Happy Hectic Halloween

Is it just me, or does the fall seem to fly by? Never mind that the vibrancy of the changing trees is so fleeting before it is suddenly time to rake the yard and dispose of dead leaves. Between school and extracurricular activities and the upcoming onslaught of holidays sprinkled throughout October, November, and December, I sometimes feel I hardly have time to think.

Mid-October is about the time I feel that everyone in my family is finally settling into the school routine, resigned (amid grumbles) to completing nightly homework and establishing a more rigid bedtime so that we can successfully get out the door in the morning. It’s also the time of year when there is inevitably a buildup of yard work, and when wardrobes need to be updated and swapped for the upcoming colder weather. With Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas following one another in quick succession, life at my house can get pretty hectic. And it all starts with the selection of Halloween costumes.

Most kids love Halloween – who wouldn’t relish the opportunity to go incognito and pester the neighbors for free candy? But for the choosy child, finding a costume that’s “just right” can be daunting.

When I was a kid, lots of families made their own costumes. There were always vampire teeth to be bought and an assortment of masks and wigs that arrived in stores in October, but the current “pop-up store” phenomenon wasn’t as prevalent. There were always a few pre-fab costumes available (most with those cheap, dreadful plastic masks with sharp edges and a flimsy elastic cord to hold them in place), but as a kid and teenager, I often relied on cobbling together a costume from things I found around the house supplemented by items I could buy at a thrift store.

These days, putting together a costume can be an expensive proposition (even more so for adults than kids), so I always try to pin my kids down and make sure they’re committed to a costume theme before we go out and spend a lot of money. Sometimes my kids have a clear idea early on about what they want to be for Halloween, but other years, it’s a lengthy process to narrow down the possibilities. Of course, there’s an abundance of websites out there to help spur creativity and get you started, so if you’re struggling for ideas, you might want to do a quick Google search. And if you are going for something homemade, make sure you have all the components in place before Halloween night rolls around!

When the big day arrives, remember to talk to your kids about safety (and manners!) before they go trick-or-treating. Make sure they will be visible to passing cars, remind them to cross streets carefully,  and send along a flashlight. As a rule of thumb, kids shouldn’t go tounfamiliar houses or neighborhoods without supervision. Any kind of damage to Halloween displays or property is a big no-no, of course. And thanking neighbors for treats is always appreciated.

If I can hand out one tip for the upcoming holiday, it’s to make sure to take some photos of the kids as they head out trick-or-treating or to parties. These are the moments we want to remember as the kids grow up because they are all too fleeting, and in the bustle of fall activities, it’s easy to lose sight of the occasions we will want to recollect when they are grown and gone.

Happy Halloween!