BUT.
This year, Starbucks released their pumpkin spice latte in late August. Yes, that is way too early, but I could not help myself. I had to have one. I don't even like coffee, but I had to have one. And once I have a taste of the fall season, it is impossible to hold myself back.
Luckily, I had the wedding to worry about in early September. As soon as that was over, all autumn-celebrating hell broke loose. I restrained myself for a couple weeks, but after the first day of fall, I let myself overdose on fall things.
Now, it is October 1st, and there are no other holidays between now and Halloween. That means...
IT'S HALLOWMONTH! And the week of Halloween is Halloweek. And actual Halloween lasts all weekend this year, because it falls on a Friday.
Halloween is by far the best holiday. Christmas Eve is the best day of the year, period, but that's only because my family is insane. As far as the actual holidays themselves go, it doesn't really get better than Halloween. Halloween is the only day of the year where you can be whoever or whatever you want and not be judged. You get to be someone completely different, or be your true self. Face your worst fears, or live your best dreams. It doesn't matter if you are a kid or an adult, or an adult with kids. Everyone can find joy in Halloween. The air feels electric. For one day, it's easy to believe that magic could be real.
Everyone thinks I'm nuts when I explain this to people, but I don't care.
Anyway, that is why October is the best month. We are in the thick of the autumn season. It doesn't feel like it yet in Florida, so I am purposely going crazy with fall-themed things and Halloween celebrating to make it feel right.
What's everyone being for Halloween?! You have to know already. YOU HAVE TO KNOW. It's important. If you don't know yet, you have 5 days to think about it and get back to me.
Besides being Hallowmonth, October is also Breast Cancer Awareness month. For those that don't know me well, this is a cause that is near and dear to my heart. My Aunt Joyce passed away in 2006 after a long struggle with breast cancer. I would definitely not call her a victim of breast cancer, because she was totally not a victim. She went in to remission twice before it came back for good, and even then, she continued to work, travel, and be the same, awesome Aunt Joyce that we all knew and loved. I have no bad memories of her, even toward the end of her life. Just memories of how strong, positive, loving, and "cool" she really was. Cool Aunt Joyce. Bringing us stickybuns from Cassel's and taking us to Broadway shows and hosting fancy dinners and hot fudge tasting contests and talent shows and making us Shirley Temple "fancy" drinks.
When Aunt Joyce passed away, I kept a wall hanging that belonged to her. It was given to her by a friend a bit before she died. It said "celebrate life." That is exactly what she did, and it inspired me to hang on, especially at that time in my life. A very hard time in my life. Seeing that sign every day completely changed who I am as a person and my perspective on life.
South Florida's Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is coming up in January. I think I can get myself to run a 5k again for a good cause, and I hope other people will join me as well! Anyone interested? It would be cool to sign up as a team and do some fundraising to help combat this illness that has affected so many of us. If you are interested in this idea, please let me know. You could even walk! It's not about the time; it's about the effort! I'll even wear pink... it's like the Lauren clothing equivalent of a unicorn sighting. And if you don't want to participate, I hope you will cheer me on, in person or in your heart, and help me celebrate my Cool Aunt Joyce and all the other fighters out there :)
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