Wait . . . What Day Is It?

The Maui County Government shut down the public celebration of Halloween last year saying that it was "culturally inappropriate."

But I was shocked to discover how deeply the impact of the ruling has been felt. I walked through a couple of middle-class residential neighborhoods this morning and could not find a single sign that today was Halloween. I searched diligently and was unable to discover ANY Halloween decorations: no jack-o-lanterns, no window cutouts of black cats or witch's hats, not a pumpkin or squash. NOTHING.

I couldn't believe it. Up until last year Halloween was one of the biggest events of the year on Maui, drawing 30,000 people to Front Street in Lahaina. Now, it does not exist. I wonder what the Grinch, oops I mean the Mayor, will cancel next? Will we be saying goodbye to Santa Claus next year?

Regarding the photograph above: flower circles are common for weddings on the beach as a place for the bride and groom to stand while saying their vows. Brides often choose memorable days to get married in the hope that their husband might remember their anniversary (yeah right, good luck on that one). I saw lots of weddings being held this morning, but in my mind Halloween has to rank right up there with April Fools Day as somehow setting the wrong tone for the future of the marriage. By the way, I still think Shaun of the Dead was a much better movie than Zombieland.