Streaming into the Spirit of Halloween

While everyone has their favorite Halloween movies, some of our favorite TV shows also have thematic episodes. These are easy watches to have on in the background while decorating, passing out treats or just setting the mood. 

From iconic costume reveals and chaotic office rivalries to spooktacular Halloween heists, the best comedy series know how to turn autumn nostalgia into pure entertainment.  

To save you from endlessly scrolling through streaming menus trying to remember which season had that one costume or plot twist, I’ve mapped out a streamable guide to the absolute best Halloween episodes across our favorite shows. Grab some corn candy and Butterfingers quickly navigate to your favorite shows and let the terrors and hilarity roll! 

 

Ghosts (US) - Paramount (or purchased on Amazon Prime)

Ghosts is one of my favorite shows, and of course a show centered around the undead is going to have some interesting twists on All Hallows Eve.

• Season 1, Episode 5: "Halloween" - Sam and Jay try to protect Woodstone Mansion from neighborhood teens who vandalize the property every Halloween. Meanwhile, the ghosts panic when Thor accidentally sets fire to the freshly renovated gazebo while trying to turn off the lights.

• Season 2, Episode 5: "Halloween 2: The Ghost of Trevor's Past" – The Woodstone spirits throw a Halloween party, and Sam and Jay try to impress some snobby neighborhood friends.

• Season 3, Episode 4: "Halloween 3: The Guest Who Wouldn't Leave" – Sam and Jay try to get rid of a persistent ghost/guest at the house.

• Season 4, Episode 4: "Halloween 4: The Body" - Sam hosts a Halloween yard sale to sell old mansion odds and ends, but chaos ensues when Patience puts Sam on trial for witchcraft.

   

The Big Bang Theory - HBO Max

The nerdy costuming of regular comic con goers meets the sexy party culture for some great Halloween hilarity! 

• Season 1, Episode 6: "The Middle Earth Paradigm" – Penny throws a Halloween costume party, where the guys all show up as different variations of The Flash (and things get wonderfully awkward).

• 
  Season 4, Episode 11: "The Justice League Recombination" – (Bonus costume episode - New Year's, not Halloween): The guys dress as the Justice League for a New Year's Eve contest at the comic book store with Penny and Zack.   

• Season 5, Episode 7: "The Good Guy Fluctuation" - Sheldon attempts to scare the guys for Halloween

• Season 6, Episode 5: "The Holographic Excitation" – Howard and Bernadette host a Halloween party at the apartment. 

• Season 12, Episode 6: "The Imitation Perturbation" - Howard dresses as Sheldon; Halloween tension

 

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Peacock / Netflix

• Season 1, Episode 6: "Halloween" – The original bet between Jake and Holt that started the iconic Halloween Heist tradition.

• Season 2, Episode 4: "Halloween II" – Holt tries to get revenge after losing the first heist.

• Season 3, Episode 5: "Halloween III" – Amy takes on both Jake and Holt to prove herself.

• Season 4, Episode 5: "Halloween IV" – The precinct scrambles to win ultimate bragging rights.

• Season 5, Episode 4: "HalloVeen" – A heist full of surprises, including a life-changing proposal.

• Season 6, Episode 16: "Cinco de Mayo" – (Note: The precinct holds the heist in May since Halloween was canceled, but it keeps the true Halloween spirit!)

• Season 7, Episode 11: "Valloweaster" – A triple-holiday heist spanning Halloween, Valentine's Day, and Easter.

• Season 8, Episode 9 & 10: "The The Last Day (Parts 1 & 2)" - The final series finale heist

   

Friends - HBO Max

• Season 8, Episode 6: "The One with the Halloween Party" – Monica and Chandler throw a costume party where Phoebe dresses as Supergirl, Ross as "Spud-nik" (a potato satellite), and Chandler as a pink bunny.

 

Scrubs - Hulu

• Season 2, Episode 6: "My Big Brother" – The canonical Halloween episode where the hospital staff dresses in costumes, Dr. Kelso pulls a gorilla suit trick, and J.D.and Turk spend Halloween night at a bar wearing pig heads.  

   

Family Guy - Hulu

• Season 4, Episode 26: "Petergeist" – Peter accidentally disturbs an ancient Indian burial ground in his backyard, unleashing terrifying paranormal hauntings upon the Griffin home.

• Season 9, Episode 4: "Halloween on Spooner Street" – Brian takes Stewie trick-or-treating, Meg attends a costume party, and Peter and the guys wage a prank war.

• Season 14, Episode 4: "Peternormal Activity" – Peter and the guys try to write a horror movie at an abandoned asylum, but panic when they accidentally kill a security guard.

• Season 20, Episode 3: "Must Love Dogs" – Quagmire meets a woman who loves dogs, forcing him to pretend he owns one while trick-or-treating with Stewie and Brian.

 

The Simpsons - Disney+ / Hulu

No list of Halloween episodes would be complete without the longest running animated sitcom's storied history of horror hilarity. Nearly every season features a Treehouse of Horror Special. A few absolute standouts include:

• Season 2, Episode 3: "Treehouse of Horror" - The very first classic: the haunted house and "The Raven".

