Why Halloween Is Still My Favorite Holiday

A chance to be anything I wanted -- a cat more times than I can count, if you are wondering. Halloween has always been a holiday I look forward to. Even as a child it was a celebration of self expression, and of equal importance, a time to feed my insatiable glitter habit. It was also an opportunity for bonding with my girlfriends. I remember so distinctly my last year of trick-or-treating, my mom crafted the most spectacular, matching, good-and-evil fairy costumes for me and my bestie. We were perhaps a little old to be trick-or-treating, but with such beautiful costumes, no one seemed to care. The magic of that night continues to live on.

When I was 24, Halloween took on a whole new meaning. I was young, in love, and engaged. That particular year, Halloween was also my wedding day. This holiday I had loved my whole life, would now be my anniversary. More reasons to celebrate. It seemed perfect.

But perfect turned to heartbreak. Blame it on age, ignored red flags, or irreconcilable differences, as the divorce papers would put it. My fairy tale quickly unraveled. It was our one year wedding anniversary, and my husband was living across the country; we barely spoke, because the fights were more than I could handle while also trying to survive my 1L year of law school. I decided to seek comfort in the escape of fantasy in a way only Halloween could encourage. Tinkerbell. Because, “all you need is faith, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust.” The pixie dust didn’t save my marriage, but it was a reminder as I moved forward not to let a day I had loved for 24 years be ruined by the memories of one bad year. I had the power to decide my own happiness. So, I decided, when the divorce was finalized, Halloween would remain mine. The whimsy, the magic, the glitter, all of it. It would not be tarnished. But what I could not have imagined at that time, was that even after all that happened, Halloween would not only be mine but would end up marking the anniversary of one of the most cherished relationships. One that has already long outlasted my first marriage.

Halloween is mine, and co-founder, Brittany’s, friendiversary. Technically, we had been out together before, but Halloween was the night we would become lifelong sisters. We were a cat and a witch (she was the cat this time!). I can’t be sure what it was that made this night so special, but I’m guessing the Great Pumpkin surely had something to do with it. That, or the open bar. This was more than just another friendship. Brittany was the first person in my adult life who truly understood and adored me. We take care of each other, look out for each other, support each other, and have more fun than I knew was possible. We found each other during a time when we both needed it. Timing really can be everything. If things had not been what they were with my ex, I am not sure if circumstances would have lead us to each other. I often reflect on how a holiday, dedicated to transforming you into someone else, would lead me to the person who has helped me be more authentically myself than ever before. I can tell you, with all confidence, this was the best upgrade I have ever made in my life. From toxic home life, to my forever friend.