Every year, Halloween becomes more and more homogenized. Kids just have no inspiration to create a costume, something out of nothing.
Even if a kid didn't have a great idea lined up, he could be a bum. Throw on one of your Dad's old flannel shirts, stuff a pillow under it. Donn a pair of dirty jeans and beat up shoes (wear 'em if ya got 'em, boys). Just scribble on a 5 O'clock shadow and you were good to go. I mean, be a ghost. Get an old sheet and cut out some eyes. Big deal.
What gives with these costumes today? I completely HAD IT when Genevieve started crying because I made her look like an Ugly Pirate. C'mon KID! Since when were pirates pretty (okay, Kiera Knightly...but even she wore a bit of dirt and torn-up threads). Mad consumerism has sucked the life out of Halloween. I remember planning my costume. Working on it, working on the makeup. Not too many kids had the luxury of an actual costume. Sometimes you saw a kid in a Ben Cooper or Collegeville number, but even they left so much to desire. I did have a Ben Cooper Cinderella when I was like 4 or 5 that I wore a few years until I grew out of it. I kept it for a long time, cracked mask and all.
Today, these kids walk into a "Halloween Adventure" and get take-out. Really expensive take-out. Who pays $75 for a kid to dress up like a sparkle-plenty witch? Apparently, lots of people. Sick world.
Granted, some kids still put in the effort (more likely the parents...) but most of the stuff you see is pre-fab pretty. No more scary. The scariest thing you see is SCREAM or FREDDY KRUGER...and that is all pre-fab too.
Even better, kids walking around without any costume at all - expecting candy. Get off my stoop!
3 comments:
Can you believe that? No costume? They had better be prepared with a trick at least. Yesterday I saw something on the backroads here in Englishtown. The kid was about 16, riding his 10 speed with one hand on the bars and the other on a sack over his shoulder. On his face he wore a handmade mask fashioned from construction paper, a simple yellow oval, with eyes cut out where he had drawn the circles. No mouth. A string was used to tie it on. Must have been something he made in school. It was amusing to me since he understood the necessity of having a costume when he went knocking. It was pretty scary, actually. I never even heard of a Ben Cooper. Or a Collegeville. Only recall one store bought witch. Back in the pre-charasmatic renewal days,
My mom sewed up a witches costume for Laura, who ran screaming down the driveway with my mom in hot persuit with that with the hat she refused to wear.
So what did you
'go as' Ang? I was a clorox bottle once, and a Raggety Ann.
This year I wore a feather mask with huge red, white and black plumes, sequins around the eyes. I topped it off with a big red and black jester's hat (bells and all), a full length black cape, red lipstick and black boots.
I have to admit it was pretty creepy.
I wore it to Genevieve's school Halloween parade. I could see her looking around for me - when she passed I raised the mask and said her name, then held my forefinger up in the shhhhhh gesture. She thought that was the coolest thing ever - my getting dressed up (like a dang fool)and acting very clandestine. On her second pass by she pointed me out to all her friends. Not many parents dressed up, even though the principal asked that we would - just for fun. Sure a few Moms donned the obligatory witches hat - one Dad was a Rastafarian - but that was pretty much it. I think I creeped most of them out totally. No smile and holding my hands in front of me.
Yeah, Ben Cooper Costumes...with a mask and a cheap think tie-on costume (sort of like a hospital gown) The mask was molded of hard thin plastic that would easily crack, or the elastic would rip through the hole holding it on to the mask.
Mine had this strange hair, like glued on fibrous yellow flakes. It was probably highly flammable.
You never see the good ole Ben Coopers' in the stores anymore.
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