Day 10: Puttin' on the Ritz

You know how the song goes, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas……” Well, around here it is beginning to look a lot like Halloween. I wasn’t sure if people were going to decorate this year what with the uncertainty of Trick or Treating actually happening and all the other catastrophes, but it turns out, when you strand the general population in their houses for extended periods of time; they really break out all their Halloween décor and go nuts.

 There are interesting tableaus popping up all over town and I can’t wait to go on a late night ride to check out some of these creative endeavors. Some people go look at Christmas lights, I creep around and look at Halloween décor. I have a few favorites already (not counting my own yard).

There is a house next door to a church downtown and every year they decorate their front yard like crazy. If you people thought I had lots of stuff, I’ve got nothing on them. I honestly don’t know where they store it all. I think they buy new stuff each year. And we are not talking a little bit. They must have at least 20 fake pumpkins in their yard. They also have 6 foot tall monsters and it is marvelous. Another house just down from them has 2 mammoth grim reapers, freakishly huge webs and a Freddy Kruger/Jason Voorhees  doll sitting in a lawn chair under a tree. People one neighborhood over from me seem to be competing with their neighbors across the street to see who can have the biggest display. It is AMAZING! I love it, and it is only the 10^th of October. Hopefully this means there is more to come.

It makes me absolutely giddy looking at all these decorations. There are inflatables, animatronics, lights, webs, and pumpkin people. I wish I decorated the outside of my house more, but I have always been more of an indoor décor person. If I could be assured that no one would abscond with my stuff I’d buy more of the animatronic things. But those decorations are a hefty investment and I would be heartbroken if it was damaged or stolen. But hope springs eternal. I have several cool things bookmarked in my Amazon October list. Maybe one day. Maybe when I retire, I will turn my front and back yards into Halloween attractions. It will be an interactive trick or treating experience that has people lining up down the block. Oooh I just gave myself shivers. Yup, some people retire and want to go to the beach. I retire and want to turn my house into a holiday attraction…..sounds about right.

 How do you decorate for the season/holiday?

Day 7: Give Me ALL the Holiday Things!

Usually I don’t buy Halloween décor out of season. I HATE being rushed through the year and I don’t like that the commercialization of the holidays seem to start sooner and sooner. On the radio last week they were talking about Amazon Prime Day (and everyone who has jumped on the bandwagon because of it) being the new Black Friday. As if the original wasn’t bad enough. And don’t get me started on Christmas in July, it gives me rage monkeys. But I couldn’t help myself this year. 2020 has been a bit of a bumpy road and I needed a little early October joy in my life.

I wasn’t going to do it. I halfheartedly tried to fight it, but I think I bought my first October item either in late July or early August from a vintage shop. Once that premature holiday line had been crossed I galloped the rest of the way with gusto. There was no need to hold back now….and I didn’t ;)

I got my first Pumpkin Spice Latte in August the day it came out, and realized that I am kinda over it. I found an alternative last year that became my new favorite and after tasting the PSL this year I don’t see myself changing. The PSL seems cloyingly sweet in comparison and not as enjoyable as it once did. Sigh, something else 2020 ruined for me. From there it was a slippery October filled slope. I bought some discount Halloween crafts for my residents and that opened the door to buying more stuff for me. Then it was pumpkin pop tarts (which I swore I would NEVER buy again, but well….) Next came Zombie skittles and what goes best with zombie skittles, why  a neon green zombie hand pen with a feather boa around it of course. I mean, how could I not? I found my monster cereals at the start of September and may have done a little shuffle dance of joy right at the end of the aisle while hugging them.

The avalanche of new things continued even though I already have 18 boxes of decor. At final tally it was a whole folding table full of new stuff, and then came the dueling banjo skeletons that I just HAD to have. I named them Billy Bob and Earl. I also bought a spooky mansion October advent calendar but I’m pretty sure it was a scam and I am never going to see it. Maybe it will be a Valentine’s surprise?

