BlueStarlight wrote:Aw, now I feel bad for dressing up in Highschool! Of course, I'd only do it because I was taking my little sister around the neighborhood- mom didn't want to do it. I still dress up to pass out candy, although last year I didn't get one single trick-or-treater... boo hoo.
Hey, at least you dressed up!! I don't mind if they are in costume!! Esp. if they have a younger sibling w/ them!!
EDC,Inc-Dumptruck Trainee!!!
Pic for banner by someone else.
I've almost always dressed up for Halloween. I did quit trick-or-treating when I was about 12. After that, for a few years, I took over from my dad, and dressed up as a gorilla (full body suit) and went out scaring the neighborhood kids. That was always fun. My friend had a suit also, and we'd kind of gallop (gorilla-like) down the street, grunting, and getting in kids' faces. In later years, there were friend Halloween parties. Or we'd go dancing at clubs that had special Halloween goings-on. After I got married, I would (and still do) dress up to pass out candy, take my kids, or go to adult or family Halloween parties. There's always been a reason to dress up. Unfortunately, I'm usually not very original. A few times I've been a clown. One year, the whole family dressed in military fatigues. But usually, I'm a witch - very Wicked Witch of the West -ish. This year, I've made me a new cape and hat to go with the original black dress. I also want to find me some very pointy black boots.
The last 5+ years, I've tried to cut down on the candy I hand out, and also pass out a little toy. This year, I'm passing out fangs. Yes, I know, real vampires don't have fangs, but I wouldn't be able to afford to pass out body glitter to every trick-or-treater. At least the kids like the fangs.
Where there is great love, there are always miracles. -Willa Cather
Back in the late 1950s and early 60s, we lived in a tract house in Whittier (East of Los Angeles, California). It had a long driveway partially screen by tall (about 5 feet) Juniper bushes. But, from my bedroom window, you could clearly see down the length of the driveway and much of the street.
My dad ran a pair of wires to the last bush that bordered the sidewalk and embedded a speaker well into the concealed heart. During the evening, he would sit in the darkened bedroom and speak to the approaching kids. Nothing scary or ominous, just "Hello, [fill in the name]." Except for a Jack-O-Lantern we normally didn't have any "scary" decorations. Still, it was surprising how many would freak out. (Mind you, this was before color TV, about the same time transistor radios came out and the United States still couldn't reliably put a satellite into orbit.)
How did he know what names to say? Well, he knew most of the kids in the neighborhood, along with the relative sizes of their siblings. He just identified the parent with them and, even with low light levels and the costumes, he had a pretty good idea who he was talking to.
For those who were upset, most of the moms were able to talk them past the disembodied voice to get their candy.
I didn't see too much of it. I was out trick-or-treating myself.
Of course, since the mid-60s, kids have been too tech savvy to be frightened by a little bit of quiet, disembodied audio.
"Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here." Sue Kidd Monk, The Secret Life of Bees, Chapter 6
Variety- The witch was my stand-by costume for years! I finally got a new outfit about 5 years ago from Parties Plus. It's a monster bride dress and lace veil, half black and half white. I get to put on my goth makeup and be "weird" for one day out of the year. The apartment kids get a kick out of it- well, those few who come around.
Nova- That would have freaked me out as a kid! Heck, it would probably still freak me out!
I remember one year when I was little, our church had a haunted house for Halloween. I think I was 5 or 6. My dad was to be the mummy for the HH. Mom dressed him up in body gauze she brought home from the hospital; he was really cool-looking. Back then, I was a little braver than most girls; my brothers were always doing things to scare the heebee-jeebees out of me. I figured I could handle the HH! The first room was the funeral parlor, and our Music Director was in a casket in full make-up; when I approached, he sat up and I screamed and cried, the whole works! My dad was in the 3rd room and I didn't even make it! lol!
