Everyone around me loves Halloween and Fall; I now find it depressing and I don’t know what changed

[Anonymous]

Seasonal Affective Disorder made me sad for October and my November birthday. Didn't even want to pick a place for dinner. The light here starts to change by Labor Day.
Have had light boxes since the 90s. Now they are pads more compact. Problem solved.
We each have a Max and also we got a Mini but prefer the Max. Mini works but real intense.
https://www.alaskanorthernlights.com/

[Anonymous]

Of course you don’t like fall, it’s the season when all living things die or start abandoning ship. The falling red leaves are a like ticking clock to the shortest and coldest days of the year.

Who would like that?

[Anonymous]

I love fall but I despise Halloween.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Of course you don’t like fall, it’s the season when all living things die or start abandoning ship. The falling red leaves are a like ticking clock to the shortest and coldest days of the year.

Who would like that?

Apparently 45% of Americans. I don't get it--I'm with all of you cranky posters, but:

Fall is Americans' favorite season, survey shows
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/fall-is-americans-favorite-season-survey-shows/

[Anonymous]

Love Sept-Oct-Nov when it is peak religious holiday season for us. Then there are the multiple multi-day weddings - all happening at the same time. Finally, Halloween, TG, Christmas and NY is also celebrated but with least amount of stress.

Jan to March is hard to bear with the gloomy weather. Except for a VD thrown in which is meh holiday!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dislike the period from late October to New Years. There are just too many social and familial expectations and the days keep getting shorter. I always feel relieved when we finally get to January.

+1

And I hate hearing Chrismas music for two months straight everywhere and seeing commercials ordering me to spend money and on top of that be happy happy happy.

+2

Stop trying to make me be cheerful when it's dark outside at 4:30PM!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to enjoy it as a kid and have fond memories of Halloween. As an adult it seems the adults around me all have a love for Halloween and Fall in general. My neighbor was saying it’s her favorite holiday. A couple of good friends, my husband and teenage daughter have Fall as their favorite season. They’ve been mentioning this more and more lately as we get into Fall.

The closer it gets the more depressing it seems. Costume shopping for my kids is probably the most exciting part for me but the day of Halloween it just seems not exciting at all.

Depressing probably isn’t the right word but it seems like I have such a letdown feeling about Halloween and Fall. Maybe it’s the end of Summer I feel or I generally don’t like Fall? Thanksgiving is my least favorite holiday also.

I don’t know what changed over the years but I just don’t enjoy Halloween or Fall anymore.

The worst is a neighborhood who loves it and you could care less

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only loved Halloween when kids were little and wanted to participate. I have never waited for holiday magic to happen organically for any holiday, because Hallmark movie moments just doesn't happen for us. So, I made sure that my kids had special memories of all holidays and I made it happen.

All kids with their parents in the neighborhood were invited to my house to have pizza, nuggets and mac n cheese dinner. We took lots of pics and then started TOT from my house and went around the neighborhood in a big group. All neighbors knew when the TOT will happen. Those who did not want TOTers to come to their house, had to keep their porch lights switched off.

Within 1 hr - TOT was wrapped up in the neighborhood. If Halloween fell on a weekend, we had a neighborhood potluck and a parade of costumed kids. Seriously, it is not so deep.

Recently, a neighbor lamented that I do not do these holidays anymore and her "grandkids" don't get to enjoy it. Yeah, my kids are grown and I have no grandkids. Lady, make either the holidays happen for your loved ones or be very happy watching netflix.

It is depressing only if you have FOMO or if you are deluded into thinking that no effort is needed for lovely holiday moments.

My neighborhood has the before party too and pictures, but some parents stuck in high school have turned it into an exclusive invite only event where the chosen kids ride around and trick or treat via a hayride. Try explaining to 6-8 year olds that they can’t trick or treat with their friends because Larla’s mommy wanted it to be “just her crew and their littles”. Halloween has turned into tears and drama the past several years since this particular crew has started their “tradition”. It does make me dislike fall because I know it’s all leading up to drama. Last year DD was included only because her friends were finally old enough to say that they wanted Larlita to do a group costume and trick or treat with them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only loved Halloween when kids were little and wanted to participate. I have never waited for holiday magic to happen organically for any holiday, because Hallmark movie moments just doesn't happen for us. So, I made sure that my kids had special memories of all holidays and I made it happen.

All kids with their parents in the neighborhood were invited to my house to have pizza, nuggets and mac n cheese dinner. We took lots of pics and then started TOT from my house and went around the neighborhood in a big group. All neighbors knew when the TOT will happen. Those who did not want TOTers to come to their house, had to keep their porch lights switched off.

Within 1 hr - TOT was wrapped up in the neighborhood. If Halloween fell on a weekend, we had a neighborhood potluck and a parade of costumed kids. Seriously, it is not so deep.

Recently, a neighbor lamented that I do not do these holidays anymore and her "grandkids" don't get to enjoy it. Yeah, my kids are grown and I have no grandkids. Lady, make either the holidays happen for your loved ones or be very happy watching netflix.

It is depressing only if you have FOMO or if you are deluded into thinking that no effort is needed for lovely holiday moments.

