If it’s possible to be a grinch outside of Christmas, I suppose I’m one when it comes to Halloween. I can count on one hand the number of times I have carved a pumpkin. It’s something I never really did as a child, so the Mister does it with the boys every year. I find the ghoulish decorations depressing, and the costumes some of the teenage girls wear make me want to pelt them with a collection of hardcover Gloria Steinem books. If I had my way, I’d probably turn out all the lights and read a book. And yet, somehow, we have a party every year.
Except this year. I couldn’t do it, even though Halloween fell on a Friday. I knew that I would come home from an all-day meeting feeling tired and antisocial. I compromised with Mikey and allowed him to invite his two best friends. I had Nico do the same thing, but they already made plans. I told everyone when they arrived that I was tired and probably going to stay home and grade papers while they walked the neighborhood. I ended up passing out candy with the moms, even though I wanted to do nothing more than hide my introverted self under the covers. I ended up having a great time. Sometimes I need a good shove into social situations, and almost always I’m happy to have stepped out of my comfort zone.
The best part of the night had to be when a Weeping Angel came to the door and confronted our 11th Doctor. (Doctor Who reference!)
The boys convinced me to get Buddy a Halloween costume. For almost a week I debated returning it, but I’m so glad I didn’t. He looked adorable and was the hit of the neighborhood. He barked and barked inside, so I brought him outside and had him lie down next to me as we handed out candy. He was a little excited for a few minutes, but then he curled up on his bed and slept. When you’re mostly blind, deaf, and have trouble walking, sometimes it feels good to do nothing more than snuggle next to your people.
My mom established a Halloween pajama tradition that the boys look forward to every year. Like the name strongly suggests, she buys the boys a new pair of pajamas every Halloween in an enormous size they can grow into. They usually have a spooky theme, but now that they are getting older those themed pajamas are hard to find. Everything is dark and plaid for their size. No matter–they loved their new pajamas. Every year they wake up on November 1st and claim they had the best night’s sleep of their life thanks to combed cotton.
I wasn’t planning on being here today, but I thought I would regret not jotting down a few thoughts on one of the last celebrations before the new year. I hope you indulge me.
This year, due to it being crazy with multiple family health scares & two deaths, I have been feeling overwhelmed. I reminded myself that peep only has so many of these ‘magical’ prime grade school years to celebrate (any holiday) before she’s’ too cool’ (which I imagine will happen in middle school), so I forced myself out & about to all the activities. It was a blast and a much needed break from the above mentioned. So glad I did. Funny how that works. Loved the ‘rufferee’ costume! That made my morning!
Oh , it so good to hear you and to read all about your lovely happenings. I too have traditions with the kids like every Christmas we take a family portrait for our Christmas card. The Pj’s tradition sounds fabulous. Have a great week ahead.
Lisa x
It’s was a pretty frosty Halloween in Wisconsin so I froze my toes handing out candy while the kids treated with my husband. After he headed down to his parents for awhile and we were supposed to meet up again at a friends house for a “candy exchange” bonfire but I was too cold and too tired so I curled up in my jammies and caught up on Scandal and knitting.
Love the pj tradition and that Rufferee costume. I’m glad your evening went better than expected. :)
It is like that isn’t it? The going out, it ends-up being pretty pleasurable and is fun – I’m trying a self-inflicted twisting-of-arm type activity on myself as of late. It is exhausting, but it is good to keep in touch with friends, go out with the kids, and have an all around good time.
The Rufferee costume is so sweet! I’ll have to look for a bigger version for our canine companion. We tried a cape, but that sucker a few short minutes before it was ripped off and thrown to the ground.
PJ traditions are fun, we have a hankering for onesies and get them here http://www.lazyone.ca/
there is probably a similar option(s) near you, the kids think they are hilarious, and wear them pretty well every night (goofballs that they are).
I love the PJ tradition! I may have to start that! I’m with you, Halloween can be lot of work and money for costumes that are worn for less than an hour in our case. It was my turn to take them this year and it was nice to be out and about, seeing neighbors and meeting new ones. It’s really the only time we see most of them and with winter coming (MN) we won’t see anyone for 6 months unless we happen to be shoveling snow at the same time!
I’d totally pass up a party to stay home. (The 20 something me would cringe at that sentence.) But I’m always glad that I went and it’s nice to be social once in a while. Friends are important. Good to hear what’s going on with you and yours!
Agree that the pj tradition may have to invade our home as well. I confess to loving Halloween. I don’t typically decorate, but we make new costumes every year (usually home made, only rarely store bought). And yes, WE! The whole family dresses up. Then we drive to my good friends’ house and trick or treat in their neighborhood, eat chili, and hang out and talk while the kids play video games.
“…and the costumes some of the teenage girls wear make me want to pelt them with a collection of hardcover Gloria Steinem books.” Literally laughing out loud.