The quote from Alice in Wonderland perfectly describes the mood on Halloween in 92128. Age has not mellowed The Eight as we all scramble to complete our costumes for the halloween party on All SaintsEve. Clever crudities are being assembled on themed partyware and dry ice will smoke the punchbowl. There is excitement in the air.
We wear costumes because the souls of the dead roam the earth on this night and it is undoubtedly wise to travel incognito when supernatural beings are about. The economics of costuming has been studied and it was found that $2.6 billion dollars (2006) will be spent on Halloween hijinks. Costumes just make sense, both spiritually and economically. A recent trip to the costume store makes the economic aspects clear. You can get a plastic axe for $19.95 and a knock-off chainsaw for $25.00. Add fake mustaches, handcuffs, bloody hockey sticks and skeletal dogs that actually bark and the revenue stream is astounding. Revenue is boosted by popular culture as costumes from Steampunk to Pokeman and discredited politicians are among the big sellers.
Our 92128 group doesn’t require external motivation to gather and party but Halloween gives us a themed festivity…not just a drive-by for cocktails and dinner. We all seem to love the idea of being someone-or something- new for an evening. We love a chance to play.
No one loves this chance more than the little ones among us. Our grandson and his parents visited us during the Halloween madness and the reactions of this little boy were the best thing we will see on this holiday. He was not a grandson for a while… he was a Triceratops and he missed no chance to remind us of that fact. “I’m a Triceratops” he announced so that we wouldn’t miss the fact. He was a Triceratops, roaring and capering to our friend’s houses to fill his lighted plastic pumpkin with sweets and treats. In 92128, trick-or-treaters are rare and our little guy profited from this. At one house he got an entire bowl of candy at another he simply continued to take candy from the offered assortment until an adult intervened. He was a natural.
Triceratops also visited a pumpkin patch where he petted goats and sheep, took a tractor ride and burrowed into a pile of corn stalks in the corn maze. Hard to tell who had the most fun.
As our 92128 costume party looms speculation runs rife. What costumes will we see? What strange foods will be offered? What potions will be poured? Exciting.
The spirits of 92128 will roil and bubble and the play will be non-stop. The gang of Eight understand what Tim Burton once said, ” Every day is Halloween, isn’t it? For some of us.”
Absolutely.
Olio Folio 
Triceratopses rule!
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