(BLOG) It's the Most Fun-derful Time of the Year!

My children have finally decided upon their Halloween costumes for this year.  Finally.

They had been waffling back and forth, weighing the options and scoping out all of the goods.  My daughter, who is four, changed her mind daily, but generally alternating between Strawberry Shortcake and her pal Lemon Meringue.  In a stunning upset, she was captured by the billowing skirt and sparkles of a Belle costume, so she will be a happy blonde Belle. 

My son had a much tougher time this year.  For him, making a decision about a Halloween costume became an ordeal of Sophie's Choice proportion.  On three separate shopping trips he stood, flummoxed and paralyzed with indecision, staring at aisle after aisle of costumes: super heroes, spooky stuff, Scooby Doo, sports figures, and Star Wars.  And, for the third of his six years, he has selected a Star Wars costume; this year he will be a pint-sized Darth Vader (complete with the raspy breathing pocket thingy).

I'm not sure that either of these costumes will become the favorite childhood Halloween costume.  They will get played with – every playdate that my son hosts ends up with him and his buddy chasing each other around wearing Fett costumes (one Boba and one Jango, for those in the know).  My daughter routinely dances about in the Tinkerbell costume she wore two years ago.  Oddly enough, she does not choose to wear the Yoda one her brother chose for her to wear when she was a toddler.

It makes me think back to the Halloween costumes of my past, including a very fuzzy memory of me wearing a Strawberry Shortcake costume… I think…  There exists a photo of my sister and me standing, hands on hips and chins jutted out proudly, dressed as identical Wonder Women – that is, we were wearing our Wonder Woman Underoos over white tights and white turtlenecks.  Yes, we were that cool.  My younger brother is in the picture, too, not focusing on the camera as he models Batman Underoos over a plastic-y disposable diaper.

I think it is pretty common, but Halloween costumes sort of slid by the wayside when I hit middle school and high school.  All I can remember was the boys in my class thinking it was hilarious and completely original to dress as women, stuffing balloons under their shirt and prancing about like no women I'd ever met.  Then again, I have never met Dame Edna.

But then came college and the blossoming of my Halloween romance.  My husband-to-be was (and still is) a Halloween kinda guy.  His costumes were elaborate replicas of some of his favorite characters: Batman, Boba Fett, and Darth Vader (are you noticing a bit of "Luke, I am your father" déjà vu here?).  Allowing my inner geek to shine, I can recall swearing profusely at my sewing machine as I tried to quilt pleather for a Klingon costume.  After breaking a dozen or so needles, I succeeded and created a pretty darn impressive costume.

I don't know if I can really decide what my favorite Halloween costume was.  They each hold a pretty special place in my mental scrapbook.  As a kid, I did prefer the homemade costumes to the store bought ones.  But back then, a store bought costume was a mask and a printed garbage bag.  Now?  Now they have entire stores dedicated to Halloween costumes.  No wonder my poor son is overwhelmed by the choices out there.  It is about as tough to pick a costume as it is to choose between a Snickers and some Reese's Cups when you're out there trick-or-treating and can only pick one piece.

What was your favorite Halloween costume?  Do you have any particular tradition for the holiday?  How will you be celebrating with your kids this year?  And, most importantly, what is your favorite Halloween treat?