Halloween in our town starts in August

Invariably it begins right around the first of August.  My wife will say over dinner "we need to start thinking about costumes for the kids for Halloween..."

Now when I was a kid, I am sure my mom and great aunt started thinking about costumes for the kids very early because both of those ladies sewed and our costumes were a) always amazing, and b) always hand made.  My mother, if she reads this, will want to check me into the nut-house when she realizes that there are people actually related to her who spend hard earned money on store bought costumes.

Guilty as charged is all I can say.  My wife does not sew.  I have sewn exactly one thing in my life, a denim duffle-bag in 8th grade home-economics whose stiching lasted just long enough to survive the grading process but not long enough to actually carry any of my duffle home.  So making costumes is right out.  We try and be frugal, find deals, recycle previous costumes from our oldest to our youngest (where possible).

Over the years our kids have had terrific costumes; an astronaut, musketeer, Indiana Jones, Tigger, a baseball slugger, frog, faerie, etc.

The one rule is that whatever the costume, no bad guys are allowed.  So far we haven't had any resistance on the topic except for the year our son wanted to be Darth Vader.  We had some discussions over whether or not Darth was really bad or was bad but "redeemed."  In the end he chose Indiana Jones because he got to carry a gun and a whip.  So, armed and dangerous but fighting on the side of goodness I suppose.

The day itself is always a great celebration.  We live in an area where people come from all over to trick or treat.  Generally we plan for around 400 kids a year and it works out to usually be a little less than that so there are leftovers.  My reward for passing out candy.  Our neighbors usually light off fireworks and there is a parade through the downtown on Main Street.  My first Halloween here was so picture perfect and "Norman Rockwell" that if Hollywood put it in a movie you would have said "yeah, sure..."  But seriously, it is just that kind of little town where the kids still dress up at school, there still are parties to celebrate the day, the teachers are still giddy enough about their jobs and the kids as to make sure it is fun. The folks living along Main Street still come out and clap for their town's kids and throw tootsie rolls and smarties to the costumed paraders.  I have grown to love Halloween, again.

So how about you?  Any cool costumes or parties planned?  Costumes from days gone by that bring a smile to your face?  How about your feelings on the whole "good guy/bad guy" issue?  Drop me a note or a comment and let me know.

Thanks for stopping by my blog,

Dennis