Halloween! Spare me. Seriously, Spare me
Oct 29th 2007
Julia LondonMy Life As A Plebe
I guess I’m a grinch when it comes to Halloween. I’ve never been a fan, even when I was a kid. Maybe because I live on a ranch and no one came to our door. Or, when we went to town to trick or treat, we were encouraged to “dress up” only to discover our costumes were never as cool or elaborate as the kids in town.
It’s the costumes that bug me. I like the candy. I like seeing the little kids in their costumes (I don’t like seeing teenagers come to the door with no costume and nothing but a grocery bag). I like that my dogs actually act like dogs and bark at everyone who comes to the door. They never bark at the UPS guy. But when it comes to me, I can’t decide what to wear to the grocery store—how can I possibly come up with something suitably humorous or scary or political?
I’ve never had a good costume. Ever. My husband recounts with great fondness the year he and his baseball buddies were the Seven Dwarfs. He has told the story so many times that I can almost recite it. But when he tells it, I think, is that really so special? Seriously, how many men across America have been the Seven Dwarfs with their friends and thought it was hilarious? I have also seen some really hideous costumes on people at my door. If you’re going to go to the trouble of having a costume, shouldn’t it really be something? And what about pets in costumes? Some people on this very blog, who shall remain nameless (Rachel) dress their dogs in costumes. Dogs were really not meant to wear costumes. Don’t you think there is something just a little off about a dog in weenie suit?
This Halloween, I am not dressing up as anything but the old lady with the Cameron Diaz hairdo at the end of the street who doesn’t like people ringing her doorbell. 
What about you? Do you like Halloween? Do you dress up? What’s your favorite/worst costume ever? What’s the worst you’ve seen?
53 Comments »
53 Responses to “Halloween! Spare me. Seriously, Spare me”
Karen Rose on 29 Oct 2007 at 11:28 pm #
Julia, my costumes were always lousy, too. I believe costumes should be home-made, otherwise, where is the fun? Plus, I don’t have the figure for the Nurse Naughty costumes I saw in the costume shop, so that makes me a little grumpy.
But I still LOVE Halloween. For years we’d make our oldest daughter’s costumes, and for years they had a food theme. She was a mouse stuck in a wedge of cheese (at 2, so cute!), she was broccholi (her idea, not mine), she was a juice box – that was a cool costume, but unweildy at the party, a taco – that was fun. Then we took a Harry Potter break and she was Hermione, a Dementor, etc. Then it was back to food for a bag of jellybeans.
I can remember each costume and how both my kids looked. Maybe that’s the appeal – the memories you create with your family.
Plus stealing your kids’ candy is a big bonus. I got away for years playing the “I must inspect your candy” card – especially the Reese’s Peanutbutter cups. Then they wised up. Dang!
colinfirthfan on 29 Oct 2007 at 11:30 pm #
I don’t dress up either. But my kids love trick or treating. Now that the kids on our street our bigger 6 boys ranging from 7 yrs to 3 yrs go trick or treating together and have a blast! Mine are going as Optimus Prime and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle.
I love to see the little kids at the door in their costumes. Hate to see teenagers who make no effort and come with pillowcases.
I agree dogs should NOT be dressed up. EVER. Though a weenie dog is funny.
Karen Rose on 29 Oct 2007 at 11:31 pm #
Oh, and I can honestly say I’ve never met a man who was one of the Seven Dwarves for H-ween. I think Mr. London may have something special there.
colinfirthfan on 29 Oct 2007 at 11:34 pm #
Karen, I am sooo far away from creative I shudder to think of the results if I made a costume. My kids would probably burst into tears (everyone else would laugh themselves sick!)
Santa on 29 Oct 2007 at 11:38 pm #
I was never really into Halloween as a kid. I just remember dressing up as a bum for years and having my mom go through our candy looking for razor blades. That was back in the day when you got apples and pennies.
I love dressing my kids up but refuse to pay all that money for costumes. Twenty bucks for a Harry Potter costume and that was only for the black robe!! I don’t THINK so! So we turned Little Man’s costume from last year inside out. (He was a Ninja and had flames down his calves) Got a 5 dollar cape from Walnuts and cut slits on the sides, used an old white shirt, fake glasses from the dollar store, his school tie was felt and his wand was a twig from the backyard. The effect: priceless.