Once I had my banjo playin’ fellas and a countdown calendar in route, I decided, why wait till October, I will start decorating now. I did get the boxes down in early September but unforeseen circumstances like smoke, family, and exhaustion kept me from decorating until the end of the month, but that didn’t hinder my purchasing power. I bought a Sleepy Hollow Bed and Breakfast sign from the coffee shop yesterday and am considering going back for another that is all about zombies. Also in the shopping cart was a new costume because the one I bought earlier in the year wasn’t cutting it anymore and that paved the way down the holiday rabbit hole that lead me to a pair of Scandinavian vampire trolls. I know, I know, I have a problem. The first step is admitting it. But I don’t want a cure. I’ll have you know I saw a Pegasus costume for bunnies and I neither bought a bunny nor the costume, so there is some hope for me yet…….but I really thought about it for a few minutes. 

What October purchases have you made thus far? Did I actually leave anything else for others to buy?

Day 25: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words…..

…..and since that is pretty close to what I normally write, whew, you get some time off for good behavior.

It seems more and more that those in the retail life like to promote holidays before their time, because of that, there have been a few memes and pictures that I have had since August and they are what I am going to talk about today.

I had to go back and look at my picture files because Christmas has been creeping in like a red and white stripped ninja. I see whole aisles dedicated to the holiday, Hallmark starts their Christmas countdown this weekend and last night, one of my coworkers was singing Christmas carols while he cleaned up. Not ok. So not ok, and not just because they are rushing the issue, but poor Thanksgiving gets left out yet again and it’s not even Halloween yet. I’m all for celebrating, but don’t keep rushing us. Let us enjoy the season we are in for a change.

So, as a reminder that we are still in fact in fall, here are few of my favorite pics from this year.

1)      Do Not Feed Hallucinogens to the Werewolves – I like this for obvious reasons. It has a werewolf in it with flying mushrooms and it looks like an actual park sign. It tickles my October funny bone. Werewolves are scary enough they don’t need to be drugged on top of it.

2)      Pumpkin Spice Cologne Pumpkins – I mean come on, pumpkins trying to fit in and wearing pumpkin spice. How meta.  A little pumpkin patch humor for you to start your day with.

3)      The Cereal Aisle – I found this early in the month and what made me really happy, despite the fact that there was lots of monster cereal, was the fact that below it was pumpkin spice cereal. Oh October and your pumpkin spice commercialization….never change.

4)      Cold Stone Boo Licious Ice Cream – it combines all my favorite things, black ice cream, Cold Stone, candy and October play on names. I haven’t had any yet, but it is on my bucket list.

5)      And Speaking of Ice Cream- Ben and Jerry should get some sort of Nobel Prize for holiday deliciousness. I’m sure it’s a thing. I have tried to find this limited edition but it appears to be a very limited edition or else has an invisibility cloak because I have not run into it yet.

6)      Pie Puns in Ads- I mean, is there anything better? I agree wholeheartedly with the caption above.

7)      Decorations – one of my friends sent me this. It isn’t the choice I would make for my yard, but it brings me joy nonetheless. They have a pirate ship on their front lawn and I love the little creatures along the front fencing. I would stop at your house for candy and give you a blue ribbon.

8) Pumpkin Boat Races - I mean COME. ON! First they grow ginormous pumpkins, then they hollow them out like canoes and THEN they race them. (waves hands frantically while jumping up and down to get attention) I am SO in!

Ahh, doesn’t that make you feel more fall like? What fall pictures do you have to share?

Day 15: Lazy Hazy Crazy Days of Autumn

I can’t believe it; we are halfway through the best month of them all. It feels like October just got started and already we are on the downward slope. There are still mazes to explore, pumpkins to carve, parties to attend, leaves to peep, and so much more. I guess I had better get my October enjoyment in while I can. Either that, or annex November and keep the party going.

