Poll #2

[silverlinegypsy]

Weekly Opinion Poll #2: What do you usually do on Halloween?How many of us over the course of our gothdom have had one or ten "normals" yell out that it's not yet Halloween? (Because that line never gets old, obviously.) However, despite the age-old wisecrack, it's probably a safe assumption that most goths enjoy Halloween. I'd like to think

Comments

[silverlinegypsy]

Case in point. ;) Happy birthday!

[miseriix]

when i was younger, i was always a witch or a gypsy. the costume was usually the same for both. funny now that i consider myself a witch now. : ) maybe it was all the practice.

nowadays, i have plans for more elaborate costumes. bellatrix lestrange, poison ivy, and sally from nightmare are among the first few desires i have to be. but i have no place to celebrate such costumes, not yet. this year i have no time, anyway. still, i collect the home-maker magazines (martha, where would i be without you?) that boast new halloween ideas and decorations, to hoard and use some other time.

but halloween and samhain have always been very important to me, and i would love to celebrate them both the way they're supposed to be celebrated. with children (roasted or raw), with friends, and with strangers all disguised and disfigured. and, of course, with candy!!!

[silverlinegypsy]

I was a vampire every Halloween from middle school until college. I wonder what those reoccurring costume choices say about us? ;)

I always wanted to throw huge Halloween masked balls. There are no parties quite as fun to plan as Halloween parties! How amazing would it be to attend a Halloween ball somewhere haunted like Grove Park Inn? That would be much more regal than, say, the haunted asylum. :o I think that when we grown up we should definitely throw a monster-size Halloween party one year. Assuming, that is, we do grow up. ;)

[ariandar]

I haven't had anyone yell at me about whether or not it's Halloween for ages. I'm talking, at least 15+ years. But then, my version of "gothy" attire basically means wearing a lot of dark colours/black and adding pretty accessories when the occasion calls for it. So I get comments like, "you sure wear black often" to which I reply, "it's slimming and I can mix and match everything." More often, I get "Oh, you look so nice!" I think people have grown used to my fashion quirks.

I did the crazy parties in my younger years, but have grown rather bored with the whole social thing and usually prefer to be at home, holding the candy bowl when the 10-12 kids there are in the neighborhood come knocking.

I'm a Pagan also, and do tend to take some time off by myself to connect spiritually. But it doesn't always happen on October 31. I believe there's wiggle room on that.

[silverlinegypsy]

I feel like I used to get the Halloween remark every other day as a teenager. Now not so much, but I also don't wear crazy eyeliner to the grocery store like I did as a youngster. Plus I think that goth culture is a bit more mainstream than it used to be, even if people do get emo and goth confused. Let's put it this way: I saw a necklace in Wal-Mart that said, "Got Goth?" with a skull and crossbones on it. The times have certainly changed

[ksol1460]

Since Halloween is the festival of the dead, we decorate with ghosts. Spirits of the dead are friendly toward the living who remember them, so we make the ghosts look cheery and inviting. Photos of dead people, if you have them, are a nice thing to have around anyway, and they're just right for this time of year

[silverlinegypsy]

Wow, I want to go to your house on Halloween! That all sounds amazing. The headless gingerbread men is brilliant. And your cat is adorable!
Great film selections. My favourite horror film is The Shining because it's so strange and disorienting. I love to watch it then discuss what the hell the movie is actually about afterward. Sleepy Hollow is the perfect amount of beautiful scenery and creepiness for a Halloween celebration, imho. Also great music you listed! If you like ghostly violins, I highly recommend both the Changelings and Paul Mercer's solo work. Gorgeous stuff there, and some of my favourite Halloween music.

Thanks for sharing! :D

[kali_maxwell]

I love Halloween and feel it is a time of Magic. Despite living in Arizona, it gets very cool this time of year, and when I was young my parents' house had two oaks and a massive pine tree out back. I remember, just days before Halloween, the wind in the pine branches and the yellow and brown leaves blowing across the lawn, and the sun shining like something supernatural over the back wall. I carry those memories with me, and even if I don't dress up or do a formal Samhain ritual, the night is still special. (And I'm a Sagittarius.)

[silverlinegypsy]

Your description makes me think of Ray Bradbury's "The Halloween Tree": magical in a natural, child-like way. I think that autumn is a wonderful time for feeling connected to the past, ours as well as others'. Ah, a Sagittarius, you must be one of the 3 out of 10 who aren't a Libra! ;)

[kali_maxwell]

I've always loved Ray Bradbury.
And, unfortunately, despite my musing over the cool weather, this Halloween it was approximately 90 degrees out.