Scary Goblins Grow Up

I am a Halloween fanatic. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays of the year. Maybe it comes from a childhood desire to play dress up. Or maybe I just want to hide behind a costume and mask and let my hair down. Who knows? But it’s always been so much fun!

In the years before I was a Mommy, my costumes were imaginative, homemade creations – sometimes sexy, (hey, I was younger then!) and always hilarious. These creative flights of fancy included The Incredible Foil Woman, Cruella D’Eve-L, Reverse Elvis and Black Widow.

Then…Motherhood came barreling into my life, and I noticed a distinct change of attitude. By the time my pregnancy was over, I had all but given up the idea of costumes for myself. The sewing machine was a distant memory. But I still had big plans for my son’s first and future Halloweens, including hand-sewn costumes, annual neighborhood Halloween parties and traditional home made chili each All Hallows Eve.

On my son’s first Halloween, it became painfully obvious hand-sewn costumes were never going to happen. So, I ran to the drug store and picked out – you guessed it – a pumpkin costume. The next year, that Pumpkin gave way to a Fireman, followed by a Dragon costume that I tried to pass off as a dinosaur. My 3-year old wasn’t fooled and he called me on it. This was no T-Rex, it was pink and green and sort of sweet – like Puff the Magic Dragon.

Fast forward another year, to the character phase -Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers and finally, last year, he found the party store catalogue and became fixated on the dreaded Zombie Doctor costume. With increasingly expensive price tags, we had moved from a cute little pumpkin to the grotesque and costly zombie, putting me squarely in the 2% of Charlotte Parents polled* who reported they spent over $40 on a child’s Halloween costume. Admittedly, it was sad to see the sweet toddler costumes give way to the gory, grade school zombie, but I pick my battles.

As I look back over the years and catch my breath – I wonder, how did time pass so quickly? With an only child, I am hyper-aware of the fleeting moments of childhood. ‘You’ve got only one shot at this,’ I remind myself, ‘so enjoy every minute.’ But even so, time slips away. I steadily mark our son’s growth by his annual costume at Halloween. Each year with his costume change comes more self-awareness, fearlessness and independence. He is growing up.

In only a matter of years, I realize he will no longer want to trick-or-treat with me. I recall the neighborhood teenagers we walked past last October 31st, hanging out, not particularly costumed and more interested in girls (or boys) than candy. He will become one of them. And that is the scariest Halloween costume of them all.

But for now, I still have my Zombie Doctor and our annual trick or treat.

October is our Annual Party issue with a directory packed full of bakeries, balloons, bounce houses and party locations were someone else does all the work. Inside these pages you’ll find tips on how to hire a party entertainer and mind your etiquette too. And this month we Think Pink on page 77? with a story about a local Mom’s battle against breast cancer, reminding us how precious life can be.

Enjoy this Halloween with your kids. Young Goblins grow up so quickly. This year, I think I’ll dust off the costume bin (and the homemade chili recipe), put on something rrreeallly scary and relive some of the fun!
Happy Haunting,

Eve

*For full Halloween poll results go to www.charlotteparent.com/polls