Happy Halloween!

Day 150

6th Grade Artwork

I love Halloween! I love this time of year, this time when it is OK to pig out on candy and sweets, to watch scary movies, to dress up any way that you want to - no holds barred!

Growing up, I was always excited about Halloween, about being able to go out trick-or-treating with my siblings and Dad (Mom would stay at home and distribute the candy to the trick-or-treaters). My tenure as a trick-or-treater was during the time me and my family lived in Orem, Utah. It was a time when you knew all of your neighbors, when it was safe to go door-to-door at night. Granted, my parents would still have to check through the candy at the end of the night (I still don’t understand why someone would want to put razor blades in apples or BB gun pellets in candy bars!); but otherwise, it was a night of fun and innocence!

I remember this Halloween. I went as The Pink Panther, Jaimee went as Tinker Bell and Josh went as a Vampire. I remember that I wore my costume to school and was able to participate in a parade that toured through the classrooms of the different grades. Just a fun little procession. I remember these costumes, with the plastic masks (with the rubber band attachment that would usually break by the end of the night) and the plastic outfits (which would usually have several tears in it by the end of the night).

This year there was no store bought clothes for us kids! Mom worked very hard to make all of our costumes, and she did a fantastic job! I originally wanted to be a Wizard, but it evolved into a Witch costume, so now everyone knows that there was a time when I cross-dressed!! My secret is out!! Dad made a cool wand for me out of wood, complete with a star at the end, and then it was all wrapped up in tin foil! Josh was a Pirate (eat your heart out, Captain Jack Sparrow!); Jaimee was an Indian--ahem--I mean a NATIVE AMERICAN princess; and Jordan was the scariest thing that anyone can be for Halloween: a CLOWN (those evil little buggers!)

For Halloween 1985 I wanted to be a Sheik, so Mom graciously made me a great costume, and I loved it! This was my last year of trick-or-treating (I retired at 12), and I remember that I went with my twin friends, Ben and Brian (they dressed up as Ninjas!) Meanwhile, Josh and Jaimee wore their Pirate and Native American costumes again, as these were such great costumes, and Jordan went as Big Bird!

Me as a 'Hippie' - 2002

Over the years, while I haven’t gone out trick-or-treating, I have managed to still get into the Halloween spirit by dressing up in different costumes. I’ve dressed up as: a punk rocker; a pumpkin (in which I sprayed my hair orange and wore a pumpkin t-shirt and a pumpkin hat); a 1950s “greaser”; and a soccer player. I’ve even dressed up as a few celebrities: John Denver and John Lennon (I had to choose celebrities who wore glasses since I wear glasses). One year I had to throw a costume together at the last minute to attend a Single Adult Ward party, so I wore my old cap and gown from my high school graduation, and I actually got a lot of compliments for it!

I love this holiday, this time when it is OK to dress up and act silly and to eat a lot of candy and not worry about gaining weight or getting a bunch of cavities!

So, HAPPY HALLOWEEN To Everyone!!