My kids keep asking me what I am going to dress as this year. I tell them I’m going to use the same costume I’ve always used. I dress up every year as the Haggard Mother. It’s great because everyone can guess who I am!
Stacy ~ on 30 Oct 2007 at 5:12 am #
I love Halloween but I always had the worst costumes as a kid. I think now it’s fun, though I don’t dress up, but I love to give away candy. And some people are so darn creative. It’s amazing. I just hate that it’s usually so cold on Halloween. I know it adds to the creepiness, but I freeze easily.
Ellen on 30 Oct 2007 at 6:22 am #
Ladies, Ladies, Ladies. Will anyone be shocked that Halloween is a High, Holy Day in my Life? From the moment my Mother could dress me up as a Red Bell Pepper, I have honored this day. (Okay, she meant for me to be a chili pepper, but I was a bit too round!)
We had seven children so buying costumes was never an option. My Mom probably snuck mind altering drugs into our pizza and convinced us all that we were the lucky ones because we knew how to make our costumes. And believe me; Mom had no boundaries when it came to using things around the house.
EXAMPLE: In first grade I won as Little Bow Peep. Mom used an old crinoline as my bonnet and FORCED Dad to disassemble the washing machine to make my staff. (broom stick and washer!) My little sister’s pajamas made up the bloomers and a stuffed bear with cotton balls glued to it was my little sheep. Sister Damien awarded us Most Creative. (Mom beamed for weeks and bragged for years.)
This year I am considering Britney Spears. The potential fun is too great to overlook. Bad hair extensions, no panties, fat midriff, No Kids…and hell…I can get wasted for the night and just pretend I am being true to my costume.
DebMarlowe on 30 Oct 2007 at 6:36 am #
I do enjoy Halloween–the fun, costume-y parts, not the horror, gross out parts. I had some great costumes as a kid. I remember my first actual store-bought one was Witchy-poo from Puff the Magic Dragon. Man, I thought I was hot stuff!
My kids love to dress up. After Halloween the costumes and props get used all year. You just never know when a storm trooper or a pirate or a ninja is going to come asking for a snack. We all trick or treat together and have a great time.
LOL on the Britney Spears, Ellen!
Ellen on 30 Oct 2007 at 7:02 am #
Through out the years I’ve been:
Dolly Parton (used a beach towel to stuff my bra)
Queen Kong (carried an almost naked Ken Doll)
Geisha Girl (Mom’s sofa pillow to make that square bow over my ass)
Belle Watling (My dh was Rhett and sister was Scarlett)
Road Kill (used stuffed pantyhose for my intestines)
A horse’s ass (figured I start out the party that way instead of finishing up like that)
Obviously, there are 30 or so costumes missing. Let me think on it.
I just remembered my Grandmother’s last Halloween. She dressed up as a pregnant nun and had a sign on her back that said “I should have danced all night…” (she was 81)
Karen Rose on 30 Oct 2007 at 7:41 am #
Suffice it to say the apple didn’t fall far from your grandmother’s tree, Ellen. Great costume ideas! I especially love the road kill
I would characterize myself as enjoying the “tastefully gross.” I don’t dress up every year, but when I do, it’s usually something on the witchy theme. No comments from y’all out there in the peanut gallery, okay?
This year I went as Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty (remember her with the curvy horns?). I went to a party wearing my home-made curvy horns which I fashioned from aluminum foil and duct tape. I love duct tape. Anyway, some woman was there in a store-bought Maleficent costume and looked way better than mine. Sigh. But I did have the satisfaction of knowing I was a hundred plus dollars richer than she is!
I’ll wear the costume tomorrow night when I give out the candy – if for no other reason than to embarrass my 13-year-old. I consider my mother job successfully done.
Margaret on 30 Oct 2007 at 7:48 am #
I’ve made many a Halloween costume. Personally, I always dressed as a cat burglar so I could wear black pants & sweater when escorting my kids. A couple my aunt made that I fondly remember. A nurse for DD. Ditto as a bride complete with veil. Son was once a devil. The aunt used dryer lint to stuff the horns & tail.
I’ve made Snow White, Dracula (red satin lined cape), clown outfits and a Rainbow Brite outfit that required 34 separate pattern pieces. Remember all those rings of color on her wrists and hem? No 2 the same size. I had fun making them all but finally had to stop when the # of grandkids kept mounting. Got too expensive for my budget.
