I LOVE Halloween. It's not something I've outgrown. Given the blessing of doing what I do, I don't have to! It's the opportunity to express myself AND get paid for it (and not just in candy!)
However, "with power comes responsibility" and having a dream job and the freedom that goes with it is a double edged sword. You have to remember how to stay relevant, what it was like to be the age of who you're entertaining, and keep ego out of the equation. This leads me to a prime example.
The term "merry not scary" fits a lot of Halloween-themed events. But do you remember what scared you as a child? It could have been "the dark." It could have been a neighbor who was worn down by life but LOOKED scary. It could have been from an encounter with a kitten who played too rough when you were a toddler. Who knows?
Learning to read body language and "how far to take it" is a skill many good performers have. In strolling talent, even if it's just stilt walking or a mime, you can tell who wants to have fun and who wants you to vanish.
And then there's the "less is more" that I've written on before. As a pirate, do you have to be over-the-top with the performance, yelling and screaming and waving a sword about - OR, will a well-cast scowl at the right time do the trick?
Making memories is what we're all about - good memories, fun memories, scrapbook worthy memories, not the source for the therapist to explore later.