Don’t: use a culture as a costume
I don’t want to stifle your creativity. But people do not like seeing you wear their cultural symbols to look good on Halloween while you continue to stand by and let them be marginalized. People also do not like to see their cultural symbols worn by people who do not understand them. There are other costumes available. Take your pick.
Do: dress as modestly OR revealingly as you wish
“Slutty mouse” is a perfectly serviceable costume. So is “bedsheet ghost” or “can of tomato sauce.” Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. And if you do see someone in a slutty mouse costume, rest assured that, on balance of probabilities, it’s probably not because of you.
Don’t: make everyone else feel unholy and sacrilegious
There are Christian institutions like the United Church of God who say that Halloween is a demonic day. But there’s no need to get holier than thou about Halloween; back when the holiday was more commonly called All Hallow’s Eve, it was a Christian celebration preceding All Saints’ Day. The associations with contemporaneous pagan holiday Samhain are because Pope Gregory IV intentionally moved the celebration from its original May date. That’s not to say that the occult connotations aren’t controversial, but it’s not a black-and-white issue: don’t treat observing Halloween as an unilaterally un-Christian thing.
Do: feel free to abstain from the celebrations if it’s not your thing
Not everyone likes the pomp and circumstance of October 31. That’s totally cool. There are other things to do with your night. Stay home from the parties, skip the jack-o’-lanterns, stay sober, and leave your windows dark if you like. Optionally, call the cops on your loud and disrespectful partying neighbours at 1 a.m. On that note . . .
Don’t: throw annoying parties at the wrong place and time
Halloween parties are sick. All-nighter Halloween ragers are great. But, if you’re going to host one, keep the location in mind. If you live in an apartment or a cul-de-sac or anywhere with neighbours, really, calculate out how much noise is appropriate to make at what time. Sonic booms of Monster Mash or Look What You Made Me Do after midnight are twice as unacceptable as they are before midnight. Try to keep your guests to making a mess outdoors too: puking up Smarties on a stranger’s lawn is never a rad thing to do.
Do: drink responsibly if you want, and make yourself happy
Whatever you do this year, have a sick time! If you haven’t made up your mind on Halloween, then take this chance to make it your own. Do activities, get reasonably wild with your friends, enter costume contests, pound back candy, and do whatever else you have to do to enjoy the night. It’s only once a year, and that’s spooky enough that you shouldn’t miss the chance to become something totally different for the night.
