A Most Elaborate Celebration of Halloween.
Here’s the long-awaited Halloween update, everyone:
I haven’t done anything for Halloween since I was a little kid. The most I’ve done since I can remember is hand out candy to trick-or-treaters. I used to go to Halloween parties hosted by United Cerebral Palsy when I was very little, but that stopped when I reached a certain age. I trick-or-treated into my young teenage years, and then that stopped as well. Halloween has never been a big holiday for me; it’s mostly been an excuse to pig out on candy. If you had told me I’d be going to a party even a week before Halloween this year, I’d have said you were crazy; I’ve never been invited to one, and I had no real desire to go.
All that changed a matter of a couple days before Halloween. Apocalypse999 (AlexPuma’s best friend, and my friend) invited me to his parents’ annual Halloween bash. I was instantly intrigued, as Halloween is a holiday that Apocalypse999 very much fancies. I agreed to go with my boyfriend, AlexPuma. There was much debate over whether or not we’d actually go, because AlexPuma was a bit tired, said he didn’t really like parties, and it would be troublesome to get me back to Waite Park after the party, which was in Cold Spring. We agreed to go after I asked my father to get me a ride home from Cold Spring. We went and had supper at the International House of Pancakes before heading out to the party.
When AlexPuma and I arrived at Apocalypse999’s parents’ house out in the sticks near Cold Spring, I was shocked as to how elaborate the decorations in the yard were. There were gravestones everywhere with names of various family members; even family pets’ names were engraved onto each stone. As we walked into the house, we passed a number of noise-making devices, which added to the atmosphere.
The inside of the house was very dim, and was decorated with all kinds of intricate Halloween fare; so much so that I can hardly recall each item, but I know that it must have cost a small fortune to put everything together. The whole layout was amazingly professional; I was very shocked that this was just a family party. I guess it only goes to show that Apocalypse999’s parents have similar interests as their son does.
This, however, was only the upstairs; the real party was in the basement. AlexPuma and I went down the stairs, checked our coats and belongings in a back room, and then went out to the party. What an amazing atmosphere…there were little statuettes all around of hunchback butlers and whatnot holding various spooky-looking items. In a dish at the bar were gummy eyeballs, which were actually quite delicious if not a bit off-putting. On a large television, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” was playing with a very low volume, and nearby, a fog machine spewed foggy mist into the air that smelled like cotton candy. It was all very fascinating. At the other end of the basement sat a huge poker table, and to the side of that was a huge buffet with all kinds of delectable delights and a huge bowl of punch.
I should mention the elaborate costumes everybody wore. It was amazing to see how everyone went all out on this party in that regard. I saw somebody wrapped up in bandages as a mummy, I saw a couple dressed as a hippie/flower child set, the host and hostess were dressed up as a big devil and witch (respectively), and there were many others that I cannot recall. As I have not attended a party or trick-or-treated in years, I just had a tiny little Sonic the Hedgehog cap that I wore to the party. AlexPuma wore a spooky mask and a huge afro wig, which actually worked out quite well.
For most of the party, I made myself at home at the poker table, talking with people who sat down to eat, and enjoying the atmosphere. I helped myself to plenty of punch, and enjoyed a cheese dip that tasted a lot like Hamburger Helper; it was all so interesting. While I soaked up the atmosphere and enjoyed my refreshments, AlexPuma sat next to me playing “Scribblenauts” on his Nintendo DS Lite. Every so often, Apocalypse999 would walk over and talk with us; sometimes asking AlexPuma to get up and interact.
At around 10:45 PM, AlexPuma and I had to leave, because my father was going to pick me up at a convenience store in the actual city of Cold Spring at 11:00 PM. We bid everybody good bye, and went to the store, where we met my father, and I went home.
I have to say that this is the most fun I’ve ever really had at Halloween time in many years. I hope that AlexPuma and I get invited back to this same party next year, because it was easily the most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced during Halloween.