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Creatively Stunted
I was one of those moms - the one who didn't slave over creating the perfect costume for my little goblins at Halloween. Sure I made the cute cupcakes, and the special goody bags for the school parties, but I never could get my juices flowing to come up with that one outfit that made eveyrone else turn and say "wow, your mom made that?"
The costumes my kids always had ellicited more the types of comments like, "wow, your mom made that!"
I can't begin to count how many trick--or-treat evenings as the clock counted down to the magic time to begin, my son had a sheet put over his head, eye holes cut out, and he had to be a ghost, again. On particularly creative years he might get to wear an earring, a bandana scarf on his head and he was an instant pirate. The date always seemed to sneak up on me, even though the 31st of October is the same every year.
The best years for trick-or-treating were the ones when it was so cold everyone had to put on their winter coats to go begging door to door. The coat could easily hide the fact that there was a dinghy white sheet draped over my son once again.
The costumes that I see these days are amazing - many rivaling the best work of theater experts. Even though my children are long grown, and do their own thing for Halloween, I still feel pangs of anxiety and guilt as I see the neighborhood kids at my door. I admire those outfits that have been lovingly constructed by the best moms on the block, but secretly I give extra candy to anyone dressed in a sheet.
I would love to hear about your favorite costumes ....
Happy Halloween!
The costumes my kids always had ellicited more the types of comments like, "wow, your mom made that!"
I can't begin to count how many trick--or-treat evenings as the clock counted down to the magic time to begin, my son had a sheet put over his head, eye holes cut out, and he had to be a ghost, again. On particularly creative years he might get to wear an earring, a bandana scarf on his head and he was an instant pirate. The date always seemed to sneak up on me, even though the 31st of October is the same every year.
The best years for trick-or-treating were the ones when it was so cold everyone had to put on their winter coats to go begging door to door. The coat could easily hide the fact that there was a dinghy white sheet draped over my son once again.
The costumes that I see these days are amazing - many rivaling the best work of theater experts. Even though my children are long grown, and do their own thing for Halloween, I still feel pangs of anxiety and guilt as I see the neighborhood kids at my door. I admire those outfits that have been lovingly constructed by the best moms on the block, but secretly I give extra candy to anyone dressed in a sheet.
I would love to hear about your favorite costumes ....
Happy Halloween!
I'm probably the only man here that took over the creative costum duty. At least sort of. My ex-wife could come up with ideas, but in the sewing department I had her hands down.
But my favorite costum (which was my idea for a church holloween party) came from when the Arachniphopia movie came out. I picked up a black tee shirt with Arachniphopia on the front and with some quick work tuned in to a fly outfit. Then I took another black tee shirt and printed "I love Flies" on the front and turned that into a spider outfit. I went as the fly and my ex as the spider. Just could not convince our daughter to go along with the theme. She insisted on being a pirate.
Dennis
But my favorite costum (which was my idea for a church holloween party) came from when the Arachniphopia movie came out. I picked up a black tee shirt with Arachniphopia on the front and with some quick work tuned in to a fly outfit. Then I took another black tee shirt and printed "I love Flies" on the front and turned that into a spider outfit. I went as the fly and my ex as the spider. Just could not convince our daughter to go along with the theme. She insisted on being a pirate.
Dennis
I was a working-full--time mom, and thankfully, my daughter had it all over me in the costume-creativity department! I let her take the reins, every year. One year she was a blackberry (not the phone!). Black tights, black leotard, and black, mildly inflated balloons safetypinned all over through the part of the balloon proximal to the knot! I think she was six! Too funny. Now she's 26, and Halloween is still her favorite day of the year!
There's more (inexpensive) to choose from around here these days. There are items I like in a children's shop - the college students buy them too: attachable items to whatever you pull out of your closet (or your mom's), tails, ears, crowns, wands with ribbons (I love these!), various masks, and single items to carry (sorry, mind a bit thick, can't come up with a list now).
I've just never been into total costuming - y'know, the whole thing - has a suffocating feel to me (I know, I'm weird that way).
Save the 'academic' costume idea for when you have to go somewhere 'dressed up' yourself - remember the briefcase. :-)
I've just never been into total costuming - y'know, the whole thing - has a suffocating feel to me (I know, I'm weird that way).
Save the 'academic' costume idea for when you have to go somewhere 'dressed up' yourself - remember the briefcase. :-)
Ooh, I wish I had thought of that academic costume - it would have saved me all the holey sheets!! :-)
Its reassuring to hear someone else struggled that same as I did. I can identify with not spending the money at K-Mart for the latest cartoon character costume because of the budget. Given the choice of being Scooby-Doo or getting the rare treat of a McDonald's happy meal, the golden arches would win out every time.
Its reassuring to hear someone else struggled that same as I did. I can identify with not spending the money at K-Mart for the latest cartoon character costume because of the budget. Given the choice of being Scooby-Doo or getting the rare treat of a McDonald's happy meal, the golden arches would win out every time.
Ohhhhh, I love that. I was one of those moms too. The one costume that stands out in my mind - once for my son (now 43, at age 3) and once for my grandson (now 17, at age 2 1/2) was of an academic getup - no work at all: a man's white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a tie, black horn-rimmed glasses penned around the eyes, a man's hat (real or plastic), and a briefcase to hold the goodies.
Living in the Northeast, many Halloween nights were very cold - so, no need to waste money on expensive little get-ups that would not be seen - stick to something that would fit _over_ a coat or jacket.
The other day, my husband found a costume upstairs that our then-teenaged daughter and her friend had gotten together on. It was warmish, so they could wear black tights and black tops or sweatshirts. They found two cardboard boxes the same size, cut a head hole and two arm holes in each, spray-painted them both white (great visibility) with large black dots to represent a pair of dice. I think they wore plastic boaters on their head. They were the hit of the neighborhood.
I was never good at planning ahead and actually _making_ costumes for them. Their Halloween years (the 70s, early 80s) were at a time when many around them were _buying_ costumes at the store (not in our budget) and they usually groused about having to make up something themselves. That's all I knew back in the 40s. My mom didn't sew, nor did she have a creative bone in her body - so, I _had_ to make up my own costumes. At least, I could appropriate or take off on various tap or ballet outfits I had - and I would also share those with the neighborhood as well.
Living in the Northeast, many Halloween nights were very cold - so, no need to waste money on expensive little get-ups that would not be seen - stick to something that would fit _over_ a coat or jacket.
The other day, my husband found a costume upstairs that our then-teenaged daughter and her friend had gotten together on. It was warmish, so they could wear black tights and black tops or sweatshirts. They found two cardboard boxes the same size, cut a head hole and two arm holes in each, spray-painted them both white (great visibility) with large black dots to represent a pair of dice. I think they wore plastic boaters on their head. They were the hit of the neighborhood.
I was never good at planning ahead and actually _making_ costumes for them. Their Halloween years (the 70s, early 80s) were at a time when many around them were _buying_ costumes at the store (not in our budget) and they usually groused about having to make up something themselves. That's all I knew back in the 40s. My mom didn't sew, nor did she have a creative bone in her body - so, I _had_ to make up my own costumes. At least, I could appropriate or take off on various tap or ballet outfits I had - and I would also share those with the neighborhood as well.
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