Yesterday was the perfect October day. Well, almost perfect, but darn close. I got a full 9 hours of sleep and woke up to golden sunshine streaming through my windows. I had a full day ahead of me to explore October pursuits. I finally got to finish my Halloween décor. (it’s about time) The village is up, the glitter is swept from the floor and the outside is bedazzled. I spent the day baking pumpkin flavored goodies while Hallmark autumn favorites played in the background (I yelled heartily at the early Christmas ads interrupting my merriment). I had ample time to sit and enjoy the day. I didn’t come near finishing everything on my to do list, but what did get done seemed like the perfect amount.

Time seemed to stand still and a gentle breeze swept the leaves in a graceful dance across the porch. The temperature was goldilocks perfect, it wasn’t too hot or too cold, it was just right. I spent some quality time outside on the lawn getting things ready for winter and decorations ready for fall. It left me with an intense sense of satisfaction over a job well done. A power walker stopped for a second to comment that “did I like Halloween or something” and I just laughed, a neighbor gave my décor a thumbs up.

I went to Home Depot to buy more orange light bulbs and found the most amazing décor. We won’t speak of the fact that Christmas is in full swing at the Depot, but in one sad little corner they did have glorious Halloween things. My favorite hands down was the GINORMOUS inflatable sand worm from the movie Beetlejuice. If I had the extra gold coins in my pocket that gaudy bit of holiday kitsch would be gracing my front lawn right now. It made me so happy. I took some out of focus pictures of it like a tourist. My giggling disturbed a few fellow patrons. What, have you never seen a grown woman giggling over a 9 foot inflatable sand worm before? Obviously you don’t get out much ;) I played with the animatronic Headless Horseman (which I also want) and the very creepy werewolf which may give me nightmares later on. I daydreamed about a skeleton arch that I would like to use in my entryway and I pressed all the Halloween light show testers and debated whether or not to buy a traditional cinnamon broom. I showed some self-restraint and left it there……I’m probably going back.

It felt so good to put up my outdoor décor again and liberate my one eyed pirate skeleton from the dark recesses of the garage. After it was all said and done and the day began to make way for twilight time, my inflatable vampire minion rose from his wrinkled heap next to the garage and my candy corn lights twinkled to life. I sat on the couch with some pumpkin tea and basked in their golden glow. Yes, it was a pretty good day. Here is to more to come!

Day 7: The Joy of October

October to me is pure joy. I don’t know for certain when I really started to identify October with all that is good, (I think it was somewhere between 4^th and 6^th grade) but I know that in this month I am happier than at any other. That doesn’t mean that all is wine and roses in this most special of months, but I simply seem to have a different outlook on life. I’m energized and excited, cheerful, bouncy and an abundance of surprises managed to find their way too me. Yesterday was no exception.

I made up my mind on Friday night that since I had an honest to goodness day off for a change I would capitalize on it and excavate the storage pod that has been holding my decorations hostage for two years. I didn’t know what sort of shape I would find them in, I didn’t know how long it would take, but I would move every last box if it meant that this year all my stuff could be reunited. I really needed a “win” and I was going to manufacture one for myself.

I had visions of being crushed by all my precariously balanced boxes. I dreaded the hours it was going to take. I even dreamed of how I was going to move everything. I made an offhand remark to my roommate about it and when I got up the next morning she said she was ready for me to put her to work. She was going to help me get my stuff. I told her no, it would be really hard work and I appreciated it but it was too much to ask. She wouldn’t take no for an answer and cut to 3 hours later, not only do I have ALL my October décor, but I have all the rest of the holidays too. I can finally decorate again! Now to you that might not be a big thing, but to me it is. I can’t properly convey how wonderful this makes me feel. I was singing as we moved things. I was giggling and laughing and thanking her profusely. It took 4 trips to get it all back to the house, but it was so worth it.

After we got everything settled I put on some of my favorite October films, sat down on the living room floor and started unpacking things. I didn’t get as far with that process as I would have liked because I kept exclaiming over each thing, here was my monster mix-tape; there was my old plastic pumpkin. Over in that box was the dining room table décor that I had been missing. New treasures, old treasures, and as I sit in a glittery, spooky pile of décor I look around and wonder, where the heck is all of this going to go? I am so happy that I don’t think I will even care if this year is tacky. I want everything up. I want to sit in my cozy blanket and relive the memories. I want to feast my eyes for the time I have left of this wonderful month. I want to walk down memory lane, I want to share it with friends, I want to bask in the overabundance of October, and you know what, I’m going to.

