Haunted House Memories of Collaboration, Creativity, and Joy

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Dear Readers,

Are you ready for this weekend?  These past weeks I have truly enjoyed seeing posts of families prepare for the holiday.  Images range from children and parents dressing up for Halloween events to my friend’s daughter experienced her first pumpkin carving session.  I chuckled when I read how she expressed her distaste for the pumpkin guts but enjoyed playing with the seeds.  What I find timeless about this holiday is watching others demonstrate their imaginations and the opportunity it opens to share it with others.   I experienced this first hand in my teens when myself and other members of the Girl Scout community organized and ran a haunted house. 

There was one year in my youth where the Girl Scout community gained access to former retail store and was given permission to create a haunted house.  Girl Scouts of all different ages gathered in a troop leader’s living room to write a script and plan the event.  While brainstorming, I will never forget when the leader turned to me and said “you’re the story teller, right?”.  I hesitated unsure how to respond in the moment.  Not long after I voiced an idea and her response was “I knew you were a storyteller!”.  This troop leader is still a close family friend to this day and this moment remains very vivid in my mind.
It was the first time I accepted and declared that I am indeed a storyteller.

The planning and execution was an amazing experience.  Each of us came up with our own unique costumes and found a line to contribute.  My line was “Watch your legsss….”  for after people passed me they stepped over stuffed stockings.  It was a very fun afternoon with a steady flow of patrons throughout the day.   We had a blast and it was a great success.  Although I have to mention that my Dad really impressed me that day.  My father is a bit shy but with my Mom’s encouragement he showed up with a painted face and with a nudge spent the day happily scaring people. 

Although I am have not been able to participate in an event like this one recently, each year I make it a priority to celebrate this holiday in some way.  I leap at the opportunity to dress up and have even started sending cards to loved ones.  Hearing and seeing what others dressed up as is always a great treat.  I am notorious for texting friends for pictures of the kids in their costumes and asking what the everyone in the neighborhood dressed up as this year.  My sister’s son is about to celebrate his second Halloween.  I am dying to see pictures of him in his costume while also hear of how his first Trick or Treat excursion turns out.  For all the kids out there young and old I pray you are able to experience the creativity and joy that this holiday brings so easily.  Wishing each of you a happy and healthy Halloween!

 Love Always,

Kristina Lucia xoxo