Back in the day – don’t recall exactly which day it was – my dear friend Helen of Leeds used to visit us here at Motley Manor several times a year. By the way, Leeds is a town in northern England where The Who recorded their “Live at Leeds” album.
On her last visit, she commented on the utter absurdness of the whole concept of Halloween, which she claims is not celebrated in Jolly Old England. But then the Brits don’t celebrate the Fourth of July nor Thanksgiving either…go figure! Adding to the absurdity, said Helen, is the presence of Halloween stores that seem to pop up in shopping centers, often months in advance of the actual holiday. Actually, it’s not a real holiday, but you’d think so, judging by the amount of money people spend on candy.
By the way, in England holiday means you’re going on vacation, as in, “We’re going on holiday to France.”
According to the National Retail Federation, when they’re not on strike, Americans spend about $13 billion on Halloween, which is about $43 per person. I’ve never spent more that $25 on Halloween candy because nobody trick or treats in my remote mountain neighborhood; besides that I’m a well-known cheapskate.
I was working in the lab late one night when my eyes beheld an eerie sight, for my monster from his slab began to rise, and suddenly to my surprise, he did the mash, he did the Monster Mash, it was a graveyard smash. He did the mash, it caught on in a flash. He did the Monster Mash. (“The Monster Mash” – Bobby Boris Pickett – 1964)
Keep it flyin’,
Uncle Mott
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