• Season 5, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror IV" - "Bart Simpson's Dracula" and Homer selling his soul for a donut.

• Season 6, Episode 6: "Treehouse of Horror V" - The legendary The Shining parody: "No TV and no beer make Homer go crazy".

• Season 27, Episode 4: "Halloween of Horror" - Rare canonical, non-Treehouse Halloween story

Here is the full listing:

• Season 2, Episode 3: "Treehouse of Horror" – A haunted house turns deadly, Kang and Kodos arrive to fatten the family, and Lisa recites "The Raven" 

• Season 3, Episode 7: "Treehouse of Horror II" – A cursed monkey's paw grants disastrous wishes, Bart gains telepathic powers, and Burns builds a robot with Homer's brain 

• Season 4, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror III" – An evil Krusty doll attacks Homer, King Homer falls for Marge, and zombies invade Springfield 

• Season 5, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror IV" – Homer sells his soul for a donut, Bart spots a gremlin on the bus, and Mr. Burns is a vampire 

• Season 6, Episode 6: "Treehouse of Horror V" – Homer goes crazy at an isolated hotel, a broken toaster travels through time, and teachers eat the students 

• Season 7, Episode 6: "Treehouse of Horror VI" – Giant advertising mascots come to life, Groundskeeper Willie stalks dreams, and Homer enters a 3D dimension 

• Season 8, Episode 7: "Treehouse of Horror VII" – Bart discovers his evil twin Hugo, Lisa creates a tiny civilization, and Kang and Kodos run for president 

• Season 9, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror VIII" – Homer survives a nuclear bomb, Bart merges with a fly, and Marge is accused of witchcraft 

• Season 10, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror IX" – A killer toupee possesses Homer, Bart and Lisa enter an Itchy & Scratchy cartoon, and Maggie turns out to be an alien 

• Season 11, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror X" – The family covers up Flanders' death, Bart and Lisa get superpowers, and Y2K brings apocalypse 

• Season 12, Episode 1: "Treehouse of Horror XI" – Homer tries to perform a good deed for Heaven, fairy tales get dark twists, and dolphins conquer the land 

• Season 13, Episode 1: "Treehouse of Horror XII" – A gypsy curses the family, an ultra-smart home falls in love with Marge, and Bart attends wizard school 

• Season 14, Episode 1: "Treehouse of Horror XIII" – Homer uses a magical hammock to clone himself, gun-control ghosts attack, and Dr. Hibbert turns people into animals 

• Season 15, Episode 1: "Treehouse of Horror XIV" – Homer becomes the Grim Reaper, Frink reanimates his dad, and Bart and Milhouse stop time 

• Season 16, Episode 1: "Treehouse of Horror XV" – Flanders predicts deaths, Victorian Eliza Simpson hunts Jack the Ripper, and the family explores Mr. Burns' body 

• Season 17, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XVI" – A robot boy replaces Bart, Mr. Burns hunts humans for sport, and a costume party curse turns adults into real monsters 

• Season 18, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XVII" – Homer becomes a giant gluttonous blob, a Golem terrorizes town, and Orson Welles' alien hoax comes true 

• Season 19, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror XVIII" – Bart and Lisa harbor a stranded alien, Homer becomes a celebrity hitman, and Flanders hosts "Heck House" 

• Season 20, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XIX" – Homer kills celebrities for advertising rights, Milhouse awaits the Grand Pumpkin, and giant transformers battle 

• Season 21, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XX" – Classic movie monsters clash, tainted burgers turn Springfield into zombies, and Moe brews a theater-themed musical beer 

• Season 22, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXI" – Board games come to life, Homer and Marge rescue a strange passenger, and Lisa falls for a young vampire 

• Season 22, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXI" – Board games come to life, Homer and Marge rescue a strange passenger, and Lisa falls for a young vampire 

• Season 23, Episode 3: "Treehouse of Horror XXII" – Paralyzed Homer communicates via gas, Flanders turns into a Dexter-style vigilante, and Bart enters an alien avatar world 

• Season 24, Episode 2: "Treehouse of Horror XXIII" – A black hole swallows Springfield, a demon stalks the house, and Bart time-travels to 1974 

• Season 25, Episode 2: "Treehouse of Horror XXIV" – Homer goes on a Dr. Seuss rampage, Bart's head is sewn to Lisa's body, and a 1930s circus hides dark secrets 

• Season 26, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXV" – Bart and Lisa visit Hell school, Stanley Kubrick films get parodied, and the modern Simpsons meet their 1987 Ullman-era selves 

• Season 27, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror XXVI" – Sideshow Bob finally kills Bart repeatedly, Homer becomes a giant Godzilla-style monster, and three kids gain superpowers 

• Season 28, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXVII" – Kids fight in a battle royale, Sarah Wiggum turns out to be an undercover agent, and Lisa's imaginary friend kills people 

• Season 29, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXVIII" – A possessed book controls Maggie, Lisa enters a Coraline-style world, and Homer turns into a cannibal 

• Season 30, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXIX" – Plant aliens invade Springfield, Lisa suffers from multiple personalities, and senior citizens turn into dinosaurs 

• Season 31, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXX" – Milhouse gets trapped in an upside-down dimension, dead Homer shifts into new bodies, and Selma marries a sea creature 

