Boo!

October is here!

And that means the Gay High Holy Day of Halloween is just around the corner. Although considering decorations started going up around here last month, Halloween may already be in full swing.

We discovered not long after moving to our neighborhood that trick-or-treating wasn’t an event. Most Halloween nights we’d just hang out in the living room watching a silly Halloween movie. (Think Hocus Pocus.) For a few years we actually bought candy.

Then proceeded to eat the majority of it over the next week or so.

For the last few years, we’ve spent the night at our friends Tony and Greg’s handing out candy. Well, James and Greg handed out candy. Tony and I lounged on the sofa and occasionally nibbled from the bowl. But there was a continual parade of trick-or-treaters for about two hours. A complete change from our neighborhood.

Of course, with the pandemic this year, Halloween will look considerably different. No big gay block party in the gayborhood. No Halloween weekend in New Orleans. And no trick-or-treaters to pass out candy to.

Which could explain the early onset of Halloween decorations. Assuming this is something unusual.

For us, one of the good things to come out of this pandemic has been our nightly walks through the neighborhood. (Even during the heat of summer. Walks I referred to as James’ death marches.) As I’ve mentioned in past blogs, we are experiencing the neighborhood, instead of just living in it, whether that’s the architecture or just seeing who might be making repairs or doing renovations.

Consequently, Halloween here is something of a first for us. As far as we know, Halloween may start a little early for everyone here. And the decorations vary from simple daytime décor to nighttime displays of orange string lights and glowing bats. Has certainly made walking the streets after dark more fun. (In a good way, sassy pants!)

We will definitely miss hanging out with the boys this year, although James did have an idea of how we could still hand out candy. Simply have the kiddos parade down the middle of the street in costume, and we could throw candy at them. Sort of like Mardi Gras. Except without the inappropriate comments.

Happy Holidays!