
A girl in a fairy costume
Image courtesy of Bartosz Kossakowski and publicdomainpictures.net
As a kid, when October approached my thoughts would drift away from course work at school to what will I dress up as for Halloween. I took inspiration from the cartoons I watched, my toys, and family vacations.
Not long after visiting Williamsburg, I begged my Mom to make me colonial dress for Halloween and another year she magically created Strawberry Shortcake’s wardrobe. When I was in fourth or fifth grade, I made my costume. I dyed a pair of sweats I knotted in rubber bands to create flames in red, orange, and yellow. I then used colored hairspray and face paints to make my head match the sweats.
Eventually though I stopped liking Halloween and the urge to dress up faded. The last time I wore a costume and liked it was 1998. I know a bit “old” for Halloween but I did it for a party.
Fast forward to last weekend I am food shopping. I see shoppers looking at candy and think no then yes. Before I could flip my decision again I picked a purple bucket with a black triangles for eyes and nose and underneath it a jagged open mouth. Next I looked at the candy. And considered what I would be willing to eat if few kids came and I had candy left. I chose Star Wars theme packaged jelly beans since I already had chocolate and caramel candy at home. (I gave the chocolate to the kids not the second. They are mine.)
When Monday rolled around I got the bucket of candy I hid out and turned on my front porch light. Soon after my cat Celia, went under my office desk. For the first time in years, I could say I like Halloween. I saw superheros, princesses, fairies, a bubble bee, and witches. Some of these kids came back for more candy which I did not mind. The less I have to eat afterwards the better. That and I do not want to offend the caramel candy I like so much. Okay how would it know it is just a lump of sugar.
Reflections on Halloween