• Season 32, Episode 4: "Treehouse of Horror XXXI" – Homer sleeps through Election Day with terrible consequences, a toy world turns dark, and Homer gets trapped in a time loop 

• Season 33, Episode 3: "Treehouse of Horror XXXII" – Trees seek vengeance, Homer retells a dark Bambi story, and a creepy book haunts Marge 

• Season 34, Episode 6: "Treehouse of Horror XXXIII" – Marge fights a demonic picture book monster, Lisa uses a death notebook to target criminals, and a Westworld-style park collapses 

• Season 35, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror XXXIV" – Bart gets turned into an NFT, adult Lisa consults Sideshow Bob to track a killer, and infected beer creates zombies 

• Season 36, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror XXXV" – Political rage spawns giant kaiju monsters, Victorian Mr. Burns is haunted by ghosts, and Homer is possessed by alien jeans

• Season 37, Episode 3: "Treehouse of Horror XXXVI" – The town is menaced by a mysterious, murdering monster from out of the sewers

Bonus Standalone Horror Specials:

• Season 27, Episode 4: "Halloween of Horror" – Homer and Lisa defend the house from angry Halloween pop-up store employees

• Season 31, Episode 8: "Thanksgiving of Horror" – A holiday trilogy featuring turkey massacres, an AI Marge, and a cranberry sauce space monster

• Season 34, Episode 5: "Treehouse of Horror Presents: Not It" – A full-length Stephen King parody where Krusto the Clown terrorizes young Homer and friends

South Park - HBO Max / Paramount+

• Season 1, Episode 7: "Pinkeye" – A space station crash causes a zombie outbreak that the town doctor mistakes for pinkeye. 

• Season 2, Episode 15: "Spookyfish" – Aunt Flo buys Stan a killer goldfish while Cartman's polite, goatee-wearing evil twin appears from a parallel universe.

• Season 3, Episode 10:"Korn's Groovy Pirate Ghost Mystery" – The rock band Korn helps the boys solve a Scooby-Doo-style mystery involving pirate ghosts haunting the docks.

• Season 10, Episode 11:"Hell on Earth 2006" – Satan throws a lavish MTV My Super Sweet 16-style Halloween party in Los Angeles while the boys summon Biggie Smalls.

• Season 16, Episode 12: "A Nightmare on Face Time" – Randy buys a deserted Blockbuster Video and slowly loses his mind Shining-style while Stan tricks-or-treats via iPad. 

• Season 21, Episode 6: "Sons a Witches" – The men of South Park hold their annual drinking ritual in the woods dressed as witches until a real witch attacks the town. 

• Season 22, Episode 5: "The Scoots" – E-scooters invade South Park on Halloween night, threatening to wipe out the town's entire candy supply. 

• Season 23, Episode 5: "Tegridy Farms Halloween Special" – Randy brews a special Halloween strain of weed while Butters falls victim to a haunted museum exhibit. 

 Bonus/Borderline Halloween-Adjacent Episodes

• Season 17, Episode 4: "Goth Kids 3: Dawn of the Posers" – The Goth kids fight back when Emo kids start turning everyone in school into "posers".

• Season 24, Episode 1: "The Pandemic Special" – Randy hosts a special "Special" event with Halloween-themed decorations and antics throughout the town.

 

Modern Family - Hulu

• Season 2, Episode 6: "Halloween" – Claire turns the Dunphy home into a haunted house, but everyone's personal chaos threatens her elaborate plans.

• Season 4, Episode 6: "Open House of Horrors" – Claire is forced to tone down her terrifying pranks while Phil tries to host a Halloween open house.

• Season 6, Episode 6: "Halloween 3: AwesomeLand" – Phil takes over decorating duties with an "AwesomeLand" theme, while Jay wants to dress up as Prince Charming.

• Season 8, Episode 5: "Halloween 4: The Revenge of Rod Skyhook" – Luke throws a Halloween party that falls flat until the family steps in to save it.

• Season 9, Episode 5: "It's the Great Pumpkin, Phil Dunphy" – Phil and Claire realize their kids are outgrowing their obsessive love for Halloween.

• Season 10, Episode 5: "Good Grief" – The family navigates Halloween night after receiving unexpected, bittersweet family news.

• Season 11, Episode 5: "The Last Halloween" – Phil plans a terrifying scare for Claire, and the family celebrates their final official Halloween together.

   

Community - Hulu

• Season 1, Episode 7: "Introduction to Statistics" – Annie throws a Halloween party for extra credit, where Jeff tries to romance his professor while dressed as Batman.

• Season 2, Episode 6: "Epidemiology" – Tainted military surplus taco meat turns Greendale's Halloween party into a full-blown zombie outbreak set to ABBA's greatest hits.

• Season 3, Episode 5: "Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps" – Britta gives the study group psychological evaluations, prompting everyone to tell their own personalized campfire horror story.

• Season 4, Episode 2: "Paranormal Parentage" – The study group visits Pierce's eerie mansion on Halloween to find his emergency panic room code.

 

The Office (US) - Peacock / Netflix

• Season 2, Episode 5: "Halloween" – Michael has to fire someone by the end of the day while wearing a two-headed paper-mâché costume.

