Trip or Treat
(Disclaimer: I wrote this Halloween story last year, but decided to republish it for the sake of those who may not have read it yet...)
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Store-bought Halloween costumes? Unheard of in my family. All were homemade - we were taught to use our imaginations at our house. Usually, we had to use our imagination for pretty much anything costing over 5 bucks.
I think I was about 8 years old at the time. My makeshift costume was a princess, of sorts, made from an older sister's purple confirmation gown. Also, I had a wand, or should I say I had a stick which had a glued-on cardboard star, covered in aluminum foil and glitter.
Naturally, the dress was way too big for me. Each step produced audible rips and tears as though I were a walking whoopy cushion. But I didn't mind so much as long as the candy made its way into my bag.
As my mother drove us around from house to house, we'd run back and forth to hit as many neighbors as we could before the time ran out. I was so proud of the collection of candy I had so far.
At one of the stops, I raced against my brother toward a lit, front porch, however, I didn't quite make it. The bottom of the dress wrapped around my foot and I performed a dive into the ditch that would've put Greg Louganis to shame: 9-0!
The taffeta tumbleweed - which was me - finally came to a rest. As I slowly looked around, through a veil of purple lace, at the sea of candy strewn all over the yard all I could wonder was if I'd just been been hit by a tornado. Motionless, I lay there on the cool grass and stared up at the stars in shock and disbelief.
At least I thought it was stars, it could've very well been my own wand floating gently back to earth. Who knows, it may have been Glynda telling me there's no place like home.
Finally, I snapped out of it. Bag in hand, I scooped up my treats as well as I could. I hiked up my dress, got back into the car, and called it a night.
Lots of chocolate, or a slight concussion, helped me to forget all about that damned purple dress for the rest of the night, but it certainly didn't get rid of my purple knees.
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Store-bought Halloween costumes? Unheard of in my family. All were homemade - we were taught to use our imaginations at our house. Usually, we had to use our imagination for pretty much anything costing over 5 bucks.
I think I was about 8 years old at the time. My makeshift costume was a princess, of sorts, made from an older sister's purple confirmation gown. Also, I had a wand, or should I say I had a stick which had a glued-on cardboard star, covered in aluminum foil and glitter.
Naturally, the dress was way too big for me. Each step produced audible rips and tears as though I were a walking whoopy cushion. But I didn't mind so much as long as the candy made its way into my bag.
As my mother drove us around from house to house, we'd run back and forth to hit as many neighbors as we could before the time ran out. I was so proud of the collection of candy I had so far.
At one of the stops, I raced against my brother toward a lit, front porch, however, I didn't quite make it. The bottom of the dress wrapped around my foot and I performed a dive into the ditch that would've put Greg Louganis to shame: 9-0!
The taffeta tumbleweed - which was me - finally came to a rest. As I slowly looked around, through a veil of purple lace, at the sea of candy strewn all over the yard all I could wonder was if I'd just been been hit by a tornado. Motionless, I lay there on the cool grass and stared up at the stars in shock and disbelief.
At least I thought it was stars, it could've very well been my own wand floating gently back to earth. Who knows, it may have been Glynda telling me there's no place like home.
Finally, I snapped out of it. Bag in hand, I scooped up my treats as well as I could. I hiked up my dress, got back into the car, and called it a night.
Lots of chocolate, or a slight concussion, helped me to forget all about that damned purple dress for the rest of the night, but it certainly didn't get rid of my purple knees.
posted by On My Watch at 10:51
11 Comments:
We are making my son's costume. He's going as the Witch King of Agmar. He looks like the Grim Reaper. He scared me.
Enemy - - that's so great! Hope you guys have a great time, and also hope he only collects candy and not souls in his bag. ;)
We also had to make our own costumes, and we had to make them large enough to fit over our enormous snowsuits. I always resented that. When we were all grown up, my mother started renting her own costumes. What's up with that?
I lived out in nowhere and I think my parents took us trick or treating maybe once when I was like four. It was like my parents drove us to maybe five houses that were nearby. Now that I have kids we go to a friends house to trick or treat. They live in townhouse so there are lots of kids trick or treating there. I think my daughter will be a witch this year and my son will be a pumpkin. It's my son's first Halloween.
Halloween mishaps used to be my specialty…causing them that is! Imagine young pre-teens dressed to the hilt in camo and face paint with about 10 packs of bottle rockets…
here's a sad halloween story..
i have absolutely no pictures of me in halloween costumes when i was little.. none.. nadda..
either my mother threw them away.. or she never took the pictures in the first place.. i remember once i was a gypsy.. i was so happy..
no pictures though.
:(
happy halloween!!
Jay - I don't know what's up with your Mom, but I have to admit I laughed at the thought of the snowsuit thing. You poor thing! and I thought I had it bad...
Mark - hope your son has a great time and loves the thought of free candy! :)
John - I hated bottle rockets - you're so evil! :)
Ben - what a perfect song?! or maybe Head Over Heels...
Mindy - I don't have any pictures either, but that might be a good thing in retrospect.
Neers - Same to you! :)
I can't help it, that was really funny! Maybe not then, but now it's priceless! Just to think of a confirmation gown turned makeshift Halloween costume turned "tumbleweed." Did you have to make penance by praying the rosary?
Ray, you know I never thought of that! Was I cursed for wearing that dress?? :) Didn't make penance for it, figured I suffered enough already and was forgiven.
yes, it is funny now and I'm sure if I would've seen another kid do the same thing I would've laughed really loud as well.
we're all little heathens, no matter our ages or what get-ups we hide behind!
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