Costume Changes

When I was young I had a variety of different Halloween costumes. Most of which consisted of a plastic mask secured tightly around your head with elastic that was sure to pop within the first 10 houses visited trick or treating.  The mask’s character depictions of the time had 2 eyeholes and a mouth hole that never quite lined up creating an overall effect, slightly creepier than Jason from the Friday the 13th movies.  Along with the visual and respiratory compromising mask the costumes came with a plastic sheet that had head and arm cutouts.  You draped this sheet, essentially an art smock, over yourself to finish the effect of your character as well as create a sufficient amount of noise so people knew where you were.  See, back in my time we trick or treated in the dark.  Quite the feet with your eyes covered but we all survived amped up on chocolate, pixie sticks, and homemade popcorn balls. 

Foregoing these costumes, not for the obvious fire safety hazards but for creativity I moved on to homemade costumes as I got older.  A rather challenging endeavor considering I had no actual design or sewing skills.  What I was blessed with was an abundance of hefty bags, cotton balls, aqua net hair spray, 80’s questionable fashion and unbeknowest to her, my mother’s ample makeup bag. The possibilities were endless, as was my lack of taste. I was everything from a bunny (white pj’s, construction ears and that handy cotton) to a rocker (flammable hair, gobs of makeup and scissor sliced clothing). These homemade creations made it possible for Halloween to be then what it will never be for me again, profitable. 

It’s a different millennium now and Halloween is a different holiday. Homemade popcorn balls, along with apples (too easily tainted) are gone.   Pixie sticks are gone too, it is frowned upon to give pure sugar but if you look chocolate persists, and where it does I guarantee the kids know who is handing it out.  Nighttime trick or treating has been replaced with school parades followed by 3PM voyages through the streets. Saying “trick or treat” to a neighbor is no longer necessary as candy is waiting in bowls with easily ignored signs reading  “Please take one” on front steps.  These bowls on steps being a confirmation of what my mother had long espoused Halloween truly is~ sanctioned neighborhood looting.  Jack-o-lanterns now share yard space with giant blow up ghosts, or pumpkins, or witches or Giants football players if a big game is coming. 

Costumes of course have been upgraded as well.  Beautiful princesses sashay down the streets in gowns to rival prom season.  Superheroes with padding enhanced muscles carry overflowing pumpkin sacks (in lieu of easily torn plastic grocery bags) with sound effect swishing capes trailing behind them.  And all the babies in animal buntings get wheeled around the sidewalks creating the effect of a strolling zoo through town. It’s a good feeling to see these kids doing what I did so many years ago, putting aside the everyday to play pretend, and get a treat for the fun of it.   It almost makes me want to be a kid again too when I see the new non flammable Strawberry Shortcake costume.  At least until I see the price tag and do the only real terror inducing part of Halloween, cost calculations. I will have to be trick or treating until December to make it worth the price.  That’s a lot of milk duds.