Thread: What do YOU give up to do this?

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Well, I'm feeling the annual pre-Halloween depression as I compare what got done to what we envisioned. In this state, I got to thinking about the things I give up in order to do the yard haunt. I'm not talking about time or money (the obvious things), but rather the little things that get bypassed in the prop-building and corpsing blitz.

For instance, I no longer sew Halloween costumes for my kids. I used to take a lot of pride in doing that, but there's just not enough time now.

My front lawn and plants suffer because we can't turn the sprinklers on for a month.

This year, I had to miss an event I love - a plant sale at a local botanic garden. Honestly, that's one of the highlights of my year.

Obviously, the haunt is still worth it or we wouldn't keep doing it. I'm just a little sad thinking about the things that have gotten dropped by the wayside for it.

Greetings Skelly 215,

I know what you are talking about, everybody here was wondering why I was so anxious this year to get my cemetery & hearse project completed. I'm about to re-open my candy business and I know before long it will be back to them ridiculous work weeks where there is no time for anything. I just took off 4 yrs. after owning a restaurant and running a candy business that made candy for a 167 stores, did that for 11 years. Its been wonderful, .......time to read, gardening, crafts, really going thru my pictures and things of that nature. More than anything was devoting time to my Christmas & Halloween displays.

That will all end after this Christmas cause we kick start the business right after the holidays. Next year I fear the guys will be crying..."Oh we don't have time to build Halloween stuff!". I know if I don't get them started early on this stuff it may not happen.

And yes .....we do have to give things up to get all this work done, even w/o a large display outside the lighting and decorations we do take quite a bit of time , plus this year I really went all out in the house. I had that feeling that this may be my last time having time to decoarate like this. Whats more depressing is getting older and it taking longer to do what you use to skip right thru. But determination is still there so I suppose I'll just keep plugging away.....I would be way to depressed to not do all this mainly because of the enjoyment I get from it.


Mistress Muffy

This year, I'll be giving up two days of work and the money that comes with it. I always feel a little down right before...as if it's never going to get done...why do I bother...etc. But when it all comes together, there's nothing better!

I guess I'm lucky that I can pick and choose the weeks I need/want for my vacation time. I have a few weeks available this year, and I picked one of my weeks to fall during Halloween (my wife rolled her eyes when I told her back in march that I was going to do this) lol.

Anyway, that should give me the time I need to finish up the little things that need to get done this year, and for me to have a little bit of spare time to relax between now a the 31st. I say "should", because I know I'll still wait till the last minute to get things done. lol

I work a haunt on Halloween so I can't see my girls TOTing. This kinda bugs me but I find other ways to make it up to them.One trip to Disney World and we're
all good.

I have 2 weeks vacation. I should have been painting my livingroom

I also had to clip back alot of plants and shrubs in my garden to make room for the tent. Because we had an unusually warm fall, most of them weren't ready to be cut back! Ouch...I hope my garden survives.

MsM

I know what everyone is saying.

I will have taken 7 vacation days during October. The one thing I miss, because I have to babysit the haunt, are the costume parties where they give out big bucks. But I don't mind that when I see all the smiling faces of the TOTs! That makes it all worth while.

Sleep.
After working a 9-to-5 job, i come home and decorate then sit up and blog about the day's Halloween activities. Lately I've been waking up an hour or so before my alarm is set. Can't get back to sleep, lie in bed thinking about what I can get done after work.
Worth it though - I can sleep when I'm dead.

Good to read everyone's messages and realize most of us go through this. I know the big day will make it all worthwhile - it did last year - so I'll try to hold onto that thought.

I have to say, I think we all give up alot.
I worked hours, after work, past dark to try and complete (lol) my yard haunt.
I took several days at a time from work to get it done, luckily my boss said
"do what you got to do". Not bragging, but I have one very cool boss and I am pretty good at what I do, so there is some room to get what I want.
I have given up:
sleep
food
house cleaning
laundry
B/S/T
sanity
yard
holes in my house

I have not given up:
aches and pains
the spirit
beer
lists