Halloween is here.

I could blog about candy choices, but I’ve already made my preferences about candy known here. So, let’s talk about the second best part of the evening-the costumes.

Prissy usually made my Halloween costumes. Because of finances, you got what you got and were grateful. I knew we couldn't buy a costume from the store.

But, oh how I wanted one!

I remember wandering through Kmart circa the 1970’s. Costumes came in boxes then. They were small cardboard affairs that had a clear window on the top so you could clearly see the mask. You picked the costume based on the mask. Always.

I wanted to be Wonder Woman. I just knew I would look like Linda Carter in the little plastic one piece outfit that reached down to my knees and was large enough to wear over jeans and coat. And the mask… I could feel the condensation forming on my face as I dreamed of putting that plastic mask on.

But, alas it was never to be. (Here is a link to a great site. Even thought Wonder Woman isn’t represented, you get the idea. Check out the Donny Osmond costume!)

URL=http://www.geocities.com/~stuarts1031/halloween8a.html

I was always a hobo (Dad’s flannel shirt, jeans and a piece of cloth tied around a stick) or a ghost (faded flowery print sheets with eye holes cut out never really scared anyone) or my favorite-the statue of liberty. This also involved an old sheet draped strategically around you. Prissy then made a head piece and torch out of cardboard and tinfoil. My arm got sore holding the torch up during the parade. After that we’d have the class party. Then that night-with excitement bubbling over-we’d get ready to trick or treat.

Of course we had to choke down dinner first which always sucked.

It’s a shame kids don’t get the same experience. I mean they still trick or treat (at least mine did) and the aisles of the stores are crammed with merchandise. But in this part of the country you don’t have Halloween parties at school anymore. You have ‘Fall Festivals’. And no one comes to school in their costumes.

We live smack in the middle of the Bible belt and every church in the tri-state area has some kind of festival Wednesday night to counteract Halloween and make you feel like you have to sneak to trick or treat.

I am a Christian. (Is it telling that I almost didn’t reveal that in my post because I’m so embarrassed at how some in my faith behave?) But I don’t think for one minute that my kids are going to take up Satan worship because I dressed them up in costumes and went house to house for candy.

It is a sad world indeed, when kiddies (and their parents) are made to feel evil for taking part in what should be a night filled with chocolate, pennies and popcorn balls-and innocence.

I’m sure someone, somewhere will lament this same issue much more eloquently than I, but I’m closing for now. My nephew is coming over to trick or treat me this evening.

He’s coming as Spiderman.

…in a really nifty store bought costume.