‘Harvest Party’ Doesn’t Cut It

Wed., Oct. 25, 1995

Taryn Hecker, Lakeside

Halloween. The one holiday both adults and children can celebrate. The one holiday where people can disregard the food pyramid and eat handful after handful of the forbidden food group - sugary sweets.

The one holiday that allows people to go door to door and ask for free food. The one day of the year when people can dress like total freaks and be considered normal.

I can recall the year I was a witch and the year I was a cat. Despite the different costumes I wore, each year was reminiscent of the one before.

Early in September, I’d begin planning my costume, and when Oct. 31 rolled around, I’d set off for school dressed like a, well, a whatever I was. There was always a party at school, maybe even a costume contest. And there was always one kid who would eat enough candy to get violently ill, usually on the teacher’s shoes.

Unfortunately, my brother and sister will not be able to have a Halloween party at school, because even in a town smaller than two city blocks, the terrible plague of political correctness has emerged. Instead, the classes will have a “harvest party.” And no costumes will be allowed.

To put it bluntly, this sucks. Why does political correctness have to deplete the fun of Halloween? After weeks and weeks of school, why can’t kids dress up and have a blast for one measly day?

It’s not just the candy or trick-or-treating that makes Halloween what it is. Costumes are definitely the icing on the cake.

Changing the name of a Halloween party to a harvest party will not change what it really is. So why not put political correctness in the closet for 24 hours and let kids be kids, while they still can?

xxxx

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