But I have my memories. I’ve seen refrigerators, train engines, and race cars that my son-in-law has created from cardboard, aluminum foil and other handy thiings lying around the house. Halloween calls for more creativity than any other holiday. I won’t even go into yard decor.
Kay on 30 Oct 2007 at 7:59 am #
I am always a black cat—black sweatsuit, ears and a tail with drawn-on nose and whiskers. DH is always a cowboy. The hat, boots, belt and duster are regular clothes for him, so he really doesn’t do anything extra except tie on a bandana.
Youngest child loves to dress up. He had a collection of dress-up hats when he was little. Every morning he was someone new! Buzz LIghtyear was my favorite purchase costume for him, but I usually make the costumes. One year the kids were Frodo and Sam. I mad the little tweed vests and capes. DH made staffs a nd put glow-in-the-dark stuff on the tops—very cool.
Unfortunatly, youngest child is going to be the scream this year, his least original costume.
Oldest child is going to be a political figure—his choice—and wear a humorous campaign tee shirt. He gets his political bent from me, LOL.
Sherri Browning Erwin on 30 Oct 2007 at 8:06 am #
Ellen (shall I call you Britney), now that is Halloween spirit! Love the Queen Kong, especially. I was almost always a bunny for Halloween, no scary costumes for me.
The worst costume I’ve seen- just a few days ago, I was browsing for pictures to post on another blog and came across a Giant Sperm costume. I started looking for the Giant Condom costume, but didn’t find one. Not to worry, I’m sure abstinence is the best choice when faced with a guy dressed as a giant sperm. Talk about compensating. Nothing says “I have a very small wanger” like showing up at a party in a giant sperm costume.
cail on 30 Oct 2007 at 8:09 am #
ah, halloween, one of my favorites.
This year i was princess Leia. Used my own hair and everything.
I was Jackie O last year (used my grandma’s old clothes, made the felt pillbox hat, and velma from scooby doo the year before. I have a short wig that I tend to reuse around halloween. One of my favorites from recent years was when I went as a heroine from a historial romance novel.
Growing up we always made our costumes. I was usually a pirate, pippi long stocking or an American Girl (usually Felicity) for halloween. I remember my brother being an alien with a tin foil strange looking hat as a baby. I also make myself into a marionette with the wooden controls propped up above my head with a wood stick. there were little eye type screws that had string through it, attached to my skirt and hands. when i lowered my hands, the skirt raised itself as if i was about to curtsy. very cool.
twolilhahas on 30 Oct 2007 at 8:28 am #
I’m with you, Julia. I’m just not a big fan of Halloween. I wasn’t as a kid, either. My parents made me do it for a while, then I was eventually big enough to be like, “I really don’t like this.” They stopped. lol My kids don’t dress up and we don’t do Halloween. We do participate in some of the fall festival’s around our area, though. So, they don’t miss out on the candy part. So, I’m a Halloween grinch, too.
Keri Ford on 30 Oct 2007 at 8:44 am #
I did the trick-or-treating for many years, the only costume I remember off the top of my head is one I wore as a toddler. I was a Care Bear. A yellow one with a tie on hat with ears (the face was open and mom drew me some whiskers) I slept in that costume until I outgrew it and then kept it in my bottom drawer for years!
This is my boy’s first year and he’s a little scarecrow. I’m asking for baby formula for his candy basket
Ya’ll’ve had some creative costumes. I live out in the middle of nowhere, so I nobody knocks on my door for candy…meaning I don’t dress up. And in my small town, if there’s a costume party, I don’t know about it. Yes, I’m jealous.
Freshechelle on 30 Oct 2007 at 8:46 am #
Not much of a fan of the day now. I don’t get home in time to dish out the goods so it’s been years since I’ve even prepared to dole out the goodies.
Some past costume hits included:
My sister as a bag of Wise potato chips, me as a can of Pringles – dad worked for Wise, it was the year Pringles launched. My sister also sported a black eye. Dad has a flare for the dramatic
My sister was Heidi Fleiss one year – she worked that Halloween party with a phone headseat and a stack of rate sheets!
In my adult years, I usually wear conservative business attire and overcoif my hair and call myself any politician’s wife.
One day, all dogs forced to wear costumes for our amusement will rise up and nip at our ankles. Be alert.
