509-Halloween Happiness pt 1

Are you excited about Halloween? I am too! But why is that? Today, we dive into part 1 of 2 on why Halloween provides us with high excitement and happiness year after year.  

 

Transcript:

 

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in about 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat, and in case you haven't noticed, there is a widespread pumpkin attack happening in the USA! Just kidding! Halloween is just around the corner, and these spooky-faced friends are popping up everywhere. I love Halloween, and as a mom of kiddos, Halloween is a time when we get to express our inner divas.

But, it got me thinking…why do people love Halloween so much? You don't get presents, you don't really hang out with your family, and you don't get to eat a super crazy meal…just lots of candy. While it is easy to guess that candy gives you a happy sugar high, there is much more as to why the anticipation of Halloween is so high and makes us happy year after year.

Here are a few ideas.

First, Halloween buys an experience. Rather than stressing over buying presents, you can go out and have fun. Whether trick-or-treating with your kids or hitting a club with your besties, it is about the night, the moment, the crazy feeling, and sense of wild abandon. As we have talked about before, experiences often trump material possessions in the happiness arena.

On top of that, there is anticipation. As you have likely heard before, the anticipation of an event can be just as exciting as the event itself. For Halloween, you get to debate costumes, plan for crazy makeup, write a list of parties, and so much more! The night of Halloween itself is quite fleeting, lasting maybe 12 hours, but you can get weeks, if not months, of anticipation happiness out of it.

Second, overspending is expected. Let’s be honest; Halloween isn’t cheap, and everyone accepts that and even pushes each other in a competition to spend more. The perfect examples are Halloween costume contests and being that "cool" mom on the block with full-size candy bars. No one will judge for spending $100 on a cool costume because it's Halloween. It's kind of like wedding fever; you only have one shot, may as well go all in! So shopping happy high it is, just without the regret.

Third, Halloween is a community holiday. At no other time of the year would you allow your children to run around the neighborhood in a mask, knocking on strangers’ doors and asking them for candy. If we were to try and do this on, say, March 4th, people would look at you like you’re insane. Not on Halloween, though! This is a time when people come together. It is a ritual that allows you to connect with others. If you decorate, the neighbors will compliment you, and you may build social brownie points that you couldn’t before. Parents traveling in packs with their kids can chat and hang out. Plus, kids get to play and party together. Altogether, this holiday is all about being social and making connections.

Tomorrow we are sharing three more reasons why we should get excited about Halloween and how it boosts our happiness.  So tune in tomorrow and in the meantime, remember, kindness is contagious. 

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