Spooky Halloween, Locally

Everyone knows the story of the headless horseman of Sleepy Hollow. Some may believe in that old legend, and some people may not. Whether you believe in this haunted figure or not, Halloween is a day to believe in the unbelievable. I personally don't like halloween—I don't like the feeling of being scared. Getting candy is dandy and everything, but I know I don't want someone chasing me down a street pretending to want to kill me.

I recall a Halloween a couple of years ago my friend and I went trick-or-treating at a house in West Haverstraw. This house was crazy with loud Halloween music and strobe lights going—you could see it all the way from Nyack. The owners of that house hid behind bushes with fake chainsaws and scared the kids who would trick-or-treat at their house.

I finally worked up the guts to go up and ask for candy. After I got my candy from the guy who was dressed as a clown, I turned around to have Michael Myers standing behind me... I don't think I've ever ran so fast in my life. As I reminisce about that night, I now see that scaring people is the point of Halloween.

For people who love to be scared, this is your post! A short drive across the Tappan Zee Bridge are some unique towns who really embrace the Halloween spirit. Sleepy Hollow hosts a number of Halloween events; take a tour through the famous Sleepy Hollow Cemetery or check out their epic Haunted Hayride. If you're not interested in driving across the bridge, many local schools host haunted houses, too.

If you are like me and not a big fan of being scared, then there are other activities that can occupy your time during Halloween. A nice thing to do with some friends is have a pumpkin carving contest. A little competition is good for the soul! Have some prizes for whomever wins the contest. Also, decorating your house for Halloween is a cute idea. My house has scarecrows and pumpkins in the front of the house. Little decorations like that make your house look cute!

October is a fun month! However, we still need to remember to be safe. Have a adult supervise the carving contest. Make sure that if something happens to get help... so your life doesn't turn into the movie Sorority Row!