For many years, one of my favorite things about Halloween has been decorating the house, especially with these jack-o’-lanterns. They’re just so incredibly happy and fun, and I love them. In a former life and a different home, they always faced outward in our living room window to greet trick-or-treaters and other passers-by. In our current home they sit on the sideboard in our dining room, facing inward, greeting us in the room where we spend much of our time at home. This is just an observation, which may or may not carry any symbolic meaning… I haven’t figured that out yet. For now, though, I’m just glad they’re back out.
Last year, we were so busy and preoccupied with the cross-country move, settling in to a new house and city, and I was still getting up to speed with my new job, that we didn’t even unpack the Halloween decorations. We barely decorated for Christmas either, for that matter, but I hope that changes this year, as well. We have a lot to celebrate, and while there is a lot more to celebrating than decorations, they definitely make things more festive. And, at least in my mind, traditions and rituals like this, especially around holidays, are incredibly important and meaningful. We are at a stage in our lives now, Eric and I (and Artie and Gertrude!), where we’re starting some new traditions and building a new world for ourselves, and that in itself is cause for celebration. Next year at this time, we will likely be in a new home, and I am sure we will find a new place for our three jack-o'-lanterns to live during Halloween--maybe they'll even face the world again, and with any luck, post-pandemic trick-or-treaters.
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