Karen Hawkins on 30 Oct 2007 at 8:53 am #
I don’t usually do Halloween. I have too much fun handing out candy to the kids. They are so CUTE when they come to the door!
I did go to a Halloween Party this year. My guy and I were going as Bad Cholesterol (bacon and eggs) but we let the date creep up on us and instead I went as a pirate and he went as a pilgrim. We had a LOT of fun, though, so we might do it again next year. It’s fun being someone else for a while! The best part was the stuffed parrot I had strapped to my shoulder. It kept falling over and we finally drew little “x”s on his eyes and left him there.
Teehee!
SuzyQ on 30 Oct 2007 at 8:56 am #
Next to Christmas, Halloween is my favorite holiday. I set up the village, carve several pumpkins and line the walkway with luminaries. After school, I take the kids to the mall for some trick or treating. Hey, this is Jersey! We are surrounded by malls – and Mom gets coupons from the stores! I always dress up as a spider witch when I take the kids out. I have a top with crocheted spider web sleeves and a hat that has spiders dangling from it. Go figure, as I hate spiders.
One my favorite costumes was when me and dh went as a farmer and a cow. OK I admit it, I was the cow. But it was fun. As for the kids, like Deb said, the costumes get used all year round. I have a large trunk I keep them in and the kids are always dressing up.
As for pets dressing up, I just got an email with tons of pictures in pet costumes. Some of them are just too funny!
Jami Alden on 30 Oct 2007 at 9:06 am #
Julia, are you my mom’s long lost daughter? Because she also hates Halloween with a passion. I grew up listening to her muttered rants about f***ing trick or treaters. She also grew up on a ranch. My brother hates halloween, and he lives on a ranch. Maybe that’s it. Ranch people hate halloween.
I like Halloween well enough, I suppose – I’m not super passionate about it, and i have to admit it was most fun in college when I got to dress up and drink as opposed to dress up and trick or treat. I haven’t done a costume in years, but I think my favorite was when I dressed up as Nancy Kerrigan and my friends dressed up as Tonya Harding and Oksana Bauil (complete with feather headdress) right around the time Tonya smashed her knee.
Julia London on 30 Oct 2007 at 9:09 am #
Oh, I am laughing so hard. Who knew there were uses for dryer lint? Not I! You guys are amazing with the creativity.
Karen R. and Ellen — tell us something about you we don’t know, LOL.
Sherri — hahahaha on the giant sperm! Nothing says “tiny wanker on board” than a giant sperm, you are so right.
Oh Santa, I spewed tea everywhere–I had forgotten about the big razor blade scare back in the day. Except in our version, it had happened in our town. The kid swallowed razor blades and died! The moral of the story? Just get the candy, not the apples. hahahaha
DebMarlowe on 30 Oct 2007 at 9:10 am #
Hey I forgot to mention that I met my dh at a Halloween party! So, yes, fond memories.
Best treat ever!
Julia London on 30 Oct 2007 at 9:10 am #
Jami, you may be on to something. Halloween just doesn’t translate out in the sticks.
doglady on 30 Oct 2007 at 9:27 am #
I can relate to costumes not being as cool as the other kids, Julia. My mother always made our costumes and I have to admit that then we hated not having store-bought costumes. I recently unearthed photos of those Halloweens and my brothers, their spouses and kids, Mom and I spend an evening laughing and reminiscing. I had to make copies for my sisters-in-law to put in scrapbooks. We were poor in money, but I know now we were rich in each other. This year the grandkids want Nana to help them make their costumes which thrilled her to death. I have won several costume contests at work, but I do have an unfair edge. I have a closet of costumes I managed to finagle from several of my opera roles. The favorite? Lucia di Lammermoor. She killed her husband on their wedding nite. Lovely white nightgown covered in blood and a big knife. She goes downstairs to sing at her wedding reception after doing the deed. Then she dies. Hey, it’s an opera! We have an assistant manager who comes as Pinhead
doglady on 30 Oct 2007 at 9:29 am #
every year from the Hellraiser films. Type casting for this guy. I may go this year as a funeral home director with a racing gurney. Hey, Karen R and Deb, are you two up for that? The best part of Halloween/ THE CANDY!!!!
Julia London on 30 Oct 2007 at 9:33 am #
See, Doglady, my mom and grandmother were not helpful. They said, “use your imagination! Look in your closet! Here’s your father’s boots. Maybe you can use them.”
