Happy Halloween!

Yes, I know I’m late. But, like Fat Tuesday, Halloween marks the final, climactic day of craziness and partying before a long, bleak period of school, winter and little else.

Until another holiday frees us from monotonously boring weather and work, we’re stuck trudging along.

So, I want to enjoy the festivities for as long as I can. I like driving by houses decorated with ghoulish scenes and ghastly monsters. I enjoy hearing ghost stories. I like seeing costumes of heroes and villains, soldiers and hippies, wizards and witches.

Even people who just throw on a sheet and call themselves ghosts give me a chuckle.

I find it refreshing, as I’m sure many others do, to have a day where we can exchange our chaotic work life for a chaotic nightlife.

A day to pretend we’re something we’re not, and be justified in doing so.

But now, we have to go back to schooling instead of scaring. Finals are approaching, and will be here soon enough.

Little cause for celebration exists in the holiday wasteland between now and Christmas, save the Thanksgiving oasis.

Winter now has its dour and firm grasp on the season, just as school and work have now tightened their grips on our free time.

Halloween chocolates and candy are replaced by cheap carry out. Jack Frost replaces jack-o’- lanterns. Creative costumes get tossed to the back of the closet as people don heavy jackets to keep out the cold.

Tales of the Headless Horseman disappear before tales of St. Nick begin to crop up. Cobwebs are cleaned out as room is made for Christmas lights.

Now it’s time to buckle down and continue until the Christmas season, when once again decorations go up along with spirits.

So, I hope you got all your craziness out of you, because with finals, Christmas shopping, work and socializing, there will be more than enough craziness creeping back into your life.

As for me, I’m hoping my niece made a good haul this year.

I’ll need the sugar for my exams.