• Season 5, Episode 6: "Employee Transfer" – Pam is the only one in costume (Charlie Chaplin) at the corporate office.

• Season 6, Episode 8: "Koi Pond" - Includes the famous deleted cold open where Michael hosts a haunted house in the warehouse

• Season 7, Episode 6: "Costume Contest" – The office competes aggressively for a coupon book.

• Season 8, Episode 5: "Spooked" – Erin tries to throw an adult Halloween party for Andy.

• Season 9, Episode 5: "Here Comes Treble" – Andy's old acapella group visits, leading to tension with Dwight in a pumpkin head.

 

Parks and Recreation - Peacock

• Season 2, Episode 7: "Greg Pikitis" – Leslie wages war against her teenage prankster nemesis on Halloween night.

• Season 4, Episode 5: "Meet 'n' Greet" – April and Andy host a chaotic Halloween house party.

• Season 5, Episode 5: "Halloween Surprise" – Features Ben's iconic proposal to Leslie.

• Season 6, Episode 7: "Recall Vote" – Leslie tries to distract herself from local politics with a haunted house

 

 

Choresonasynphoria: The Camp Hollywood High

Camp Hollywood 2026 just wrapped up, and I am still feeling the high - and the muscle soreness - of it! I thought this was my fourth Camp Hollywood, until a vague recollection surfaced in my brain to remind me that I sort of participated in the virtual Camp Hollywood during the COVID pandemic in 2020, in our tiny ass condo in San Diego. So I guess I can claim this was my fifth one! But the virtual one does not compare - the in-person event is so good, and I already have my tickets for next year's event. 

Quality AND Quantity

I'm not sure if there is an official record of attendees; I imagine it's hard to track because some people will get full weekend passes but not attend many or any classes, and some people may show up for individual dances multiple times. But based on the group photo and data around the number of passes sold, I used my favorite AI chatbot, Gemini, to estimate that there are probably 600 to 1000 active students during the days, spread across 4 to 5 concurrent workshop tracks, and the evening dances (five in total, although the first and last are more sparsely attended) might get as high as 1500+ attendees, with 800 to 1000 people in the main ballroom for dancing at any given time. 

What's more, these dancers are top notch, for the most part. There are beginners to be sure, but many of the best dances I've had have been here at Camp Hollywood. In thinking about it, I related to a sort of dance roulette. There are so many people at the event who you may not have met or seen before, and you have no idea if they are any good. I know sometimes people watch others dance to decide who they want to dance with next, but I think, more often than not, both partners are going in blind, unsure of the others' skill level or abilities, and you just go for it. This requires rapidly learning each other's style and connection and trying to match the energy and styling while also learning to lead or follow with this connection on the fly. And the cool part is that, at least where I'm at now with my ability, it usually works out pretty well and turns into an awesome dance. Like a happy accident, but intentional. It's hard to describe. And there's also a little bit of finality to it, or to borrow a Japanese term I've recently leaned into a bit, "mono no aware" which is about the beautiful sadness of impermanence. In other words, you might have the dance of a lifetime with some random partner, and never see them again or dance with them again. Or, as luck has it sometimes, you see them next on the competition floor, absolutely blowing everyone's minds, and you get a boost of confidence knowing you danced with that top tier competitor.  

The instructors come from all over the world and are some of the best! From legendary pioneers of the Savoy Ballroom days to young, energetic superstars transforming the art form, they are all terrific and bring a lot of variety and interest to the classes. Many of the top dancers and CH veterans I talk to don't take the classes anymore and even sometimes advise against it. That's a shame in my perspective, although I understand the viewpoints based on some of the previous experiences. But for what it's worth, Camp Hollywood seemed to have stepped up the classes a lot in 2026. When I plan my schedule (on my TripIt app - I've been told more than once this weekend how Type A I am), I usually select an option 1 and option 2 class, and sometimes an option 3, so that I can bounce to another class if the one I started isn't doing it for me. I did no bouncing this year. I did choose to sit out and watch for part of a class, from sheer exhaustion and preservation of energy for the upcoming events, but every class I chose as my first option was so engaging and inspiring and all the things, I couldn't help myself. Honestly, well done, CH instructors and organizers! The classes were really well done this year! 

A Study in Happiness, Joy and Fulfillment

I do a lot of reading and considering concepts around happiness, and the intersection of physical health and mental well being. Specifically, I've been learning and practicing shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) of Japan, and hygge from Denmark. 

I think it's especially interesting to study the Danes' way of life, political and economic factors, and their philosophies like hygge, as well as those of the other Scandinavian countries, because they rank so highly on the world happiness studies consistently. From the perspective of an outsider looking in, one might wonder if they're delusional - they suffer terribly cold winters in almost absolute darkness, not seeing the sun for days potentially, have lost every war they've ever fought in, and aren't as productive as, say, the UK or Japan or US. By traditional American benchmarks—constant productivity, hustle, and economic output—they might appear to be underperforming. Yet their robust social safety net provides a baseline security that fosters genuine peace of mind, freeing people from the chronic survival anxieties that keep so many Americans trapped in exhausting circumstances. And their embracing the winter cold by building this hygge philosophy is a way to make lemonade out of lemons. 

