It is with great joy and deep sorrow to announce that we are officially done with Halloween. I know it will come back next year, and the year after that, and the year after that……but I will never have to buy, sew, glue, cut, iron or put my amazing mommy hat on ever again for a Halloween costume for my own children. This was the last year that my youngest was interested in dressing up and trick-or-treating. She admittedly said that she was “just in it for the candy” this year.
After the fourth kid, I can say that it makes me SO happy. But, it also gives me a little sadness. It’s ok. I will get over it. I have been doing it for 23 years since our oldest was two. It’s not that I didn’t love every minute of it while I was in that season. I never took it for granted and loved coming up with the costumes and braving the cold with a hot cup of cocoa. I loved that excitement of the day that filled the air. But I am ready to be a spectator.
Over the years I have made enough costumes to open a shop….hmmmmm, open a shop….sorry, I got sidetracked. I do that. Opening a shop would be a legit excuse to not have to finish the detail work on our banisters in the basement. But, that would be more work than the actual banister so…scratch that! My family has actually given me a nickname regarding the act of moving on from one unfinished project to the next.
Actually it was my son-in-law that started the movement. They call me “20%”. It never fails. I always move on to another thing with 80% of something completed. Even at the dinner table. I leave 20% of my meal on the plate. I think that is an inaccurate and unfair number, really. Sometimes it is only 10%. So I am determined to finish this project completely. If you follow along on my Instagram Stories @thoughtfullylovely you know that I am almost done! What they don’t see is that I am really doing 5 projects at the same time so it gives the appearance that I am not interested in finishing the project. It’s just that a different project is just so much more interesting and more exciting. Am I right?! I do finish them all eventually, it just takes a while.
Anyway, I am officially breaking up with Halloween. If you love Halloween more than life itself (I know a few of you) then that is cool and exciting and I love to see your creativity come out. Don’t get upset with me if you are a lover of Halloween and all that it has to offer (peanut butter cups). I will still hand out candy, but in the warmth of my home with my slippers on. I will console and understand the parents who are out to brave the cold and snow so their kids can go door to door and get free candy. This is a rite of passage. I never thought I would see this day come but last night I was sitting here writing this post by the fireplace and placed my son on candy duty. It was a beautiful thing!
I do have to say, however, that I noticed a trend last night. Whatever happened to actually saying “Trick-or-Treat”? More kids than not just stood there with their bag opened when the door was answered. Their little eyes blinking with expectation. The little tiny ones get a pass. They are so cute and I love to see them in costume. They are delightful and brave. But the bigger kids…come on. I even had one kid go to the front door and then come over to the side door thinking we would think he was a different kid. Stinker!
I know that when I have grandchildren some day my love for trick-or-treating and costume making will be reignited. Until that day I will join the others who have stepped across the threshold of their doors to stand on the other side to hold the bowl!
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