Ahhh Halloween! My absolute favorite holiday. I try to go all out and decorate! I used to have parties, but haven't in a while ( I know Im a freak, I like it even better than Christmas) I LOVE to dress up!! I stopped trick - or - treating when I was probably 12 or so, but the Halloween after I graduated High School My best friend and I decided to dress up in sexy costumes and go trick or treating. It was fun. We got a lot of looks and a few "aren't you a little old for this" but it was fun.
I haven't had any Halloween candy as of yet, I usually just eat what my son doesn't want after he's gone out.
That brings me to somehting that irks me to no end. When I was young, we used to be able to dress as what ever we wanted (within reason of course) for Halloween at school. But ever since my son has been in school (he's in 2nd grade now) its always something like dress up as your favorite story book character, or this year its dress up as what you want to be when you grow up. I wouldn't mind so much if it was something close to what he wanted to be for Halloween, but to have to work around 2 costumes sucks. He wants to be a Pirate this year, and thats not exactly something he can grow up to be.
Sorry for the rant
As long as I was on my way to Hell - I might as well enjoy the journey.
I'm still working on Halloween costumes. One of the neighbors terrified my son last year (he's 7 now) and he doesn't want anything to do with it, and my daughter wants to be a fire-breathing dragon (complete with colored cellophane flames attached to a flashlight, which, in turn, will be attached to the dragon's mouth--no biggie). She's got so many requisites that even ordering one has proven impossible, so I'm waiting her out. She'll have to compromise eventually. Maybe.
The only children allowed to dress up for Halloween at my kids' school are the Pre-K/Kindergartners. And they do a "Nursery Rhyme Parade." Someone might be offended by anything too creative, so we can't have that, now can we?
LadyDi wrote:I just finished reading "The Darkest Night", the first book in the "Lords of the Underworld" series. Think Rhage's torment multiplied by a hundred! It was very good. Definitely BDB-like on the ladder!
Niiice! I got them on my "plan to read" list on shelfari. I'm excited now!
GNE- the 80s is hard to dress up as. Maybe you could watch a favorite 80s movies and see the outfits. Every girl yesterday either looked like Olivia Newton John in her Locomotion video or Jennifer Beals from Flashdance.
Anybody have plans for this weekend? I'll be reading.
“Darkness will never take me…because I have you. Light of my life, Marissa. That’s what you are.”-LR
Banner by the awesome, beautiful and incredible Nena!
CG - I'm going to be reading, grading, and most likely around-the-house chores. I'm also singing a duet at church (which I'm excited about).
GNE- The library just got in "Certain Girls", might have to crack that open. Course I have "From Dead to Worse" and "Wild Things" sitting on my coffee table from the library. I got them a day after picking up "Insider's Guide" and "The Magical Christmas Cat" and I HAD to read those first. Well see...
Nova - I LOVED what your dad did. When I was in Elementary school, my mom would go out for Halloween. She'd dress up as a witch (always a witch...she had a Red Witch and Black Witch costume) and offer the kids a choice. They would always get candy but she would offer them a feel in her jar of cat guts. My mom did a really good job, it was a huge pickle jar that she filled with cooked pasta, food coloring and some other stuff. It really was thick and slimy. Typically though, she'd tell the kids to convince the parent they had with them to stick their hand in. It was cool the look on some of the adults' faces.
I am the Impulsive VampVixen. Thanks toSprtyGalandFryfor the AWESOME banner!
cullengirl wrote:the 80s is hard to dress up as. Maybe you could watch a favorite 80s movies and see the outfits. Every girl yesterday either looked like Olivia Newton John in her Locomotion video or Jennifer Beals from Flashdance.
Nah, it's not! Headband, leg warmers, lots of blue eyeshadow and shoulder pads - OH! and a gold metalic belt. I went to one in a colorful nylon sweatsuit, leg warmers, tennis shoes with socks bunched up, ponytail on the side and a head band. Alternatively you go very punk, Boy George or Tompson Twins. Maybe young Madonna?
Hello everybody! I just stopped by to bring you some "Candy", of the good kind, the "healthy" kind, so you won't have to feel guilty... perhaps you will Enjoy and Happy halloween!