One year, I thought I would a gypsy. My olders sisters wrinkled their noses and said, “why would you want to be a gypsy?”
I was young and had no answer but assumed I should not be a gypsy. Now, I realize they would have said that to any idea I tossed up there. I was the gnat buzzing around them and they lived to say black to my white.
Ellen on 30 Oct 2007 at 9:35 am #
SHERRI…I’ve got a solution. Since you can’t find a large condom, mount a mini trampoline on your chest and…Taa Daaa…Go as a diaphragm! I’m sure Karen Rose will lend you some duct tape for the job!
I won’t even mention the fun you’ll have when you get “fall down drunk,” at the end of the night. Woooo Whoooo
Sorry for this…I can’t resist….
Together (me as Britney and you as a diaphragm) we could go as “A couple of Tramps.”
claudia dain on 30 Oct 2007 at 9:35 am #
I love Halloween! I don’t dress up anymore, but I love to pass out candy and have the house all ready with candles and pumpkins for the little kids. They are so adorable! We all love it so much that we sort of fight over who gets to be door-answerer. I mean, the 5 of us can’t rush the door and scare the poor kiddies, can we?
Well, we could, but it wouldn’t be very nice, though it would be in the spirit of tricks…hmm, must give this more thought.
My worst costume ever: my mom waited till the last minute to buy me a costume and all that was left at the store was a pirate costume with a big plastic mask (back in the day when no one cared that you couldn’t see or breathe). Every single house I went to, the mom said, “Oooh, this little boy is a pirate!” By the time I got home I was crying.
My little 7 yr old psyche has never recovered. It has become my mission in life to never be mistaken for a boy. I’m pretty sure I’ve succeeded.
Ellen on 30 Oct 2007 at 9:40 am #
Gotta hit the road…Remind me to tell you about the year I went as Liz Taylor busting out of Rehab. What a hoot. Later ghouls
Ellen on 30 Oct 2007 at 9:42 am #
As part of the sisterhood of goddesses, Claudia. I am willing to let you be Britney this year. If you go without panties and they still say “Look at the little boy,” I can’t help you.
One for all…
E
Lisa H on 30 Oct 2007 at 11:36 am #
HA HA Sherri—I’d stay away from the giant sperm too!
Only one of my three children was planned!
I love to see the kids come to the door on Halloween. Last year my favorite costume(s) were a set of twin boys around 6 or 7 who came as Ketchup and Mustard. Too Cute.
This year my daughter age 14 is going as a Pirate. (The apple doesn’t fall far)
My 11 year old son is going as a hippi and looks hysterical in his costume.
My 2 year old will be Thomas the Tank
I will also be dressed as a Pirate in case Captatin Jack shows up, he’ll know I’m ready.
We are also hosting a Halloween Party for Pirate daughter mentioned above. 13 – 14 year olds will be invading my house tomorrow night. That’s Scary!
Lisa H on 30 Oct 2007 at 11:40 am #
Claudia– I have a better story!
When I was 25 or so and waitressing, a man came in the restaurant with a little boy and ordered a beer. I said, Can I see some id. He showed me his liscence and I said, “Okay beer for you, but none for the little guy here.
The little guy was his wife!
In my defense she was about 90lbs, 5feet tall with very short hair and no make up!
Julia London on 30 Oct 2007 at 11:50 am #
Oooooh, Lisa! HAHAHAHAHA — could you have died?
jessie on 30 Oct 2007 at 11:50 am #
I love Halloween, but I’m no good at thinking up costumes. My best costume was a dead prom queen (not Carrie, which everyone kept asking, just a generic one). My face looked disgusting, but my dress was so pretty! Also, my mom made me a Sleeping Beauty costume one year, and she outdid herself.
As for my worst costume, well, I have to confess that I was one of the teenagers who went around in no costume. But! There was a reason for it. I was giving out candy one year, and my friends (dressed up) came by. They invited me to trick-or-treat with them, but I didn’t have a costume. I told them I would just go around my street with them. One of the mothers made some comment about my lack of costume. I played it off, but when I got home, I felt so horrible. I had become one of THOSE teenagers. And I had done it unintentionally! To this day, I get embarrassed and feel guilty when I think of it. Ah, well.
Karen Rose on 30 Oct 2007 at 11:52 am #
Lisa, I imagine you got no tip.
