Happy Halloween, here is the seasonal video I wanted to share with you all. It is a classic, a meme from the old internet. A bush era meme, which are hard to come by organically these days.
I will say a few words about this and let you all get back to you binge drinking/ trick or treating. This meme came to me on tumblr and it enjoyed a long life there. It was one of our annual traditions that we would send around and gleefully anticipate. It moved to twitter at some point and went around there with as much if not more success. It’s fallen off in recent years but I believe it could come back. We’ve forgotten it but that makes it all the better when it comes back. We will laugh harder having forgotten.
This video is perfect. It’s the perfect length. It’s human creativity without a want or desire to go viral. It was before we knew that could happen or even wanted it. This was a video from the local news in omaha when they had time to kill. It shows what we’re capable of when no one is watching but there’s still a camera.
The original posted by the station has since had the music deleted leaving a, forgive my language, haunting rendition behind. You can find the old one with the original music easily but watching the pumpkin man dance with no music almost brings a tear to the eye.
I enjoy our social media holiday traditions. I like when we all watch the same thing. I like when people find holiday spirit within themselves for whichever holiday we’re on and everybody brings something to the table. I don’t love Halloween the way others do but I love what the others do to make the internet feel more festive. I don’t need to be the one putting up the decorations but I appreciate that they’re there.
If you are interested in the history of this meme WNYC did a little investigative reporting and found the pumpkin man. It’s a good history and I won’t repeat it here. I like to keep the mystery, and by extension, the Halloween spirit alive. If by chance you read this on November 1st and you would like to reveal the identity and backstory of the Pumpkin man, it’s worth a read.
Happy Hallo-Meme. 🎃