Lost the Holiday Spirit

“Mom! Look!” said the 7-year-old girl showing her pumpkin carved as a witch. Her mother goes over beaming at her daughter’s art. She loves her pumpkin, they light the candle inside, turn off the lights, and the witch glows marvelously. It’s a beautiful sight. The mother and daughter are so proud of themselves they can’t wait to show it off for the neighbors on Halloween.

Next Halloween, the little girl and her brother watching Hocus Pocus with their mom. Mel is dressing up as a witch pretending to catch spells in her room.

At school, the little girl is drawing pictures of ghosts, witches, vampires on her notebook at school. Her mother picks her up from school, she’s excited to go out Trick or treating at the mall. Her mother is gazing at her daughter with such innocence, such joy. She can always put a smile anyone’s face.  

“You know what’s special about you, your spirit. Don’t lose that,” said Mom.

“I won’t. Nothing will break my spirit,” says the little girl.

“I love you” Mom said. “Love you too,” little girl response.  

2 years later.

A little girl who’s now 10 is name Mel lying on her bed with tears running down her face. Her eyes are as red as can be. Turns her head facing a photo of her family, her mom, dad, and her older brother at a park. The picture is taken a year before. She comes out of her room looks as though she’s been weeping for hours. She sits on the living room couch staring at the blank screen TV. Her brother Carl comes in to comfort her. He tears up as well. The father gives them a big hug.

A couple hours later…  

It’s Halloween night! Little kids going out Trick or treating. Carl is dressed as Woody from Toy Story and Mel dressed as Annie are heading to a house. They knock on the door. Both say Trick or treat, got their candy, and walk to their dad. Two kids join them their cousins Terri and Joseph dressed up as a cheerleader and Frankenstein. The four kids head to another house and so on and so forth.

One of the houses the children head to is set as a cemetery. Mel walks up to a coffin and lying down is the Scream figure. Thinking it’s just a prop, she leans over sparking interest then the figure comes out of the coffin startling her, it was an actual person in costume. All the kids laugh at her. She heads to a tree in the dark crying. Her cousin Terri runs to her.

“Relax, it was just a prank,” Terri said.

“It’s a mean thing to do, I’m just a kid,” Mel said.

Her cousin hugs her. She holds her hand. “Calm down, it’s Halloween,” her cousin continues “you love Halloween, it’s your favorite holiday.”

“Not anymore. I hate Halloween!” Mel walks away in fury.

An hour before…

In Terri and Joseph’s house the four kids are gathering around the living room. The dad and aunt and uncle gush about how cute the children looked. Dad volunteers to take them out Trick or treating. Terri notices Mel is not as enthusiastic as she normally is. She wonders if she’s all right, she asks, and Mel answers she’s fine. Terri and Joseph’s mom ask the kids to pose for a photo. They are smiling into the camera, except Mel is half smile half frowning.

The picture is placed in a scrapbook being held by a young woman. She is Mel. Mel is now 30 going through her photo album. She’s sitting in her chair remembering the day it happened. Her phone rings it’s her brother Carl. He invites her to his and wife’s Halloween party. She declines. It’s almost Halloween her least favorite time of year. She hasn’t decorated or wore a costume since she was 10. She claims she grew out of it, but her family knows why she boycotts the Holiday. Every year they convince her to get into the spirit again. No luck.

She drives off to the park sitting on the bench seeing children playing with their parents laughing and chatting. Her cousin Terri spots her along with her 5-year-old daughter Kelly. Kelly runs over hugging Mel.

“Hello stranger,” said Terri. Kelly holds onto Mel.

“Mom said you can’t come to Trick or treating, how come?” said Kelly.

“I’m busy,” said Mel. Terri is not falling for that excuse again. She tells Kelly to go play with the other kids she wants to speak to Mel.

“It’s been 20 years. She would want you to enjoy yourself.” said Terri sitting next to Mel.

“That’s exactly what Carl said. He invited me to his party, but I’m not going,” said Mel.

Terri wants Mel to open about her mother, but she cuts her off heading to Kelly to play with her. Mel chases Kelly around the tree, picks her up and twirls her, and tickles her. Kelly laughs her head off. Mel and Kelly hold hands to walk to Terri then Kelly asks Mel about her dislike for Halloween. Mel takes a moment and gets down on her knees squatting facing Kelly explaining what happened to her as a child. Kelly gives her a hug. She too hates when people scare other people. But she still loves Halloween because she gets to spend with her mom which triggers Mel. She starts to tear.

“Why are you crying, Mel?” Kelly asked.

“Sorry, it’s just – I too used to spend quality time with my mom,” Mel response.

“You miss her?” Kelly asks.

Mel takes a deep breath and half smiles, “all the time. Especially this time of year it’s difficult for me.”

“What did you and your mom do?” asks Kelly.

Mel stares at Kelly realizing she has been holding her pain through the years. She never likes talking about her mom. She sees the look on Kelly’s face with curiosity. She tells her happy stories about her and mom. Suddenly, she starts to feel better.

Mel tags along with Terri and Kelly to go shopping for a costume, Kelly tries on Tinkerbell costume. Terri and Mel give her thumbs up. Mel observes Terri and Kelly’s relationship reminding of herself and her mom. A generational thing going on. How could she not live her life to the fullest? Her mother lived life as though it’s her last that’s what she taught her and her brother. He’s learned how to cope with his mother’s death by living and talking about her with his friends. He keeps her alive by telling happy stories the way she laughed, how good cook she is, she would say Santa Claus is coming better go to sleep. Mel is now realizing she needs to do the same.

Halloween night! Terri, Joseph, and Mel take Terri’s daughter, and his three kids out Trick or treating. Since the night was still young around 9 o’clock, Mel takes off saying goodnight to Terri and Joseph and their kids. She gives Kelly a warm hug telling her thank you, of course Kelly didn’t understand what she meant but said you’re welcome anyway.

At Carl’s apartment the party is still going. There’s a knock at the door, he opens, it’s Mel wearing a Harry Potter robe. She greets him with a hug. It’s been a while since he’s seen his sister in costume. She greets his wife and his friends with joy, saying Happy Halloween to everybody. He’s so pleased to see her in the spirit again. All of them gather around going over his scrapbook showing pictures of them as kids with their parents. For the first time Mel is smiling and laughing sharing her memories with her brother.