When I was growing up, we were not allowed to celebrate the Devil's holiday, a.k.a. Halloween. We would occasionally attend a church "fall" party conveniently scheduled on the same night. You know the ones where you have to come as a Biblical character and you get a tract with every treat. One Halloween I do remember dressing up as a "hobo" to go to two houses in our neighborhood. We knew both families so I guess we could trust them to not convert us to Satanism or put razor blades in our fun size Snickers. I'm not bitter, I'm just telling it like it was! There is something about grandchildren though. Now my mom's entire driveway and porch are filled with Halloween decor and they love to see my kids all dressed up in their costumes. Again, not bitter, just telling it like it is!
Creative costumes are not my strength but I have had a few. Carter was a pig his first year. I bought a pink one piece pajama thing and a pink stocking cap. Don't judge, that's what color pigs are. I added a pipe cleaner for the tail and made ears that attached to the hat. Emilee has not strayed far from the princess, cheerleader theme. Kaden has been the recipient of costume of the year twice. His first Halloween he was a mummy. We dressed him in white long johns and wrapped him head to toe in white fabric strips. His second year he was a bum. He even had a sign that said, "Will work for candy". That was my favorite!
This year Halloween snuck up on us so costumes were a last minute thought. Two weekends before, I picked up a cheerleading outfit at a consignment store for Emilee. Kaden insisted on being a cowboy. Easy enough. Throw on some jeans and a flannel shirt and call it a day. He was lucky because we had a hat, gun, and toy horse in the dress up bin. Carter was a little more difficult. His final decision was a pirate. We put together his outfit for about $10. Just don't tell him that it was mostly girl's/women's clothing. He wore little girl's black pants, a woman's piratesque shirt, a woman's black belt, a fabric remnant scarf for his head and brown penny loafers that I spray painted black. (Again don't judge. That's what was at the Goodwill on October 30th.) I thought it turned out pretty good. He even told a pirate joke as our friends arrived to trick-or-treat. (Why didn't the little kid get into the pirate movie? Because it was rated Aaarrrggghhhh!)
Halloween is a fun time. When else can you dress up as someone different for the night and ask the neighbors for candy? I guess you could in June but the neighbors may not go for that. For now, it is something that the kids love. I will say thanks mom and dad for loving me and protecting me from all the scary things out there! Seriously though, would one night of free candy have been that bad? I am not bitter. I am not bitter. I am not bitter . . .
