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That thrilling feeling: Decorating homes for Halloween is frightfully good fun

By Frances Borsodi Zajac fzajac@heraldstandard.Com 3 min read
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MetroCreative

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MetroCreative

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MetroCreative

Ghosts, goblins and jack-o’-lanterns are adorning more houses these days as it’s time once again to enjoy that thrilling feeling during the Halloween season.

Homeowners are decorating both inside and outside their houses: filling shelves, tabletops and walls as well as front porches, windows and walkways with scary delights, such as witches, skeletons and monsters. Don’t forget bats, cats and spiders!

They’re things that make people shiver, and, that can be a good thing.

“It’s cathartic,” said Adam Sedlock, Uniontown psychologist and owner of ACS Psychological Associates. “You take anxiety and turn it into something good. It makes you feel better.”

More Americans appear to be enjoying Halloween with the National Retail Federation reporting consumers are expected to spend $8.8 billion this year in holiday fun. Of this, NRF anticipates consumers will spend $2.7 billion on decorations.

“There are houses I’ve never seen decorated before that are decorated now,” said Sedlock. “It’s a sign of the times. Halloween season makes us feel good.”

Dr. Robert Mehalik, assistant professor in the department of counselor education at California University of Pennsylvania, said, “I do think it’s becoming more popular, and I think it’s getting bigger. People are putting up more decorations.”

Mehalik added, “I think this time of year, for a lot of people, starts the holiday season. Halloween is the kick off for it. I remember in September there were people decorating for it. It brings a lot of good feelings.”

Halloween decorating lets people use their skills and talents.

“I think the holidays really bring out the creativity and imagination for a lot of people they’re not able to show otherwise,” said Mehalik.

And that’s another way to make people happy.

Sedlock referred to an extreme example of an Italian restaurant in Monongahela called Angelo’s II that has made national news with its bright, colorful “Ghostbusters” themed Halloween decorations that feature large, green tentacles coming out of windows and the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man on the roof.

“They feel good by doing it,” noted Sedlock. “It’s no different than the tradition of handing out candy. We all like to participate in traditions. We’re social beings.”

Tradition is a big part of Halloween, including costumes, parades and trick-or-treating. Decorating has also become a part of that tradition

“You see a lot of folks using the same decorations every year or decorations their parents used that have been passed down. I see that even with Halloween decorations,” Mehalik said.

Halloween decorations also make people feel part of a community.

“When someone in a community decorates their home, it motivates others to do the same,” noted Mehalik.

Some decorations are whimsical, others classic. But the fear factor remains a part of Halloween.

“People are always fascinated by the unknown,” said Sedlock. “Being scared is an energy rush.”

“When we’re scared,” said Mehalik, “there’s all kinds of bio-chemical reactions and adrenaline pumping. That’s why people feel good when they work out. Although there’s an initial scare, there’s almost a euphoric feeling.”

Mehalik continued, “You might be a little bit afraid but it keeps people coming back. They go to haunted houses even though they’re scared and it’s the same with horror movies.”

Decorating allows people to enjoy feeling afraid but also have some control.

“You get to pick how much and how little you decorate,” said Mehalik.

So let the bats fly and monsters roam when decorating for Halloween. Feeling a little bit scared can also be frightfully good fun.

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