I tried my hand at haircutting about 11 years ago when oldest was six. I will preface this by saying I have never ever ever done this again. I cut too much hair and that year the shopping mall Santa mistook my six year old girl for a boy. When she realized his mistake she LOUDLY proclaimed that Santa was supposed to know everything, but “HE THINKS I’M A BOY!”
Her self-declared trauma led to her refusal to ever cut her hair again. It now falls below her knees.
twolilhahas on 30 Oct 2007 at 12:24 pm #
OMG, Lisa!! LOL That’s too funny.
The giant sperm costume reminded me of a year I saw someone dressed as a giant…er, man part…on TV. Totally gross.
Ellen, you’re killing me today! LOL You don’t miss a thing! It’s great. The Queen Kong carrying a Ken doll is priceless! Love it!
colinfirthfan on 30 Oct 2007 at 12:33 pm #
Funny stories Y’ALL (in honor of Ellen).
Lisa, that was hilarious. What did the “little guy” wife say to that?
LOLOLOLOLOLOL
cail on 30 Oct 2007 at 12:50 pm #
one of my guy friends was Britney this year for my halloween party. there is nothing quite like a big italian guy in a mini skirt and blond wig.
Lisa H on 30 Oct 2007 at 12:59 pm #
The wife looked mortified. I was mortified, and I don’t remember if I got a tip or not, but I was never so happy to see customers leave the restaurant.
That was probably the most embarassing moment of both our lives!
Lisa H on 30 Oct 2007 at 1:04 pm #
Suzanne, all kidding aside, how are you doing? Is your neighborhood safe now? I hope so, I have been thinking about you.
PJ on 30 Oct 2007 at 2:28 pm #
I love Halloween. We’re known as a safe neighborhood and get between 50 and 100 trick or treaters. I dress in costume and sit on my front porch to welcome the ‘lil goblins. I never reveal my costume before Halloween night even though the neighbor kids start trying to weasel it out of me around the end of August. I have lots of decorations and line the long driveway with Halloween themed luminarias. The kids I know get bags of homemade chocolates. When the dh was alive we dressed in the same theme. All of our costumes have been handmade. Some of them over the years were…
Football player and cheerleader – I borrowed a uniform, complete with pads, from a local high school. Dh (6′2″, 240 lbs) was the cheerleader.
Frankenstein and his bride
Spiders
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Chef and Dinner (dh was dinner)
Fairy Godmother and Cinderella
Hunchback of Notre Dame (dh) and Esmerelda
M&M’s
Clowns
Meleficent
Scooby Doo
Gypsy Fortune Teller
PJ on 30 Oct 2007 at 2:30 pm #
Well, all except the football player were homemade. I guess that goes without saying. lol
claudia dain on 30 Oct 2007 at 2:33 pm #
Goddesses, I thank you. Knowing I’m not the only one to have been either mistaken for a boy or mistaken a non-boy for a boy, I feel so much better!
But it does go to show that wearing the right outfit with the right accessories are so essential.
Britney? Wear underwear. It’s one of those ‘always right’ accessories.
Santa on 30 Oct 2007 at 2:33 pm #
You guys are SO creative and really Laugh Out Loud funny (it warrents being spelled out on this blog!).
Sabrina Jeffries on 30 Oct 2007 at 3:04 pm #
I can’t IMAGINE anybody mistaking Claudia for a boy. A pixie maybe, but not a boy. I can just see her as a child–she must have been adorable!
I like to costume, but not just for trick or treaters. I’m too lazy for that, and I don’t get that many anyway. My neighborhood stays kind of quiet, even though I leave the lights on and always give out candy.
And I haven’t been invited to a Halloween party since I left New Orleans, so I don’t usually have anything to dress up for. In New Orleans, though, my dh and I dressed for both Mardi Gras AND Halloween. Every year we had the big discussion about costumes. I used to sew them, too. No time for that now.
But I do still have a medieval costume from way back. It’s really pretty, and I’ve worn it a few times, pointy hat and all. So I could dress as Guinevere or something, I guess.
Naw, too much trouble.
