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Community Corner

Squirrel Eats Costume, Commercialism Wins Again on Halloween

When costumes become more trick than treat, remember that smiles and happy kids are the most important thing.

As October 31st approached, Ben and Georgia began the annual ritual of discussing what to dress up as for Halloween.

They declared that we should go to iParty and just pick something out; Georgia was leaning towards a clown and Ben was hoping to be something gory. I shook my head at how little effort they were putting into their costumes and decided that I would show them what Halloween was all about.

“When I was little,” I explained, “we didn’t go out and buy expensive costumes. We used our imagination and made them! Don’t you want to do that this year?”

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Although neither was convinced, I was determined to forego the expensive (but cheap looking) getups and teach them how to each make a fabulous costume and lasting memory.

Easier said than done.

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I was able to talk Georgia into simply buying a clown wig and some makeup at the Halloween store. I suggested wearing one of her Dad’s blazers, a polka dot shirt, striped pants and some really big shoes. Although I lost that battle, we bumped into her friend at the store who’s Mom offered to let Georgia use her son’s clown costume from last year. While we weren’t making it from scratch, we WERE saving money so I considered it a victory.

Ben on the other hand, was a different story.

He decided that he would be Wally the Green Monster, and I saw an opportunity. We bought a big balloon, shredded newspaper, made a giant vat of flour and water paste and started to paper mache a huge mask for Ben. Here’s a tip: you may remember making piñatas as a kid but what you DON’T recall is how that stuff turned your kitchen into a complete disaster area (ask your Mom; I’m sure SHE remembers).

Anyway, we covered that balloon (and much of our bodies) and set it out in the sun to dry. The next morning, as we peeked outside the door to see what we had created using nothing but flour, water and our own creativity, we were faced with the scariest trick of the season: squirrels had chewed up our Wally Head! AAAHHHH!

Not to be deterred, Ben and I took what was left of it and cut a neck hole where the squirrels had feasted. He painted it green and forced a smile for my benefit. I asked him what he thought about the mask and if he was still game for finishing the costume.

Now, I’ll admit, I was secretly hoping that he might want to throw in the towel, as I realized how difficult it was going to be to salvage this horrific mask. Wouldn’t you know it, he felt the same way. He said, “Maybe we just scrap it since I tried it on and it really hurt my head; plus, it was hard to breathe in. But hey, at least we learned how to make paper mache!”

Therefore on October 30, after destroying my kitchen in paste and newspaper, my son and I found ourselves at the Halloween store. We paid a whopping $42 for a cheap Executioner costume complete with a blood-soaked saber. Although I was disappointed that my grand plan of giving the kids a lesson in anti-commercialism went over like a lead balloon, sometimes a busy working Mom has to accept reality and give her American Express a swipe. If it makes for happy kids then a Happy Halloween will be had by all.

And if that doesn’t work, just let them stay up late and eat candy. It’s all about making compromises.

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