Wrong time for Christmas cheer

Given my enjoyment of everything Halloween, Nov. 1 is  a seasonal let down for me. It never slowly winds down over the course of a week like Christmas does. No, Halloween comes to an abrupt end and we're all forced to put our scary decorations away.

I always view Nov. 1 through 11 as a time of Remembrance. Giving one day to Remembrance on Nov. 11 doesn't cut it for me. Our war veterans and all those who died for Canada deserve better than a day. Eleven days of talking to my kids about our veterans, their sacrifices and everything we take for granted in our country is my way of remembering. It also helps my kids understand the importance of Remembrance.

When I hear Christmas music playing in stores prior to Remembrance Day I get annoyed. Halloween merchandise, in many cases, will still be on the shelves while Christmas songs clog up my air space. I hate that. In my mind no festive holiday music should be played in stores or on the radio until after Nov. 11.

Until this week I figured I was alone in my thoughts about this annoying music. But apparently there are more like-minded individuals out there who share my dislike of Christmas music being played so soon after Halloween. Shoppers Drug Mart has nixed the fa-la-la-la-la-las and pa-rum-pum-pum-pums until later in the month after getting feedback from customers on their Facebook page. Good on them.

There's lots of time after Nov. 11 to inundate the airwaves and our shopping malls with Christmas tunes. Personally I'd prefer not to hear anything festive until Dec. 1 but I'm a bit of a grinch.

Here's hoping other retailers follow suit and turn off the holiday cheer until mid-November.

For my own selfish reasons Nov. 1 to 11 should be a more sombre time, a time of reflection, a time of Remembrance, a time of thanks.

Great ghost story, bad parenting

I love a good ghost story. There's something about the spooky unknown that intrigues me which is why Halloween is one of my favourite times of the year.

Oh yah, I also like to scare people. It gives me a sick thrill. To see the frightened reaction of someone responding to something shocking or spooky that is a result of something I've done makes me laugh. I need help, I know. But at least admitting it is half the battle to recovery, right?!?

One family memory that still makes me chuckle out loud to this day was when my best friend Oz and I sneaked up to the back door of my house under cover of darkness. We were 11 or 12 at the time and had been outside goofing around. Inside around the kitchen table my parents and Oz's mom were having a few beverages and shooting the breeze. They couldn't see us but we could see them so on three we burst in through the door and into the kitchen making roaring sounds.

The scream that erupted from my father was unlike anything I've ever heard before or since. He dropped his drink and ran down the hall to get away. The ladies had the dignity to sit there and scream but they didn't run away like my fearless father! Nobody sitting around that kitchen table was impressed with us but we were too busy laughing to notice just how annoyed our parents were. Gawd that was funny.

The other day a colleague at work posted a YouTube video clip about spotting the ghost in a European car commercial that never made it to air because of what happens in it. I'd seen it a few years ago but my mind was in a foggy place when I hit play. I was trying to remember what happens in the commercial and where the ghost appears and ... well just watch the clip above in case you haven't seen it.

DO NOT READ PAST THIS LINE IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED THE VIDEO

As much as I appreciate giving a good scare I am also one to appreciate it when the tables are turned and I am the one screaming in fear. I jumped then laughed when I'd finished viewing the video.

Once at home I saw my daughter Rebekah on the laptop.

"Hey, want to see something spooky?" I asked her.

We went to the video clip and I watched as my daughter screamed in shock at the ending.

"Daddy, how could you do this to me," she yelled.

My son Tavish was in the living room and came out to see what all the commotion was about.

"Want to see something spooky?" I asked him.

"You've got to see this Tav, it's so cool," Rebekah chimed in.

We set Tav up with the headphones and the computer and told him to watch it carefully or else he would miss the ghost. Hitting play I turned away so he couldn't see me laughing. Little did I know while my back was turned that my four-year-old daughter Bronwyn had sneaked in beside her brother.

I heard a shriek from Tavish and a scream of terror from Bronwyn followed by tears. I'd inadvertently given my daughter the worst scare of her short life. My father of the year award was immediately revoked.

Last night I spent the a number of quality sleeping hours in Bronwyn's room making sure she wasn't frightened and tonight I'm getting her a brighter night light. 

I may enjoy a good fright at this time of the year but not everyone in the family shares my enthusiasm for Halloween.