Margaret on 30 Oct 2007 at 3:59 pm #
I said I wouldn’t mention yard decor. I lied. I wanted to tell you all about my DD’s best evertry at it. She always decorates her garage as a cave and sits back in it dressed in her perennial witches costume. Complete with horrible rubber mask w/big wart on chin. Scares the bejabbers out of the kids. Her place has always been on the “do not miss” for the neighborhood. Parents know not to take the wee ones up. But the bigger kids (over 5) are eager to have their bejabbers missing. One year she conned, er, persuaded a neighbor teen to lie in her homemade cardboard coffin and rise up occasionally when he’d hear people coming up the driveway. Drive was covered with bejabbers that year.
twolilhahas on 30 Oct 2007 at 4:14 pm #
Margaret, my aunt and uncle did that one year. They curtained off their garage and decorated it all dark and creepy. Then they’d have someone jump from around the dark corners at the people coming up the walk. It was hilarious. Some kids wouldn’t even come in after the first scare. I mostly stayed inside, because I’m a wimp and hate to be scared, but looking out the window was pretty darn funny at times!
Freshechelle on 30 Oct 2007 at 4:25 pm #
Some great costumes seen over the years:
a woman in a slip with bits of paper stuck to her with “penis-envy” related quotes. She was a Freudian slip.
a woman wearing a portable tape player, carrying shopping bag full of shoes. Every 1/2 hour she’d hit the tape player, do a little shoe changing dance to a song by her namesake. She was Imelda Marcos.
a woman with a stained blouse and half tucked in, run in her panty hose, a pencil tucked behind her ear, lipstick on her teeth and a hair sloppily pinned up. She was a harried office worker. (this one resonants with me, wish it didn’t)
Bumblebee on 30 Oct 2007 at 4:53 pm #
Oh, how I love Halloween! Black cats, witches, ghosts, AND a chance to dress up in something that I never should have spent that much money on? Whoo hoo! Sign me up. Add candy, and I begin to hover on the edge of a hloiday induced seizure. But, we never get more than 15 or so trick or treaters! I can’t understand it: we’re in a suburban, highly trafficked area with lots of kids. Where do they go? I always buy “good candy” too, no pennies or boxes of raisins. My husband usually dresses up to give out the treats because I’m usually in sweatpants by that time, and I won’t give them up, even for Halloween. I mentioned yesterday that we attended the Hawthorne Hotel’s Costume Ball this past weekend in Salem, MA- they have the winning costumes up on the blog portion of their website, and some of them blew me away- especially the Exorcist couple who brought a custom made actual BED for “Linda” to writhe around in! Maybe I should start planning next year’s costume now-Step One: 100 Sit-ups/day.
Ellen on 30 Oct 2007 at 6:47 pm #
In college I sewed white shoes to the legs of a white suit and walked on my knees all night saying “Da Plane. Da Plane.”
Julia London on 30 Oct 2007 at 7:38 pm #
Bumblebee, that might be issue with costumes these days. There is nothing I really want to show, LOL
You know where they go around here? To “safe” Halloween events. You know, so they don’t get the razorblades like Santa and I were threatened with.
Fresh, Freudian slip is hilarious!
There are so many great costume ideas you guys have brought up today. Maybe if I had that kind of imagination I would be more into Halloween. But I don’t!
Oh well. In about 24 hours, it will all be over. yeeeessssssss.
ladydawgfan on 30 Oct 2007 at 9:58 pm #
Many moons ago, when I was still working retail, we were supposed to dress up in costume for the day. With this in mind, I rented a gorilla costume, complete with hairy gloves, feet, and full head mask. The only problem? I had to take public transit to get to work!
So there I was, dressed as a gorilla, waiting for the bus! More than a few passing cars almost swerved into a nearby tree while I was waiting! And the expression on the bus driver’s face when I climbed on!!! It was a perfect mixture of “who farted?” and hysterics!!!
A lot of my fellow bus passengers got a kick out of that costume, more than a few customers brought me bananas, and my coworkers loved it!!! Best money ever spent on a costume that I didn’t retain!! (and I still giggle picturing that bus driver’s face!)
Lexile on 31 Oct 2007 at 6:21 am #
I used to LOVE halloween–all that free candy and the decorations and TV show specials and stuff. But I never had a ‘great’ costume. I was almost always a witch ’cause my mom would never take me out to get a new one and my dad would be working (somehow though my brother and sister always got great ones…). And up until I was 11 all the neighborhoodkids had a party beforehand and then went trick or treating. Then everything changed and aside from the lack of free candy, it doesn’t seem like anyone cares anymore. So few people actually decorate their houses anymore. It makes me a little sad.