I am more or less the Halloween version of Scrooge. I don't really like the whole eating yourself sick with (individually wrapped) pieces of candy business or the ghoulish, evil looking characters running around... the random acts of vandalism... The closest I'll get to watching a horror movie to get into the festive mood is watching Phantom of the Opera for the umpteenth time... are you getting my drift? Halloween isn't really my thing.
I will, however, confess to a soft spot for the dressing up to go trick or treat-ing bit... who didn't like to dress up as a kid? But even then, when I was little, I hardly reserved "dress up" time for Halloween and trick or treating. It was more or less an all the time thing.
So even while I do like the dressing up, I wasn't going to forgo my buying stuff ban for Halloween. But I'll admit, I felt guilty about it. So I tried (rather hopelessly) to come up with some ideas for costumes that didn't involve me buying stuff. I came up with a few, but as most of them required me making something or other and the fact that I didn't start thinking about it until the night we were to to trick or treating... well... it wasn't looking good for Amelia and Bini.
Enter Josie (my mom) to save the day. Unwilling, I assume, to let her grandchildren out in halfhearted attempts at costumes, she sallied forth to The Fancy Unicorn (the best children's consignment shop in our area) and found 2 costumes that exactly fit my kiddos. Bless. So thanks to Josie, my children are saved. And I must say, they had a really fun time. Victor Bini debuted as an adorable little kitty cat, while Amelia was a bit more fierce with a leopard costume.
Amelia in her leopard costume.... She didn't have much patience with the hoodie part with the ears, no matter how adorable it was.
Its always so much easier to get a picture when the subject is sitting still, wouldn't you agree?
I really think that Amelia and Victor would have been just as happy in the (not really) costumes I would have provided. Victor Bini I am sure would have been, he was mostly pushed around in a stroller all night and didn't take part in the actual trick or treating at all. Amelia would have too, but (and maybe I am projecting a little bit here...) I think it was really special for Amelia to have a costume that looked like it was trying.
Am I saying that she needs a special-for-the-occasion Halloween costume every year? No, of course not. I am fairly confident in saying I will never buy a brand new costume. (I am more of the make it yourself or buy it secondhand type of person.) But putting forth a little more effort and interest in something that your kids will clearly enjoy makes a big difference in how you see it too. Something for me to keep in mind next year... and more than a few hours before Trick or Treat.
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