From Cool to...ZZZ...why?!

I am dreading the news of what my Ward is doing for Halloween this year. The Ward Halloween parties used to be SO cool and so much fun, and for everyone, not just one age group. But the last maybe 8 years, the concepts are so lame, and stupid. I'm sorry, it's just my opinion, so no one bash me if you go to my Ward and read this. But seriously. The last 8 years are "parties" (they SO belong in paretheses) that, first of all, are only for the enjoyment of the little kids, and second, you don't even get to socialize with anyone, if you are an adult. And the teenagers don't bother to go anymore, and they used to be REALLY involved. It was one of the things I used to look forward to when I was in YW. Nowadays? Well there was the few years, where they asked certain families to decorate a door of a classroom, and the kids "Trick-or-Treated" at your door. Well, besides the fact that you are sitting in a dark room (don't wanna ruin the mood) either by yourself or with some of your family ALL night, you didn't get to be of any festivities happening in the gym. You also didn't get to interact with anyone from church, and the teens didn't participate...really why would they? And then there have been the last year or so, "Trunk-or-Treating". I don't know about you all out there in Mormon Land, but sitting out in the freezing New England weather, with a decorated car trunk, waiting for the primary kids to go to your car and trick or treat (and it's NOT Halloween) sucks. It's only fun for the little ones, again no YW/YM show up, and there is no getting to talk with any church members, there isn't even food in the church or anything. It's freeze your butt outside with a lame car trunk you try to make festive...so NOT cool.

When I was younger (and it was already a LONG standing tradition) and all through my YW years and through my sisters YW years, the Halloween party was the same. In the gym, was where the majority of the party took place. That's where the games were, where you "won" candy. It's where the apple-bobbing was, where they painted faces, where they had the cider donut contest, where they hung from string under the stage ledge and you had to lie on the floor and, whoever ate their whole donut first, with NO hands, won! It's where all the Halloween desserts were brought in and placed on the long tables, with the root beer with dry ice in it, in a cauldron sat. This was Brother Hoeger's specialty. He made sure none of the kids took any dry ice...since apparently drinking dry ice is BAD...I remember being shocked when I was little and was told that. I was like...but, it's just ice!! Anyway, even if you were one of the families doing a game, all the kids going in your line and little ones being escorted by their parents, you were never alone or bored. And everyone else ate snacks and drank root beer or cider.

And then there was the other part. Spook Alley. The YM and YW were in charge of this. They were given a section of the church ( a hallways and then a bunch of school rooms connected by folding doors) and worked for weeks on decorating and planning,etc. This used to scare the crap out of me when I was little. Walking in the dark, maybe some bluelights to make scary white things show up as you were led by a Hostess through the Alley. People jumping out and freaking you out, from some hidden place they made, or from the offices along the hallway. And then you went through "the rooms", each with a different theme or whatever. There was a few years, where the last room had a guy with a chainsaw some out of a upright coffin and chase you, and there was a strobe light, so it all looked like it was in slow motion....so scary but cool too. And a room with a dining couple and then the lid was taken off their meal and there was a human head, and it was talking and moving!! Creepy! When I was part of the Spook Alley, my favorite year I was in the autopsy room. I was a nurse with blood splattered ALL over me (the fake stuff) and I had a drill. And my friend Ben was on the table with innards all over his stomach (pig ones Sister Mayo had picked up!!) and Naomi was the other nurse and Ryan was the mad doctor and had a saw and was sawing through this HUGE bone ( Sister Mayo got a cow bone, LOL!), and Naomi and I got to go and chase the kids out of our room or just yell freaky things until they went into the next room. Si much fun and an excellent way to have the YM and YW involved, and WANTING to be there!! I miss these traditions. Hey, I want to dress up and go talk to people from church. For some reason, when it's such a relaxed setting, I am so much more comfortable at church, even with all the people...probably because half I have known my entire life, but still!

I have more complaints on traditions they have stopped. When I was young, there was a pot luck dinner every month, at least. Just time for ward members to hang out in a relaxed setting...I miss that...and NO, linger-longers (geez I hate that phrase) are NOT the same. Lame!! Maybe I should wait for December to complain about the Ward Christmas parties...what do you think?