It is finally time. Really, it’s been time since Sept. 1 (and really, it’s always time) if you’re truly committed to the ghoulish, spookster lifestyle.

But now Meijer agrees with you. You’re walking around the aisles in your new, sparkly witches hat, “Monster Mash” is flowing through your AirPods and a pumpkin spice latte sits in the cart cup holder.  

You eye a graphic tee that says “My broomstick runs on wine.” You add it to the cart, along with a bottle of Leelanau Cellars Witches Brew. The rush that fills your heart is stronger than anything Valentine’s Day or Thanksgiving or 4th of July could ever bring. Because you’re feeling spooky — maybe more spooky than anyone else could understand.

Alright Lakers, hold all the fake spider webs and black skeleton shirts. If the narrative above sounds all too familiar — if you have checked off a majority of these marks — we have something to tell you: maybe it’s time you took a step back, Jack Skellington. We aren’t in Halloweentown.

We aren’t here to kill your fun, we get it. School and the world are both stressful places to exist in, and sometimes you just want something to look forward to, something to believe in.

But we may have taken Halloween a bit too far. In recent years, Halloween has transcended from childhood folly and risen above an annual excuse to wear something silly and go to a party. It has become a cultural imperative of anyone who has ever felt “a little different.”

Like ugly sweaters, kombucha and vinyl records, these things that we did to stand out before have now become, well, mainstream. And there’s nothing wrong with that. People are allowed to enjoy what they enjoy, but maybe we shouldn’t act like it’s so special, and maybe we should watch what how much we’re spending on cheap plastic skulls and witches hats.

Because as soon as too many people enjoy anything, the market will work to exploit it. And even as you’re reading this, there is probably some greedy movie executive out there hearing a pitch for a movie about a wholesome suburban family rediscovering the “true spirit of Halloween.”

We appreciate your giddiness and love for all things Halloween, but if we’ve learned anything from “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” we should be wary of the spooky season overtaking our lives. This season, spook responsibly.