 

To add to my decoration joy, tonight was the premier of my favorite zombie show. I got to watch it sitting amidst all my treasures. Then there was the most perfect orangey sunset that I have seen in a while. It must have read yesterday’s Thoughts because it was all different hues of orange and I put the show on pause and watched the splendor of it till the night descended into black. How marvelous. How wonderful, how October. Ok, enough of this, I’m going to go play with my decorations……

October Thought Day 4: I Wasn’t Going To…

I wasn’t going to do it. This year I was going to refrain from writing about my decorations. I had firm intentions to sit back and enjoy them and keep it all to myself. But then I got mono and that idea went right out the window.

I had planned to have the decorations up no later than the 25^th of September. Here it is the 4^th of October and they are still waiting to go up. When you barely have the energy to sit upright, putting twenty some odd boxes of decorations where they need to go can seem like climbing Everest. Every day I put a few more things where I think they need to go, then I sit back and lament that it might just take me all month to get things done. But today I had a breakthrough.

Originally I had the entire spare room floor covered with Halloween décor. There were two paths through the knickknacks otherwise every square inch was utilized. Today I can finally see floor. It was a group effort and I probably overdid it but it was worth it. At least I’m telling myself that now. Things still aren’t up and in place, but they are at least closer to being that way and that makes me happy.

I have been in a bit of a funk. Since I felt so bad I didn’t really feel inspired to decorate. Prior to contracting the sleepy plague, I had grand plans to do something different this year. That idea got squashed real quick. So there I sat, looking at everything and feeling overwhelmed. Yes, I know, I’m not curing cancer or solving an incredibly hard math equation that will enable us to live on Mars, but to me decorating is important. I really couldn’t tell you why. Sure, my mom decorated our house when I was a kid, but nothing like I do now. I fall somewhere between Martha Stewart perfection and crazy Halloween hoarder.

The past few years I’ve actually tried to downsize. I take everything out of their boxes, everything, and ruthlessly go through them. I ask myself questions like; have I ever used this or when was the last time I did? Am I only keeping this out of sentimentally or will I really use it? Example. One of my past jobs was for a comic book warehouse. It was AWESOME! They had the best stuff in there and not just comic books. I loved that job sooooo much. I did it for two summers and it was a dream. They got crazy cool stuff in the warehouse at Halloween and some of my paychecks went directly back to the company. My favorite acquisition was a Halloween snow globe. The base was a pair of skeleton hands wrapped around the glass ball. Inside was black snow with a skull in the middle. It was something to see, my description really doesn’t do it justice. I proudly displayed it every year until one fateful season when I went to open to box to take it out and found that the glass had shattered. I was heartbroken and I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away. So I took off all the excess glass and displayed it as is. A few years later on of the fingers broke off the hands. Then the skull got lost. I kept that broken down globe for far longer than I should have. I finally threw it away a few years ago and it was disposed of with high honors. Every year as I dig through the boxes I keep hoping to find the snow globe miraculously recovered and waiting for me. Obviously I don’t, but its memory lives on.

It’s like that with my decorations. They are family. Each one has a story to tell. I don’t just buy stuff cuz it’s Halloweeny. It has to stand out or mean something. Like the rapping ghost that my mom bought me when I was a teen. It is the most ridiculous thing. You press the button on its stand and it lights ups, shimmies and raps. I have no idea why she thought it would be something I would like, but I can’t seem to part with it. It has become a part of the family, from the dysfunctional side.

I look forward to taking my holiday treasures out of their boxes. Since I can’t hurry up and decorate this year I have greatly enjoyed sitting and looking over all of them and reminiscing. Right now as I type I am in the middle of the floor surrounded by them. There are new friends and old. I have a small sack full that will be donated and I’m both proud of myself and sad. I always feel like such a traitor letting things go.

