MacGougan at Large

Notes on Secondary Seasons - 7

Greater Halloween

Back in the geological era when I was a kid, Halloween was just a day. Maybe two days, if you counted the night before - which in New England was known as Cabbage Night and basically featured all of the tricks and none of the treats. (I wasn’t living in New England at the time, but I’ve heard stories.)

Today, however, the Halloween Season is nearly as long as the Christmas Season. It starts up - mostly in stores, at first - right after Labor Day. By early October, decorations are everywhere. The second half of October is Peak Halloween Season, including special events and lots of themed shows and commercials.

Really, it’s become very parallel to the Christmas Season - meaning not the church Christmas Season but the cultural Christmas Season - retail, then outdoor decorations, then shows and commercials and events.

For today’s song, I’m taking the lazy way out and inserting a song from one of my inexplicably-still-unpublished children’s books. This is a duet featuring Grace, a toddler girl, and Cary, a toddler boy.

“EXCEPT ON HALLOWEEN”

Grace:
I’m not a dancer up on her toes
And I’m not the snowman that Elsa froze
I’m not a princess or a queen
Except on Halloween!

Cary:
I’m not a goblin with a scary face
And I’m not a robot from outer space
I’m not a monster who’s big and green
Except on Halloween!

Cary and Grace:
We don’t knock on every door
Make some threats then laugh and roar
We aren’t kids who make a scene
Except on Halloween!

We’re polite and don’t sit down where Mom and Poppa sit-
Except on Halloween, when we’re the opposite.

We are pure angelic souls
Who mind our place and know our roles
The nicest kids you’ve ever seen
Except on Halloween!