I do not like it in the house, I do not like it with a mouse...

I DO NOT LIKE HALLOWEEN Sam I am.

It has nothing to do with the cultural taboos.  It's about the costumes.  There are some longstanding memories of trying to come up with a costume idea which would wow the judges and make me a winner.  It never worked.  And now, I am forever scarred. 

At the boarding school where I lived, there was a tradition to invite various and sundry parents, teachers, board members and just about anyone who was breathing to come to the costume parade.  Everyone would ask everyone else "What are you going as?" The competition was fierce, to think of the most original costume and then spend days (or our older siblings would in my case) creating it, in the hopes of winning the contest.  I don't remember what the prizes were.  I just remember not winning.  A lot.  In this picture, I was "Sally" of the "Sally, Dick and Jane" books.  You can tell I'm having the time of my life.

I remember very few costumes I've worn for Hallow'een.  I remember being "The Queen of Hearts".  I remember being a cowboy.  And I remember being dressed up as a severely injured child, the year I broke my leg and had a cast up to my thigh. But that's about it.

Every year I struggle to think of anything, anything at all, that I could wear.  I have no imagination. As fast as the ideas come into my head, they get shot down.   That is until I see how the others have dressed up.    Then I say to myself "Oh yeah!  I could have come as a nurse, or a fireman, or a clown, or ...." but by then, it is too late. 



The weird thing is, that every November 1st, after I have spent the previous day looking at other people's costumes, there arises within me, a renewed hope that by next Hallow'een, I will have finally come to terms with my phobia of dressing up and will have the sudden burst of inspiration that has eluded me all these years.  That would be tomorrow. 

Comments

clwl said…
The local monthly potluck for our little community in Rockville landed on Oct. 29. I went as a chef. I let everyone else through the food lineup first, and served myself last. Thus, everyone was seated so I was able to announce from the front "Excuse me!!! I'd just like to thank all my helpers who prepared such a delicious meal"....applause and laughter, and I went and sat down to a taste feast I didn't have to put together myself. ;-)

Last Thurs., at work, we didn't have to be in uniform. So I wore my ratty gardening pants, with gloves clipped to my back pocket, and the bright orange Ont. Horticulture Soc. T-shirt which reads "A Growing Experience".... I'm so comfortable in a gardening outfit!!

Pete and I went as a toothbrush and toothpaste aboard ship....that was a lot of work & cardboard!!!

One year, at Univ. Hospital, we got to wear costume so I went as a Red Cap. Red bristol board front and back, with little cord "shoulders" so I could slip it over my head. Brass Buttons glued into place for the double breasted look. And a Red Cap hat out of Red construction paper, complete with brim etc. A lot of work, but it went quite a few miles, as we reused the red cap for another fun event when we spoofed Bruce's elderly friend, Norm....that's a story for another time....
November 1, 2011 at 5:36 AM
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