Then there’s the decorations we lost in the fire 5 years ago. I miss those things like a phantom limb. I had a full Halloween village that I had spent years curating. Only two houses survived and let’s be honest, they weren’t my favorites. But, is has been fun finding replacements. I buy a few more bits and bobs every year and now my town looks less and less like the vacant bad side of town and more like the bustling monster metropolis it should be.

But where do I find all these marvelous things you may ask? Everywhere, is my answer. They are both homemade and store bought. They can be edible (though not really anymore after 15 plus years), fragile, squishy, sturdy or soft. Some are scary, some funny, others sweet, cute and everything in between. The furthest a decoration has ever come is from Romania, no joke. I shop at various places online, in stores of all types, I check discount bins, and sales. Some are gifts, some I’ve gotten for free with a purchase and some have mysteriously turned up on my doorstep.

If I had to pick my very favorite decoration, it would be the haunted house that my grandmother made for me. It was ceramic and she painted it brownish grey with blue trim. Inside were three color changing bulbs that made a noise every time they switched over. I loved that thing. I’m pretty sure it was some sort of a fire hazard, but I miss it horribly. It’s still my favorite even though it is gone. I haven’t had the heart to pick something new, but if I had to choose I’d say the Halloween train that my dad bought me last year would be a definite contender. So, while I sit here and dream that magical Halloween elves will be coming in during the night to decorate my house, I’m curious, what is your favorite Halloween/fall decoration and how long have you had it?

Day 1: October is Finally Here....Again

I have a confession to make.....ok two. The first one is that I cheated on October. In the 365 days since the last one, I have bought decorations out of season (which I never do), I have drank Pumpkin Spice Lattes in August, I have worn my Halloween socks in March, May and July, and I watched some October movies during the summer and fall. Plus, if posting Pinterest snaps of fall leaves year round is a crime, then I may have just topped the FBI's most wanted list.  I feel ashamed. But only a little. I just couldn't wait any longer.

My second confession is that I forgot that today was October. I have been busy all of September and parts of August doing October things and thinking about October and wishing for it to be here, that today kind of slipped my mind. Yesterday, October Eve, I just about killed myself getting the holiday décor up. I woke up today groggy and still thinking it was September. I wanted to badly for it to be October that when it actually happened, I just couldn't wrap my head around it. Go figure. In reality, I had my first October day on September 30th. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Happy first day of the best month ever, everyone. I have been looking forward to these October Thoughts since they ended last October. I have been jotting down ideas. I have been scheming and planning and dreaming big. Too big as it turns out. I had planned to write a short story for every day of this wonderful month, but that proved to be a bit too ambitious. So, at least once a week I will be presenting a short story. Maybe more if there proves to be time. It is October after all, and anything can happen.

The first thought of the month is going to be about decorations. I never know which though will push its way to the front, but this year it seemed pretty clear. If you know me at all, you know that I love to decorate. I never thought it was weird or over the top until I started really paying attention to other peoples houses. Now I'm not saying I go full on Clark Griswold on holidays, but things do get pretty festive. You can clearly tell what holiday we are celebrating around here just by looking at our front door. I would like to say that I don't do tacky décor, but I suppose that observation is in the eye of the beholder.

Some people think what I do is silly. Some (mostly retail clerks) think I have small children and am doing it for them, but I just like to feel festive. I like the idea of decorations, the flash, sparkle and whimsy. I like the memories associated with them. Two years ago on Halloween our house caught fire (non decoration related I might add). We lost pretty much everything in the house which included most of our decorations. I would have to read my Thoughts from last year to see how that loss affected me, but I am feeling it pretty keenly this year. I don't remember how many October boxes we used to have, I think it was in the 20's or 30's, but now we have 8. I know that is 8 more than most people, but for me it feels like a piece of me is missing.

