Clothes Make A Statement; Costumes Tell A Story."

When I was a little girl, Halloween was very different. As I said last week, one pumpkin on the front porch was the extent of decorating. This pumpkin was usually a family project, so it was crudely cut (no home self-help kits back then) with a candle stuck inside it. These days, if you don't have at least 6 pumpkins scattered along your front porch and sidewalk, with faces that look like they were designed by Michaelangelo, you are the "sad house".

My mother did not like Halloween. Deep down, she believed that it was somehow sac-religious, so she never really participated in it except for handing out candy. There were many years that we did not even have a pumpkin. As for the costumes, my brothers and I were on our own. Not that this was unusual or a problem. Most of my friends made their own costumes too, the only difference being that their mom's were usually helping. There were no halloween.coms to order from, or Party Citys to run down and pick out something, and even if there had been, the thought of spending $40 on a costume would have seemed crazy.
This meant that my costumes had to be cheap and simple. I was never one who liked "scary", so I gravitated towards something that could be made out of stuff around the house. One year I was a bum, the next a pirate, the next an Indian. All of these could be crafted out of old clothes and makeup. My absolute hands-down favorite year was when mom broke down and bought me a nightgown with a picture of Casper the Friendly Ghost on it. For those of you of a certain age, you will remember that Casper was an animated ghost..not scary or mean...but cute and sweet. This nightgown came with a little white eye mask. I was in heaven. I was so thrilled with my "store-bought" costume that I wore it every night for a year. I was devastated when I had a growth spurt and was unable to wear it the next year. (It just did not make the right statement when it only came down to my knees.)
I believe all three of my brothers went as army men every single year. This meant they wore some sort of green shirts and caps and carried a toy gun. I asked The Husband what he wore as a boy on Halloween...any Halloween... but he claims to have no memory of any costume. This could be because he and his brothers were hoodlums who terrorized their neighborhood...or it could be because I asked him while he was getting ready for work this morning and he was in a bad mood...)
I take more of an interest in my kid's costumes. Big Sis and The Senior were both princesses one year. Another year, Big Sis wore one of my old prom dresses and went as a bride. The Senior and I still die laughing when we see that picture...The Senior refers to it as "Scary Bride", but Big Sis liked it. I did break down one year on trip to Disney World and buy The Senior a Snow White costume. This has to be one of my all-time favorites...she looked adorable. The worst year is one that I have blocked out completely. Big Sis told me the other day that she and Senior had gone as Trolls. I told her she was wrong. I have absolutely no recollection of this. But she reminded me that Senior had been collecting them...and so I had actually bought "twin troll" costumes. I still didn't believe her....until she e-mailed me the proof. A faded, dimly lit picture of both girls wearing what appeared to be bad clown outfits....with strange blue troll-hair. Big Sis evidently had a growth spurt between the time I bought it and the time she wore it, because her pants barely passed her knees. But you know what? They look very pleased in the picture...and that is what counts. Even if I still have no memory of that year.

A few years later, The Senior and her middle school friends decided to go as cats. This sounded good to me, especially since they were "creating" their costumes all by themselves. Only later that night when they knocked on our door and shouted "trick or treat" did I realize that their version of cats was more like the Playboy-bunny version. I made a note to be a little more attentive the following year. (The next year she and her BFF dressed as twin devils...never has there been a more fore-shadowing moment.)

So that's it for today. I haven't even gotten to The Boy and Little One....so stay tuned for tomorrow when I will do a costume-preview. The Boy is attending his first middle-school dance tomorrow night and they must come in full costume.....this has put a little more pressure on the decision...

Until tomorrow....