Trying hard to get in the mood...

I've been beyond rut....Things were so bad last winter with things happening in my life for a few years that was beyond my control that I went a little nuts to the point I BURNED many props and the facade over a few days time and felt things couldn't possibly be worse....Things get pretty bad when you get to that point and I still get down or down right angry sometimes because of the circumstances but the one thing I think I'm learning out of many from that experience is THE SITUATION DOESN'T LAST FOREVER...That's what you should take from this....I know what it feels like, like it's not going to change back for sure....If you don't have a party or decorate this year...I'd HIGHLY suggest making a date to go to the local haunted house or maybe a ghost tour...Or better yet both...It gives you something to look forward to and it gives you a way to celebrate the holiday so it doesn't feel like you missed out all together....ZR

Sounds like you need a party!

Everyone has stress in their lives. Sometimes a lot, sometimes a little. People can help relieve stress, but they can also cause it. (excuse the simple philosophy) You don't want to waste this short life, or a Halloween that lands on a Saturday, just waiting for things to fall into place. You know: lemons to lemonade.

For me, Halloween is my hobby. It's a way for me to disappear from the everyday stresses of a job and being a parent (4 daughters = stress).

I had fun at college and threw some nice Halloween costume parties. After college, when I wasn't handed my dream job and had to go back to working in a warehouse, I was depressed and stressed. All those big questions, "why did I go to colllege if I'm just going to end up driving a forklift." "Does my job matter?", "Does my life matter?", etc. Basically, I was alone and depressed and didn't know what my future held.

Throwing a Halloween party that year was the smartest thing I did. I only had a few friends over, but we had a lot of fun. A lot of fun! And my future wife (she was just a friend-of-a-friend back then) was dressed as a very, very sexy witch.

That made my whole year!!!!!!

Did I say she was a "sexy" witch? Come to think of it, that's probably why I ended up marrying her!

I'm not sure what part of the country you're in, but I've been hearing that home sales are starting to get out of the rut and moving a little. Here's hoping your old house sells soon!

My father-in-law died early October in 2007, and for a while there, we both didn't feel like doing anything. Sucked all the fun right out of the month. We rallied right before Halloween, and ended up having both a party and setting up our display and it was lots of fun.

Most of our friends (the good/crazy ones) were met at work.

I'm so sorry you've had a stressful year, and really hope it gets better for you. I've found that tinkering with the Halloween stuff actually makes me feel better since it's my hobby, so I'd recommend maybe do a little looking around and find even one project that you can work on for this year - it 's both stress relief and will probably get you in the mood too.

That, and do go to the stores in your area with the Halloween stuff out... should work for most of us Halloween nuts to be a mood lifter.

I believe its hard these days for a lot of us especially with all that is going on with the economy & people losing their jobs and homes. Its really a stressful time so its hard to conjure up those "Happy Halloween Feelings".

I know how I am when things are just going wrong & I can't fix them. Closer to home for me has been my health problems & the fact that we can't seem to get a handle on this chronic pain situation. It has resulted in me turning into a miserable hag that just cannot get into the mood for anything. I know a couple of years ago I was not going to put my haunt up because I physically could not get the work done. Couldn't even get on a ladder. But 4-5 days before Halloween it hit me......how could I possibly go thru halloween w/o the decorating. So many kids and families look forward to what I do and they count on my place being the highlight of their halloween season. So like fools we put everything up in 5 days. What a feascal that was.

Thing is Wil, think of the good things, your son, your wife, you have a job, gonna make new friends which means you get to show these folks how someone from the "Halloween Forum" group does things. Don't stress about folks not coming cause even if a few come they will talk & next year there will be more. The house will sell & breaking even on it is very disappointing but things happen & sometimes we have no control over them. I believe as we age we master the art of learning about disappointment & moving on.

Try to relieve some of this stress & replace it with what you enjoy which is Halloween. Sometimes the way I feel I hate putting all this stuff up for xmas & Halloween and its funny because I use to enjoy this so very much but now things are different & its very hard to get it all done BUT ON THE OTHER HAND.........its better than having Halloween Day come and have me sitting here explaining to 250 kids why I did not decorate this year!!lol

Hang in there my friend and know we all understand where you are coming from.

the Muffster

It's hard for me to get into it anymore as well. Our TOT is on the saturday before halloween, from 5-7 when it's light out the entire time. Attendance is low for a big city because no one decorates anymore, nor comes because of the time they hold it. I get a lot of little kids who are too little to appreciate the decorations and not many of the older kids who my haunt is more geared towards. On top of that about half the time it rains or snows and no one comes at all.

On a good ToT I still get about 100 kids though, and i've got bigger hopes this year because halloween is on a saturday, so ToT is also. I'm thinking of staying open past ToT when it gets dark, and maybe posting a few flyers in the neighborhood if i can get a good enough haunt together (thinking of enclosing the porch in black plastic to give a dark area).

Keep your head in the game- you'll be bummed if you don't do it!