Yet the one aspect that I don't like about hygge is that it requires the contrast in order to be most hygge. The example at the beginning of The Little Book of Hygge is a group of friends sitting around drinking hot drinks, and the comment was that it would be more hygge if there was a bad storm outside. Later, when the book talks about Christmas preparations, it says that the burden of hosting a holiday puts pressure and stresses people out leading up to the holiday, at which time a verbal confirmation of hygge is a final relief valve of all that stress. I love the holidays and I don't see why holiday preparations can't be joyful and must be stressful. It seems to me that life will hand us enough negatives naturally; minimizing the negatives within our control shouldn't detract from the positive impact of the highs. 

So coming off the high from Camp Hollywood, I wanted to try to capture what makes this event so special, at least for me. Much like, Las Vegas, New York City, and Disneyland, what you get out of Camp Hollywood is personal depending on what you want to get out of it. CH veterans will advise newcomers not to try to do everything because, while it's not impossible to try to do everything, it is at the physical limits of human beings to go hard the whole time you can. And actually, because there are often multiple interesting classes happening at once, it is impossible to do all the things. 

What struck me last year is that this even is so full of joy, it's like a bubble of positivity, a sanctuary for the love of dance, away from the world of crappy politics, work stress, and the challenges of adulting and doing life. I've searched for a word or phrase that describes this specific feeling, and couldn't find something that fit well, so I'm coining my own term. Based on the title of the blog, you've probably guessed it: Choresonasynphoria. 

I workshopped this with Gemini because I wanted to fully encapsulate the feeling, and while I wished it was a little more concise, brevity has never been a strength of mine, and I think the particles are necessary to get my full meaning. So what's it mean? I started with the feeling I get at Camp Hollywood of unbridled joy resulting from a love of dance. The dance is the joy and the love of dancing for the sake of dancing itself is the point. But it's not just when I'm dancing that I have this feeling. It's being in the room where it happens (wink wink). It's the possibility and opportunity to dance, but also in sharing the love of the dance with others, even without participating in that moment. It's a togetherness, and a joy, and a contagion, all based on dance. It's not the dance itself, the dance is the means. 

So weaved into this one word are four parts: 

• Choreo- (Ancient Greek choreia): The art and spirit of dance. It is active. It can be technically and physically challenging. It is beautiful. So few things in life are all of these things, and those who dance have a love and appreciation for it because of what it is. 

• -resona- (Latin resonare): To echo, ring back, and amplify through a space. This is the contagious nature of the joy and love of dance. 

• -syn- (Ancient Greek -syn-): Together, in unison, united as a community. The swing dance community has always surprised me by how welcoming it is. When having to move to Texas under duress, I found comfort when I found a swing dance community there. 

• -phoria (Ancient Greek phoros/euphoria): Carrying a deep, transcendent state of joy. The pre-existing word I found closest to the feeling of joy I wanted to describe was Eudaimonia from Ancient Greek; Aristotle used the term to describe a deeper state of human flourishing and peak fulfillment. It is the joy that arises from actively engaging your skills, expressing virtue or artistry, and living fully in alignment with what brings you vitality. It's a little like the modern concepts of flow or being in the zone. I thought this was true, but it didn't have the community and contagious effects I also feel, so I wanted to incorporate part of the word while adding those other elements to it. 

A Happiness Spectrum

Writing with the assistance of AI chatbots can be really insightful, and I want to share a question and answer directly, because I thought it was really good. I've been reading and trying to practice and embrace concepts from shinrin-yoku and hygge recently, but was also reminded of the spirit of aloha and Costa Rica's philosophy of pura vida. It struck me that there are some common threads in human anthropology: an underlying drive to anchor ourselves in presence, cultivate gratitude and honor the light precisely because we know the dark exists. Other concepts include Norway's friluftsliv ("free air life"), Japan's wabi-sabi ("imperfection and transience"), ubuntu of Southern Africa, and Finland's sisu. Anyways, the question Gemini asked me was: 

"Hygge is inherently about shelter and sanctuary (retreating indoors from harsh weather or stress), whereas Aloha and Pura Vida are about flow and connection with your surroundings. Where does Choresonasynphoria land on that spectrum—is it an escape from the world, or an exuberant engagement with it?" 

I found this a deeply interesting question with no obvious answer. Instead, I thought about A Wrinkle in Time and imagined folding the proposed spectrum so that both ends meet. My answer, then, was that if the spectrum is sanctuary on one end and flow and connection on the other end, Choresonasynphoria is not in between, it's the extreme of both. The spectrum folds in on itself and it's the best on both extremes. Choresonasynphoria refutes the idea that stress-free sanctuary and high-energy connection are opposites. Like a fold in space time, it brings both extremes together: you are simultaneously in an intense, high-cardio, high-engagement flow and wrapped in a profound sense of communal sanctuary, in a bubble of joy deflecting the outside stressors of life. 

Can You Feel It?

