A Tale of Two Parties

Growing up, I always looked forward to Halloween. Getting to dress up and go around the neighborhood collecting free candy is every child's dream. With few exceptions, I haven't really celebrated the pumpkin holiday as an adult. This year, however, I went to not one but two Halloween parties. Which meant, of course, two costumes.

I think maybe in a different life I could've been an actress. Not because I'm particularly talented in crying on demand or memorizing monologues, but because I love the idea of dressing up and getting into character, be it a housewife or a vampire or teenaged superhero. Taking on a different personality with nothing more than a change of clothes and an extra bit of makeup is transformative. It brings out the child in me. And for two nights this year, I was reminded of how important it is to remember my younger self.

My costumes were wildly different: a unicorn and Veronica Lodge. The parties, too, were distinct: one with friends from work, one with the best friends a girl could ask for living in the city. Costume or no, it was an opportunity to shake off reality and step into a fantasy world, away from work and finances and errands and chores. I think we could all use a little more of that every now and then.

As a writer and avid reader, I find myself immersed in other worlds frequently, but only in my head. Halloween takes it to the next level, a physical manifestation of embracing your fantasies.

Ironically, the day after Halloween is the first of November which, for me, marks the beginning of the holiday season. I feel like it's the perfect way to get into the spirit, prepare for colder weather. Tis the season, as they say. And if the rest of the year is anything like my Halloween was, I'm in for a memorable end to 2019.