My Lifelong Love Affair with Halloween
From Lip-Sync Stages to Haunted Nights: My Lifelong Love Affair with Halloween
I adored dressing up as a child. I'd spend hours searching for just the right clothes to bring my costume ideas to life, often designing my own attire. This wasn't just a Halloween thing; it happened all year round. As a music enthusiast, I'd often transform into my favorite artists, put on a record, and sing along. My older brother would sometimes burst into my room, unannounced, yelling, "What the heck are you doing?!" He'd make fun of me, but that wouldn't stop me. The moment he closed the door, I'd pick up right where I left off.
In elementary and high school, we had an annual event called "Fonomímica" (lip-sync performances). It was exactly as I've described: you'd dress up like your favorite artists and pretend to sing, dance, and play instruments as they did. I participated every year. Some of the bands and singers I portrayed included Bon Jovi, Roxette, Hole, Shania Twain (which earned me first place!), and Vixen, just to name a few.
My classmates and I would come up with the most amazing costumes and dances. The feeling was exhilarating—the fantasies playing in our minds were intangible, but embodying them in those moments was a chance to escape reality. It was an opportunity to indulge in the dream of becoming famous and glamorous one day!
Given my undeniable inclination to dress up and embody different characters, it was no surprise that I fell in love with Halloween as soon as I became aware of it. The festivity truly ignited my passion for crafting and storytelling through the characters I would portray. Plus, I reveled in decorating my house and school with Halloween themes. Back then, we still had to make many things from scratch since printing technology wasn't fully developed and, more importantly, it was expensive.
Many Halloween costumes, crafts, and decorations weren't readily available in Mexico at the time. People would often bring them from the States and sell them at a much higher price, making them unaffordable for many. However, I believe that when things aren't available, that's when your creativity truly comes alive. We crafted things using old clothes, cardboard, paint, and papier-mâché, among other materials.
My mother, a fantastic baker, also helped us craft our childhood costumes. However, as our characters grew scarier and bloodier, she opted out of assisting further. That's when I adapted her recipe for face painting, creating my own fake blood! Fun fact: the ingredients are even revealed near the end of the movie Scream.
I've dressed up as a wide variety of characters, including vampires, witches, ghosts, mummies, black cats, Sally (from The Nightmare Before Christmas), The Crow, Morticia Addams, and Ripley (from Alien), among others. Similar to my approach in lip-sync performances, I don't differentiate between male or female characters; if I fancy a character, I wholeheartedly commit to designing and portraying them.
October remains my favorite month of the year. The crisp air carries the scent of nature's decay, signaling the transition of seasons. Our landscape transforms with a vibrant palette: blood red, pumpkin orange, cempasúchil yellow, bark brown, dusk purple, and midnight black. This scenery inherently evokes the spirit of All Hallows' Eve.
Beyond the natural indicators of autumn, popular television shows, particularly those from the 1980s and 1990s, frequently celebrated the Halloween season with dedicated special episodes. I distinctly remember Disney's contributions, including Mickey Mouse and Goofy catching "Lonesome Ghosts," Donald Duck's nephews embarking on trick-or-treating adventures, and my absolute favorite: The Headless Horseman chasing a humorous version of Ichabod Crane. This character, of course, was later famously depicted by Johnny Depp in Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, a film directed by a true visionary of Halloween narratives.
Beyond television, music played a significant role in capturing our imagination, especially through MTV and other music channels, which delivered fantastic tunes. They too offered Halloween specials, and I distinctly recall seeing performances and videos by Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Ozzy Osbourne, and many of my preferred Dark Wave bands, such as The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Sisters of Mercy, and Depeche Mode. Our local channel also broadcast a special Día de Muertos program. This program showcased bands from Spain and Mexico, often featuring a spooky aesthetic and filmed in cemetery settings.
During these legendary autumn days, multiple TV channels filled their program guides with horror movies—the gorier, the better. Who can forget growing up and getting spooked by watching classics such as Friday the 13th, Halloween, Gremlins, The Lost Boys, Child's Play (Chucky), A Nightmare on Elm Street, It, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Poltergeist, and The Evil Dead?
What better way to complement a scary movie than with popcorn and Halloween treats? While a little pricey, we'd save up for imported candies like Reese's. Back then, Mexican brands like Sabritas (Lays) always had fun promotions, such as Cheetos shaped like vampire fangs, and all sorts of Halloween-themed gummies. And, of course, we can't forget our famous sugar or chocolate "calaveritas."
As Halloween approached, my mother would carve a Jack-o'-lantern and bake a variety of autumn and Halloween treats, including pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, and Halloween-themed sugar cookies.
While some overrated horror movies can lead to terrifying, sleepless nights, for me, Halloween brings back cherished childhood and adolescent memories. It was a season consistently brimming with exciting sights, activities, shows, flavors, and games.
Though adult life might limit our ability to celebrate Halloween on the grand scale of our childhood, the holiday's spirit is still within reach. My friend Radka and I, both devoted fans of the season, make an effort to embrace it by attending numerous venues that host exciting Halloween parties, complete with costume competitions, classic horror movie screenings, and gruesome treats. We can also deck out our homes or offices, if permitted, and once again immerse ourselves in feeling like kids.
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