Most Wonderful Time of The Year

My favorite time of the year is upon us. I’m not talking about Spice Pumpkin Latte season; I’m talking about Halloween. Cue the creepy Vincent Price laugh at the end of Thriller. If that doesn’t sound familiar, Google it. You can thank me later.  So, what is it about Halloween that I love so much?  It is the candy, uhhh yeah. Is it the parade down in The Village? Sure is, but what I love the most is the ability to dress up as someone else.  With a costume I can transform into a French Maid, which I’ve done no less than three times, or the time I was a Go Green cheerleader. What? You don’t care about Mother Earth? As much fun as Halloween can be, it can also be rife with anxiety and trepidation about what custom to wear.  Can my child dress up as Moana? Can my child be the Black Panther?  Can I dress up as a La Catrina for the neighborhood party? Would that be cultural appropriation even though I appreciate the culture. How do I know the difference? Cultural appropriation is the inappropriate or unacknowledged adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be especially controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from minority cultures. We have two videos below that further explain the difference between cultural appropriation and appreciation.
Cultural appropriation myths debunked
Cultural Appropriation vs. Appreciation
​