Decorations are not just things to me, they are memories and stories. I can tell you where I got each decoration or who gave it to me. I can tell you where I have placed it, what I have done with it and various other memories associated with it. This year as I started going though the boxes I kept looking for things that are no longer there. I looked for the half melted pumpkin scarecrow guy that had always given me the heebie jeebies as a kid. He was lopsided and sorta sticky but he was a Halloween staple. I looked for my monster mugs that I spent a summer working for at a comic book warehouse. I unearthed them in a box in the back room one day and took them in lieu of pay. I looked for the screaming door mat that drove everyone but me crazy. I searched for my grandmas haunted house that she painted for me. It had a chip in one of the sides, one bulb socket didn't work anymore, but it reminded me so keenly of my childhood. That house was the one decoration that I fiercely claimed every year. It didn't  go with the other haunted houses, it sat in the windowsill of my room and rotated colors all night long. I fell asleep listening to the bulbs transition and click. It bathed my room in blue, red and orange and it was my most favorite decoration.

Since the fire I have new favorites. Good friends have gifted me with the most amazing things. Instead of having childhood memories, I have new ones to build on. Instead of saying, Oh, I remember when we bought that at such and such a store. I can say, oh my, this one came from this person and then think back on the kindness and friendship that went into such a craft or purchase. These are my new favorites. And truth be told, it is kind of fun getting to buy new things. Sure, they might lack some of the kitsch from years past. And yes, the internet and second hand shops are great places to find things from yesteryear, but you never really can buy back your childhood. I know, I tried. Things just smell funny and don't feel the same.

Last night, as I waited for the clock to roll over into a new October, I sat in the dark and looked over my handiwork. No year is ever the same. Sure, some things have a specific spot, but not many. New decorations come in, new ideas pop into my head and a new decorating scheme is made. Every year I think to myself, wow, it can't possibly get any better than this year, and every year it does get better.
I love decorating. I love the look on peoples faces when they see what I have done. I love that some people think I'm crazy and some people think its wonderful. I love making something new and creating something whimsical for my household. I love the memories each piece evokes. I even love the melancholy of the missed decorations. It reminds me to enjoy things in the moment. We never know when that moment will change.

But really, isn't that October in a nutshell? The new year is getting long in the tooth. It is winding down and giving way to something shiny and newer. But it isn't just rolling over and letting the new take over, no, it is going out in a blaze of color. It is making its exit with the smells of the harvest and the taste of spice. October is the fun month that dares you to take a midnight walk under the stars, to wake up early and watch the fog creep back to its dark caverns, to dance around the fire, to jump in leaf piles and stomp in puddles. October is the last hurrah before the weather turns cold and the expectations of the bigger holidays loom. October is the party that everyone is invited too but so few accept the invitation.

That is my challenge to you this October. Live in the now. Embrace the whimsy. Crunch a leaf. Buy some crazy Halloween socks. Put plastic vampire teeth in your mouth and go to your dental appointment. Sip a pumpkin spice something on a cold morning. Get lost in a corn maze and not care a bit. But above all, open your eyes to the wonder of the best month of them all. You won't be disappointed, I promise.

Day 21: The Decorations

Have you every wanted to live in your decorations? Or have conversations with them? No I am not crazy, it is just my imagination on overdrive. Before the fire my favorite thing was to imagine living in my Halloween village. There were rustic cobbled streets, apple carts, green grocers, a haunted mansion or two, or three. It was the perfect little setting to wander in. Then the great fire happened and my village now lives on only in memory and the written word. But that is ok. It gives me a chance to build a new village. To walk new streets.
Most of my decor is gone, but I have been unearthing some of the survivors out of the moving boxes and wonderful friends and family have been gifting me with new decor.
Just last week I found my trick or treat girl, dressed as a kitty. This past weekend I found a stuffed zombie kitty. My headless horseman came in the mail last week and he lights up. I had no idea. And a wonderful pair of friends gave me a spooky lantern that is perfect for writing under.
My point is, what if these decorations could talk? Would they object to where I have placed them? Would they have grand stories to tell? I could ask the kitty girl what her name is. I could ask why she chose to go as a black cat and if she has gotten any good treats. I would steer clear of the headless horseman for obvious reasons, but I would love to crawl into my lantern to find out exactly what the witch is brewing in the spooky forest all alone. I would ask my zombie kitty how he got that way and give him sardines.
Maybe my decorations are like the toys in Toy Story. They come alive when I am not looking. That sure would explain a few things. I swear my apple bobbing skeleton has switched places a few times and my brown bat keeps showing up on the floor. Wouldn't that be something to see my spider tea light holders romping after dark. Or to hear the rustling sounds of my scarecrows square dancing. What do they talk about the other eleven months of the year as they lie in wait in their boxes? These are things I want to know. One day, one day I shall find out.