The physical manifestation of Choresonasynphoria, for me, is the soreness in my cheeks. My face physically hurts from smiling so much, and maybe laughing, and sometimes even crying tears of joy and appreciation. The workout of the dance is felt in my feet, knees, quads, calves, glutes (the other cheeks), back, shoulders, neck and arms. The hands and the head may be the only parts of the body that are largely exempt from the physical repercussions of dancing for 50+ hours over the course of 5 days. But the cheeks hurt not because of the dance, but because of the joy, because of the Choresonasynphoria. 

And the joy isn't just from the dance. It's from the community, the togetherness, the fun, the creativity. I love a good theme party, and Camp Hollywood delivers themes in spades. Every year, we are encouraged to embody four themes, which change every year. The Barbie theme from a couple years ago was hilarious because every pink-clad woman greeted one another with, "Hey Barbie!" with a responding, "Hey Barbie!" in return. It never got old. 

This year, both the Star Trek and the Muppets theme nights brought out some very creative interpretations. Since we generally want to be able to dance, full on costumes are usually not ideal, so seeing what people came up with holds entertaining value of its own. 

Stepping up my CH theme game even more this year, I worked really hard on my outfit for the office theme. The official description on the website said, "Tonight we’re back to work at The Office – wear your executive or secretarial gear to dance…" Since I despise the show referenced, I leaned into my infatuation with office supplies (I can't explain why, but I'm like a kid in the candy store when I'm in the office supply aisle or store). I designed a custom repeating pattern on a vintage mint green background, layering paperclips, retro staplers, rolodexes, rotary phones with coiled cords, and classic typewriters. Having no luck finding a seamstress to construct it, I dove headfirst into a sewing challenge that far exceeded my skill level. The end product wasn't boutique-ready, but I was damn proud of it—and even more thrilled to spot another dancer wearing a skirt made from one of my original fabric designs!

And while I love dancing with both old friends and complete strangers, and winning dancer roulette so frequently, taking a break and watching the dancing is just as joyful for me. I think anyone, even without a lot of dance knowledge, can appreciate the spectacle and feel the infectious energy of the dancers and the audience. But there's also a deeper level of appreciation that comes from learning the vocabulary of the dance moves and recognizing when people execute them well or remix them in a surprising way. There are layers of joy in both the dancing and the watching. 

Do It Anyways

When the dancing was all over, I started my recovery with a dip in the hot tub Tuesday morning. I ended up in a deeply engaging conversation with a dancer from New York who dubbed my philosophies a "hot tub TED talk," to my great amusement. He said something, though, that deeply resonated with me because it stirred up something I may have been trying to ignore or overlook: that this event can be a bit cliquey at times. I definitely find this to be true, and maybe I assumed I felt alone in this thinking, which in hindsight is obviously absurd. 

Despite having many people I consider friends coming to the event from California and Arizona, and even some from Texas and elsewhere, I am not so close with them that I am part of their group when making plans or finding roommates. There are benefits of having my own room, to be sure, but the result is that I am often eating alone or feeling like I am imposing on a group's meal. I know I have a tendency to feel ostracized even when it's not intentional, and I love the swing dance community for so rarely creating the feeling of intentional exclusion. But it's not perfect, and I suppose I try to ignore this in order to glorify the event with the level of joy I feel. His comment awakened this reality I had been refusing to acknowledge. 

Nevertheless, I think the point is to not let that stop you. The fear of entry may be high, but it's mostly self-imposed. You can test out waters until you find your people, and I hope you never feel outright picked on in this community. The cliques are real, but they are minor noise compared to the signal of the dance and the fun and the joy. And that joy can be accessed by anyone willing to step by the fear of entry. 

Choresonasynphoria in Daily Life

One book's messaging has stuck with me for a long time; it was Alex Pang's Rest, and part of it talked about good rest not being a couch potato vegging and binge watching TV, but that active activities that engage the body and brain differently than your normal work is more restorative and activates different parts of the brain. Swing dancing, for me, is both a cardio workout but it's also a restorative rest in that it requires a different kind of brain power and learning, and also brings people together for (generally positive) socializing. Almost all studies about happiness and aging well point to relationships with people as a strong contributing factor, and while the relationships formed in swing dance may not be the strongest, they are a different kind of relationship that enriches a life well lived. 

And while it is not sustainable for most of us to go Camp Hollywood-hard all the time, we also don't have to wait a year to experience Choresonasynphoria. Joining dance troupes, practicing a solo jazz routine like Shim Sham or Tranky Doo in a class or group, or just going out dancing regularly can give us doses of the joy throughout the year and give us an active respite from the drama and stress of life. 

Shinrin-yoku (Forest Bathing) and other concepts

I've recently been very interested in the meditative practice of Shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. I've been reading about it and yesterday I got to take a Forest Bathing class at the Fort Worth Botantical Garden. The term and practice come from Japan, but aren't as ancient as you might think. Although it builds on Shinto practices that date back hundreds of years, the specific practice and terminology came about in the 70s when Japanese people were have mental crises and deaths by suicides as a way to disconnect from the fast-paced, high-stress modern realities and return to nature.

 

Back in high school, I became interested in the idea of learning the Japanese language because of the potential business applications within the then-booming Japanese economy, and probably also because its unique and I liked doing things that were different than the normal expectations. When I got the chance to study in Hiroshima, the immersion was a profoundly transformative experience in my life. Not only did I learn to speak Japanese well, but I learned about the religion and culture, broke myself of some picky eater preferences, and made lasting connections and memories.

