# Just not feeling it



## Hsnopi (Oct 26, 2012)

So this year has been very rough for me. Add that to a 19 month old and I just don't have the energy to decorate. I think I am going to just carve a lot of pumpkins, (7-14) and break out the fog machine. There is just no one to share it with. My wife supports me but has no big feeling for it. My best friend doesn't like it for other reasons (very valid reasons I am not at liberty to discuss). And not a lot of people in the neighborhood decorate. Oh well.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Don't sweat it, Hsnopi. If you have carved pumpkins and a fogger, that's all you need to set the Halloween mood. A lot of folks here occasionally scale back for a variety of reasons. It gives them a chance to recharge the batteries, so to speak.

Not a lot of people decorate in our neighborhood, either, but we don't let that interfere with our enjoyment of the holiday or our pleasure in sharing what we do with the ToTs and friends who do stop by.


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## camsauce (Oct 16, 2009)

Do it because you love Halloween. All it takes is one kid saying 'this is sooo cool' to make it all worth it. Don't get down that others don't share your interest or passion for it. We'd all be interested in nothing if we let all the negativity in. Halloween is the best Holiday of the year - how can you not love eating candy, the spooky atmosphere, the cold crisp air? 

Now get off your butt and make something out of foam and spray paint.


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## hpropman (Jul 27, 2008)

I went through that one year I just did not want to do it anymore but the neighbors and the kids on my street encouraged me to do it again and we all had a great time again. Hopefully this year will be a great time also!


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## JOwenR2 (Oct 21, 2013)

I have personally have spent the majority of my time and budget on costumes. My Decorating spirit is a bit deflated from last year as I lost my favorite decoration, A 5 ft. inflatable Skull. year after year it was the shining gem of my front porch (it literally lit up when black light hit it). But oh well, life goes on and there will be more decorations.


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## goneferal (Sep 8, 2010)

Hey, take it easy and do the pumpkins and fog machine. Even that is way more than most people do and it sounds nice and festive.


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## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

_*There is nothing wrong with not feeling the Halloween spirit at times. Life doesn't stop just because of a holiday. I understand about not having many people decorating in your neighborhood. I am only one of 3 and sometimes 4 houses that decorate on my street, and this year it will only be maybe 2 since I'm sitting this one out.

Don't hit yourself over the head about it. Halloween will come again next year and maybe by then things will be different. Especially with the young one getting a little older and you will maybe experience taking your child around for some early trick or treating! *_


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## Drago (Sep 5, 2011)

Just take it easy this year.
I carved a bunch of pumpkins one year too, had a 5 month old and 2 year old in da house!


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## Hippofeet (Nov 26, 2012)

Hsnopi,

I do Halloween for a living. I get slammed for a month before and after, and I get burned out. I sympathize. I would just take a year off and enjoy everyone else's efforts.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Many of us understand how you feel. Don't beat yourself up. Life changes from year to year.

Lets face it, if you're like me, I have many interests in life and even though I dig Halloween, it doesn't rule my life. I like to do many things outside my busy career and large project home improvements. I have found little energy and time to do the Halloween things I'd like to do the last couple years.

It's exhausting to plan, build, setup, take down and store Halloween props for such a short period of time of the year. Some only haunt every other year.

Take a deep breath and treat yourself to less stress and just enjoy handing out some candy. There is always next year


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

I hear ya - just keep in mind, "It's supposed to be fun and enjoyable." If pumpkins and foggers are all you feel like, then stick with that.

This year has been kind of 'off' for me too. Last year I was really in the mood. Got everything up and going. Threw our big Halloween party on the Sat. before Halloween. Guests just started showing up and party was starting to come to life around 9pm when my wife runs through the house crying?!?

After consoling her away from the crowd, I find out her grandmother just passed. So word spread, the guests thoughtfully helped us clean up and they left around 9:30. Word comes the next day, visitation is 10/31 with the funeral on 11/1 - 400 miles away. So I hack down all the decorations and shut everything off. No treats in 2012.

Thought 2013 might be an even bigger year to make up for it, but just had trouble getting going this year. Late/warm fall means the leaves have barely turned, so it hardly 'feels' like Halloween.

Throwing out 'feelers' for a Halloween party has been luke-warm at best. Seems like more and more friends are juggling kids, multiple schedules, etc. Plus they aren't really inclined to party the saturday before Halloween, then do it all over for the kids 5 days later. Or wait till the Saturday after which then just feels like warmed up leftovers.

Anyway, stick with it! It doesn't hurt to slack off a year and take a break if needed!


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## Haunted Bayou (Feb 16, 2007)

I think we all go through that.

Carving pumpkins is a lot of work. I think the J-O-Ls with a fogger would make for great atmosphere. Go one step further and add a sound track with a couple sets of string-lights and you really got a great haunt.

I went through a professional haunt that had an area with nothing but J-O-Ls and fog. It looked fantastic.


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

It is a lot of work and I couldn't think of anything worse than just going through the motions for the sake of it. Do what you will enjoy. Not everyone is lucky enough to have a partner who is "into" Halloween as much as they are. Just go with the flow and do what you feel you can without stress. Life has enough stress without creating it for our own selves.


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## Death's Door (Mar 22, 2006)

Hi Hsnopi - Try not to beat yourself up about this. Life happens. Do what you can and enjoy the holiday. Sometimes I look through my photos of Halloweens go by and think how easy it was back then. Sometimes our imaginations/to-do-lists are bigger than our timeframes and budgets. 

Some people on the forum celebrate by giving out candy and watching horror movies with a few decorations displayed. It's called "keeping it simple".


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## shannibal (Aug 14, 2013)

My husband and I didn't decorate our house this year either. Between job/money/stress issues and not having time, we decided to just skip decorating this year. We are still acting in the charity haunt we are involved with, but decided our house will remain "normal" for the spooky season this year. Hopefully this time next year situations will have changed and we will go all out again!


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## sookie (Oct 12, 2012)

Some years you don't feel like it. I had that feeling this summer and really thought I wouldn't do anything this year but but the decorating hit in late September. There was a year where I didn't I just out out something on the door.

Just do what feels comfortable, don't force it.


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## Hsnopi (Oct 26, 2012)

thank for the kind words, everyone. I feel a little less guilty now We went to the pumpkin patch Saturday with our 19 month old. We discovered how to get lost in a corn maze...just follow the 19 month old around. You'll get lost pretty quick!. No big pumpkins left. We need to go earlier next year. We have 2 big pumpkins carved and 4 small ones. I spoke to my wife about my feelings and she grabbed a couple pumpkins and vcarved them with me. That's all i wanted I'll post pics once i get them.

Thanks again


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