Day 3: Reminders & Beginnings

Normally, I save this thought for later in the month, but it just kept nagging at me and I had to get it written so I could get some peace. One of my very favorite things about October is the decorations. I love decorations in general, but from April through September, there isn't really much to do holiday wise. Sure, the fourth of July is in there, but there is only so much one can do with red, white and blue. After an almost six month dry spell, this gal really needs to get her decoration on, and October is there to save the day.
I love everything about October décor. There are so many options. Do you go scary? And if so, is it funny scary, ironic scary, scary scary, gruesome scary or a hodgepodge? If scary isn't your thing, maybe pumpkin everything is. Or perhaps scarecrows. Maybe you are a leaf lover or a fan of the jewel tones. It doesn't matter. October has it all.

I get such a rush taking down the decoration boxes. Opening them up and seeing what is inside is like Christmas morning. Sure, I already know what is going to be in the box, but it is like getting reacquainted with an old friend. Do I put it somewhere new, or do I do the same thing as last year and the year before? It is great coming up with new ideas, or adding a bit of bling to an old favorite.
This year however, there was a touch of melancholy to my decorating fervor. Last October thirtieth my house caught on fire. I had gone all out with the décor, so much so that it bordered a bit on tacky. I just wanted everything on display since I couldn't pick a favorite. I can remember standing in the rubble of the house a few days after the fact. The house was eerily quiet and everything was soot blackened. The plastic pumpkins over the valances had melted and run down the drapes. The haunted village looked like it had been ravaged by monsters. The fake flowers had melted and drooped in their vases and the banners hung in rags from their hooks. It was all so sad. But at the same time, kinda theme. The interior looked like the perfect setting for a haunted house.
It didn't really hit me until a few weeks ago, and then especially Tuesday, the October décor was not going to be the same. Ninety-five percent of my décor was lost in the fire. Things that had major memories attached to them. Now some might think it silly to cry over holiday decorations, but they meant something to me. The five light up pumpkins that always sat on the window ledge, were purchased at Payless on a whim, because I had learned a poem about five pumpkins that day in school and mom thought it would be cute to buy them. There was the haunted house that my grandmother made me that had color changing lights on the inside and made a funny clicking sound at each interval. There was the skeleton snow globe that I bought with money from my first job. I had broken it years before while hastily putting it away, but repurposed the remainder so that I didn't have to part with it. Every decoration had a story and it felt like a part of me was missing this year as I put up the new baubles.
But then I realized, there was a silver lining. Not all of the decorations were destroyed. Some really meaningful things had survived. Like the paper scarecrow who has faded and has a myriad of tape removal marks on one side. Or the leaf garland that is starting to look a bit sparse because each year it loses a little more of its foliage. And already, the new decorations have a history built in. As I go through the years into the future, I will remember that this pumpkin was purchased the year of the fire. Or that new decoration was bought on a whim the day before and wasn't put out yet so it was spared. Already new memories are being made. And, with the new décor, there is a new house. Even if the old décor was around, there are not the same places to put it in. So creativity is needed and encouraged.
I haven't really had to think about the placement of things for a few years now, so it was sorta fun to reimagine what October would look like this year. True, it is a bit sparse and a tad eccentric, but it is a start. It will be fun to build my collection back up and make new memories. And, with the documentation of the October Thoughts, I can revive the past and see those decorations again in my minds eye. A real October miracle.
So, what is your favorite fall/autumn/October/Halloween/harvest decoration? And does it have a story?