 

While I have no actual Japanese heritage to speak of, I feel like Japan has been a part of my life all along - starting with learning, at a young age, that my Mom had been born on a US Navy base in Japan, although she didn't remember it because they moved when she was 3. My Dad worked in the electronics industry for most of my upbringing and often had business trips to Japan, bringing back souvenirs of a culture that felt very foreign to both me and my Mom.

 

So there is literally no surprise that, while seeking to be outdoors more and manage my mental and emotional health, I've found an affinity to the Japanese-based art of Shinrin-yoku. Nevertheless, it seems to be a renewable source of deeply resonating terminology that surprises me in the affinity.

 

An Amateur Primer on Shinrin-Yoku (森林浴, or Forest Bathing)

The hardest parts of Shinrin-Yoku are also the most critical. First, approaching a forest bathing experience with no expectations of the experience or of nature is a big part of it. While you will most assuredly get something out of it, setting goals or expecting some specific outcome is something you are counseled to avoid. Second, allowing yourself the time and being okay with it being "unproductive" or "inefficient" is part of the point. This is a very hard mindset to overcome for an efficiency and productivity engineer like myself, but it is hard for everyone in a modern, driven, fast-paced society. Some cultures can unwind and enjoy food or wine better than others, but I think the absolute lack of anything to "do" to occupy ourselves is tough for most, regardless. 

 

Shinrin-Yoku is not a hike or a form of physical exercise, and in fact, trying to couple it with exercise can also reduce the effect. Basically, the only requires are to be in nature, preferably in a thick forest with lush, green trees and a quiet place, but even those requirements can be waived or altered to practice wherever you may be able to get to. Other than that, the practice can be as simple as breathing, eliminating phone usage, and being in the moment. Finding a safe spot to sit, closing eyes helps to focus on scents and sounds. Some recommendations include touching, such as touching the bark of a tree or walking barefoot through grass or on dirt. There are a number of different things to imagine and meditate on, but that's the basics. 

 

The Japanese word is made of three parts: shin (森), forest or dense woods, rin (林), woods or grove and yoku (浴), bath or immersing (as in taking a bath). It is different than taking a dip in the water, like onsen (温泉), despite being a "bath" of sorts. 

 

My Early Experiences

Shinrin-yoku can be a lifelong practice with no mastery to be achieved, so I am writing this from the standpoint of having just recently started, and hopefully will be able to see how my practice changes in the future. But, no expectations, right?

 

One of the books I read suggested finding a quiet spot and doing prolonged, deep breathing exercises. One such exercise suggests, from a standing position, exhaling and folding over to push all the air out completely, before opening back up again and inhaling. Doing this while imagining that "bad air" or negative emotions are being expelled and forcing the purge of every "last drop" before breathing in the positivity of the forest is one way to make it meditative. I have practiced this a few times and usually enjoy pairing it with some light stretching while taking in deep breaths of the forest and imagining the phytoncides entering my body and boosting my immune system (there is real scientific evidence of this, but more on that later).

 

 

While the book "Rest" weigh heavily in my mindset, with the idea that good, fulfilling rest isn't idle, and can be very active and even rigorous, I've had to set that aside for my practices of Shinrin-yoku which are meant to not be active hikes. Sometimes I combine the activities, like last weekend when I hiked for a while until I found a pristine spot to sit for a while. Then I switched into Shinrin-yoku mode. Once I felt ready to move on, which probably wasn't long enough in hindsight, I continued my hike. 

 

In the class yesterday, our instructor talked about how the Japanese garden is a good place to practice Shinrin-yoku because it is intentionally layered with different levels and slightly uneven terrain. This forces us to pay attention so we can't idle walk along a smooth path ruminating about our concerns and issues. (My words, but you get the gist.) It reminded me a lot of my experience at the labyrinth, in which I felt like the short switchbacks at the beginning were there to pull us out of our heads and focus on the task at hand, and as the lengths grew longer, it felt more meditative now that I was focused on the path. 

 

 

Fukinsei (不均整)

Beyond the walkways, the visual texture of the forest offers its own kind of therapy. Modern architecture and products have straight lines, symmetry and efficiency. Yet in nature, the most soothing scenes rely on fukinsei—the beauty of organic asymmetry and non-uniform repetition. The concept is that perfect symmetry feels closed and finished. Asymmetry feels alive and open to growth. It shows that true beauty comes from nature and irregular shapes instead of strict, matching sides. Looking up to a canopy of tree branches, our eyes naturally trace the fractal patterns formed by the leaves. Science shows that our nervous systems are hardwired to process these mid-range natural fractals, actively lowering our stress levels. It gives the analytical mind a place to rest without forcing it to shut down entirely. Last weekend, I spent some time in awe of the backlit leaves while laying in a hammock at the dome retreat. Yesterday, just laying on a bench, I had this same type of gorgeously simple view that made time fly by. 