My neighborhood has the before party too and pictures, but some parents stuck in high school have turned it into an exclusive invite only event where the chosen kids ride around and trick or treat via a hayride. Try explaining to 6-8 year olds that they can’t trick or treat with their friends because Larla’s mommy wanted it to be “just her crew and their littles”. Halloween has turned into tears and drama the past several years since this particular crew has started their “tradition”. It does make me dislike fall because I know it’s all leading up to drama. Last year DD was included only because her friends were finally old enough to say that they wanted Larlita to do a group costume and trick or treat with them.

Yes, sad that people are not inclusive. TBH, sometimes it is because there are lots of takers and people do not reciprocare.

But, there is no reason that you cannot have your own party and group TOTing for your kid, their school friends and the rest of neighborhood that are not part of the posse. What is stopping you? Halloween parties for kids are the most low effort parties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Only loved Halloween when kids were little and wanted to participate. I have never waited for holiday magic to happen organically for any holiday, because Hallmark movie moments just doesn't happen for us. So, I made sure that my kids had special memories of all holidays and I made it happen.

All kids with their parents in the neighborhood were invited to my house to have pizza, nuggets and mac n cheese dinner. We took lots of pics and then started TOT from my house and went around the neighborhood in a big group. All neighbors knew when the TOT will happen. Those who did not want TOTers to come to their house, had to keep their porch lights switched off.

Within 1 hr - TOT was wrapped up in the neighborhood. If Halloween fell on a weekend, we had a neighborhood potluck and a parade of costumed kids. Seriously, it is not so deep.

Recently, a neighbor lamented that I do not do these holidays anymore and her "grandkids" don't get to enjoy it. Yeah, my kids are grown and I have no grandkids. Lady, make either the holidays happen for your loved ones or be very happy watching netflix.

It is depressing only if you have FOMO or if you are deluded into thinking that no effort is needed for lovely holiday moments.

My neighborhood has the before party too and pictures, but some parents stuck in high school have turned it into an exclusive invite only event where the chosen kids ride around and trick or treat via a hayride. Try explaining to 6-8 year olds that they can’t trick or treat with their friends because Larla’s mommy wanted it to be “just her crew and their littles”. Halloween has turned into tears and drama the past several years since this particular crew has started their “tradition”. It does make me dislike fall because I know it’s all leading up to drama. Last year DD was included only because her friends were finally old enough to say that they wanted Larlita to do a group costume and trick or treat with them.

Yes, sad that people are not inclusive. TBH, sometimes it is because there are lots of takers and people do not reciprocare.

But, there is no reason that you cannot have your own party and group TOTing for your kid, their school friends and the rest of neighborhood that are not part of the posse. What is stopping you? Halloween parties for kids are the most low effort parties.

Uh probably because the kids that PP’s kids want to trick or treat with are going on a parent social engineered hayride. Believe me, it happens. The good news is that kids start to outgrow this nonsense by 4th and 5th grade and they tell their parents who they want to hang out with. The social engineered neighborhood cliques are usually focused around younger elementary kids.

[Anonymous]

If they got rid of Daylight Savings Time, it would be tolerable.

[Anonymous]

Me, too. I’m a summer girl. Always have been, always will be. I mourn its passing every year.

[Anonymous]

Life certainly ebbs ➕ flows and it is normal to have changing feelings over certain things as the years progress.

I wouldn’t be concerned about it if I were you.

Perhaps the endless sunny ☀️ days and/or freedom of responsibilities can make the end of summer feel like a drag.
The weather will be cooler plus it will get dark much sooner too.

And unless you are a young child - - or have young children at home, Halloween isn’t really that much fun in my opinion.
And some adults may view Halloween + Thanksgiving as extra work.
I.e., shopping, cooking, hosting, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Love Sept-Oct-Nov when it is peak religious holiday season for us. Then there are the multiple multi-day weddings - all happening at the same time. Finally, Halloween, TG, Christmas and NY is also celebrated but with least amount of stress.

Jan to March is hard to bear with the gloomy weather. Except for a VD thrown in which is meh holiday!

Agree about Jan-March being really tough. Really, the only redeeming thing is that January has 2 holidays (days off) and February has one. April in DC is pretty with things blooming. But March is just blah - I can’t really think of anything to look forward to in March. (And it’s a busy time for me at work too, so no break there).

I’ve tried to adopt Mardis Gras as a goto late weather holiday, but it just hasn’t worked for me, outside of actually being down in NOLA or somewhere else where there are widespread celebrations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You guys are my people. I don't exactly hate fall, it's fine... but I do hate winter, and the impending doom of the season is just depressing. I love gardening and being out and about, and the thought of 30 degree days in slush and ice makes it hard to enjoy this transitional time however nice 68 degree days are now.

Then, Halloween just seems like a lot of work (with grade school kids) and I am super not into horror or even a spooky aesthetic. I think I *could* like Halloween if it was just everyone else with yard decor and costumes and gourds, etc. and I could just mosey around and appreciate their commitment to the season. But alas, kids do not want to be bystanders to the big event so I am the one with the yard decor and costumes and gourds...

Just counting down the days until March 20, 2026.

You and me both. I need sun and heat.

+2. The only good thing is that winter makes me appreciate the summer more.