgiving itself isn't cool. Food, friends/family, even football! Works for me.

Evan B said:
So it goes back to my having an issue mostly with being told to do a list of arbitrary traditions on a specific day because someone a long time ago said so.
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Well yeah. But that aspect can be a problem for any sort of obligation. Sunday dinner at the inlaws has been the bane of many good folks existence for decades.
 
Halloween is fun for me. There's a lot to like:
Eating your kids candy
Scaring your kids
Running around the neighborhood saying hi to all your neighbors
Staying up a little bit late with your kids
Telling scary stories
Seeing your kids stoke when they get that full size candy bar from the 'cool' neighbor

I don't know, I like it. Fun day in my house.
 
I enjoyed Halloween when my kids were younger, but now they are adults. I don’t care for it now. However, I like seeing good yard decorations. Christmas is too commercial, I just like family dinners for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Going out of state for fly fishing trips is my best holiday.
 
I'm pro eating good food....don't need a holiday for that. I do enjoy Halloween around our neighborhood since there are a couple of neighbors that really do it up right. games, adult beverages, candy for the kids, etc...really cool. Makes me feel lame just leaving a bowl of candy in front because we want to hang out with neighbors while the kids go off in search of candy.....but not that lame.
 
Josh said:
I'm pretty pro Thanksgiving in concept. I do love lots of the traditional menu (at least having it once a year). And to be honest, it's awesome to have a holiday that is about appreciation for what you have in your life and isn't just an over commercialized shill for corporations to sell you more crap. You can celebrate it however you like with whoever you like. Raise a glass and give thanks for the life you live and those you love (and those who love you).

Yes, yes, Black Friday has somehow latched itself onto Thanksgiving and is perhaps the worst example of buybuybuy consumerism. But that doesn't mean Thanksgiving itself isn't cool. Food, friends/family, even football! Works for me.


Well yeah. But that aspect can be a problem for any sort of obligation. Sunday dinner at the inlaws has been the bane of many good folks existence for decades.
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I agree with all that, but like I said, I'd rather do it when I'm inspired to do so. My overly-practical brain doesn't understand traditions and would rather just do those things when it suits me vs a day someone else said to do it. If I'm "giving thanks" on a specific day, then that just registers as disingenuous to my weird way of thinking.

Also, like I said, the typical American holiday meal menu does absolutely nothing for me. But I fully realize that's another "me" problem.
 
I'm not into dressing up. I like Thanksgiving and Christmas. My family and friends have really chilled out on the gift giving thing and that has dramatically enhanced the experience. Not that I'm not into giving, I am. But a contrived obligatory giving in the name of consumer America dot com isn't my thing. I really just love to spend time with my family and friends and try to slow myself from working too much or feeling obligated to do so. At this point in my life time is the most valuable asset I know and you simply cannot buy it no matter how rich you are or are trying to be. So in that light spending time with family and friends is extremely valuable.
 
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Dustin Chromers said:
I'm not into dressing up. I like Thanksgiving and Christmas. My family and friends have really chilled out on the gift giving thing and that has dramatically enhanced the experience. Not that I'm not into giving, I am. But a contrived obligatory giving in the name of consumer America dot com isn't my thing. I really just love to spend time with my family and friends and try to slow myself from working too much or feeling obligated to do so. At this point in my life time is the most valuable asset I know and you simply cannot buy it no matter how rich you are or are trying to be. So in that light spending time strong family and friends is extremely valuable.
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If the whole idea of compulsory gift exchanges just went away, my dislike of christmas would be cut dramatically.
 
Long_Rod_Silvers said:
Halloween is fun for me. There's a lot to like:
Eating your kids candy
Scaring your kids
Running around the neighborhood saying hi to all your neighbors
Staying up a little bit late with your kids
Telling scary stories
Seeing your kids stoke when they get that full size candy bar from the 'cool' neighbor

I don't know, I like it. Fun day in my house.
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I’m with you. My kids have been excited for weeks. Joining in with that is fun. Then it’s over and we can go back to being stressy adults again.
 
Evan B said:
I agree with all that, but like I said, I'd rather do it when I'm inspired to do so. My overly-practical brain doesn't understand traditions and would rather just do those things when it suits me vs a day someone else said to do it. If I'm "giving thanks" on a specific day, then that just registers as disingenuous to my weird way of thinking.
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I totally understand all of that.

But doing things with a group of adults tends to require more planning than some of us would like. The advantage of "this is the day we do this thing" is that people expect it and plan their lives to make it happen. Most folks tend to leave the holidays open because we expect there to be events happening that we'll be attending. My family has done a few "Friendsgivings" in July. And sometimes they work. But more often than not, nobody can find a day that fits because of work/vacation/etc.

So goes life I suppose. I will say that you do seem to have some awesome food/friends get togethers at your house and I'm sorry I live too far away to invite myself.

Evan B said:
If the whole idea of compulsory gift exchanges just went away, my dislike of christmas would be cut dramatically.
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This, 1,000,000%

Though for most non-religious people, that would turn Christmas into "Thanksgiving 2" with fancier decorations. But I'd be okay with that myself.
 
I like Halloween. I dress up as either Kylo Ren or Darth Vader and have light saber battles with trick-or-treaters most years, with the help of my kids. Our neighborhood is probably the busiest place in town on Halloween, so it would be pretty miserable if we didn't embrace it.
 
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