 

 

Komorebi (木漏れ日)

Long before I had words for it or starting learning about Shinrin-yoku, I've always enjoyed scenes in which sunlight streams canopies of trees and overlapping leaves. The Japanese term for this is komorebi, and it describes sunlight filtering through the leaves of trees, creating a shifting pattern of light and dancing shadows. The word combines three kanji characters: 木 (ko, tree), 漏れ (more, leaking or escaping), and 日 (bi, sun). I am often filled with a thrilling sense of awe when I see such a sight, and it has served as a major bonding moment when like-minded people share in my sheer joy at such a sight. 

 

 

Yūgen (幽玄)

In fact, I've had that sense of awe and joy when seeing the sun hit the clouds from an airplane window, or seeing other just weirdly perfect natural scenes. This is so much a part of my self-image that I tried to capture the words for it in the name of my blog, "Easily Thrilled." I've since found better words for it. In The Meaning of Your Life, Arthur Brooks speaks of a similar concept—a "luminosity" that radiates through certain experiences, defying easy explanation. In his model for our we construct meaning in our lives, part of the model involves the appreciation of the beauty of art and nature, and this indescribable beauty is perhaps the best form of it. A similar Japanese term is yūgen, pronounced yoo-gen. It means a deep, mysterious sense of the beauty of the universe—an awareness that triggers an emotional response too powerful and profound for words. The Kanji combines yū (幽) which is dim, deep, or hidden, and gen (玄) which is black, dark, or profound. 

 

 Yesterday after my class was over, I retrieved my phone (what a relief - haha), and I spotted the Great Blue Herron in the distance with a rushing waterfall behind it and beautiful trees in the foreground. The real-life image was like a magical portrait with so much depth and beauty, and I felt that sudden swell of awe. It’s a profound, almost mysterious sense of the beauty of the universe that words can't quite capture. While I took a few great photos, too, I never feel like the photos do the moment justice to the moment and the feeling, either. That's luminosity. That's yūgen.

 

Mono no Aware (物の哀れ)

This phrase is a core Japanese aesthetic concept pronounced moh-noh noh ah-wah-reh. It translates to "the pathos of things" or "the beautiful sadness of impermanence". I love it because when written in Romanji characters (the alphabet used by English readers), it reads like the English word "aware" and the prefix "mono-" which is singular. So it could be read in English almost like a singular awareness, or an awareness of this moment. In that way, it sort of makes sense in English and in Japanese. But the Japanese term is much deeper, I think. Aware (哀れ) was originally an exclamation of surprise or deep feeling and evolved to mean sadness, pathos, or moving sentiment. No (の) is just a possessive particle, similar to "of" in English. Mono (物) represents things, objects, or the universe. Put together, it is a beautiful sadness: It is not a bitter or depressing grief, but a gentle, bittersweet appreciation of reality. Cherry blossoms, or sakura (桜 / さくら), are the ultimate symbol of mono no aware. They bloom beautifully but fall in just a few days, reminding us that life is short and fragile.

 

My inability to capture photographs of the beauty and awe that I feel and see in these scenes is a reminder for me of mono no aware. While I still often try to capture pictures to remember the moment (and for blog and socials fodder), I have also been intentional at times to stop trying to capture the perfect image and just sit in the moment and enjoy. Incorporating it into my Shinrin-yoku practice is both a challenge and a valuable part of my experience.

 

Onsen (温泉) and Toji (湯治)

My favorite "lost in translation" story was from my study abroad experience, when my host mom told us we were going to the onsen, but she was trying to explain it in English for her language practice. She told me it was a "big bus" which, paired with my understanding of the Japanese word for "big," I took to mean a long bus ride. She told me there would be lots of people and it would be very hot, which all tracked. Then she told me some of my American friends and their host families would be joining us. When I noticed my friend Mat with his camcorder, I asked if he'd be filming in the onsen. He seemed surprised at my question, and asked in response, "You do know we'll be naked, right?" Not yet comprehending the error, I responded, "What kind of a BUS is this?!?" After that, we cleared it right up, and it all made sense. That was how my first onsen experience began.

 

The experience itself can only be described as liberating. Being a white woman with a large chest, I stood out and was an object of curiosity among the Japanese women. And Japanese do not have the same sense of privacy not to stare as we westerners do, I suppose. So being nude in front of all those strangers and having them stare, I could only sort of laugh to myself, "Take it all in, ladies!" Since then, nudity and modesty have not been an issue for me at doctors or massage appointments, etc.

 

Beyond the liberating experience, onsens are sought after for healing properties. Toji is the name of the concept for healing through hot springs. And whether they can cure ailments or not, the heat of course helps aching muscles and it is just generally relaxing to sit in a hot bath like that. When I returned to Japan for vacation, I had a room on the island of Miyajima with my own private onsen bath, and it felt like I was communing with nature while soaking. I think that may also tie to the concept of shinrin-yoku to an extent. Even though my hot tub at my house in California was a chlorinated hot tub, soaking outside in the early morning, stargazing and watching meteors, or as the sun rose, seeing the trees and birds and lizards, also felt a little like shinrin-yoku or toji or some happy combination of the two.

 

 

So I guess I've been partaking in shinrin-yoku practices and indulging in the beauty of komorebi and yūgen long before I had the vocabulary. And while I won't change the name of my blog to komorebi, that's really what I mean when I call myself "easily thrilled."