A New Meaning of Halloween
Now that I have completed 9 weeks of reminiscing about my trip to Europe with Katie I must now get caught up with the fall. Fall is a loose term in Southern California. It’s certainly more in my head than by the signal of changing colors of the leaves. I put out my pumpkins, etc. but it’s still 85 degrees. Still one would never sit by the pool….it’s “fall” after all. Speaking of pumpkins, I am in a quandary about Halloween. Now that two of my children are away at college and my 16 year old son has NO interest in my home made costumes, let alone carving pumpkins, what do I do? It just doesn’t seem the same. I was always so into it. Every year, starting in September, I would ask my kids what they wanted to be for Halloween. I would either make it or get my mom to make them if they were too complicated for me to hack at. I was really into themes before they had too many opinions. They were Donald and Daisy duck, Batman and Cat Woman…when the third child came along, they were Jasmine, Aladdin and the little one was Abue. One year, they were, with their cousins, all the Power Rangers. The last year they were into homemade costumes they were Austin Powers, a Dalmatian and a bumblebee. After that it was endless spawn, or that guy from scream. My daughter stayed cuter, but they all wanted “store bought”. Who would have thought that was cooler?? I was somewhat heartbroken but tried to go with the flow. As they got to high school it was whatever they could throw together out of the closet last minute because when I would ask what they wanted to be, the answer was usually “nothing”…
The last year of homemade costumes.
So here is the real quandary…who to carve the pumpkins with…? It almost feels like drudgery now. I have this irritating voice in the back of my head saying “turn out the lights and go out to dinner”…isn’t this sad? Am I on the slippery slope of becoming the “old lady” on the street? You wonder when people turn the corner. Am I at that stage? I do really love seeing all the little children come in their cute costumes and some years I have felt it was the only time I saw certain neighbors.
Maybe the trick is to stay engaged…maybe I should take it to the next level…dress up myself, get my husband to also…my daughter saw some great Mr. and Mrs. Potatohead costumes. M Maybe I will give out great treats and be known in the neighborhood as the best house to go to! Maybe I’ll carve two pumpkins myself!
I guess we have to make these choices at the different crossroads we face. Do we engage, step up and make a difference or retreat and turn out the lights?
I wonder what size Mrs. Potatohead I am???
Happy fall…
Recent Posts By Mary Beth Evans
- Big Transitions - September 2nd, 2010
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I love this, Mary Beth! You should take pictures of that costume, because I’m almost certain there will be no turning out the lights and retreating in your world.
It’s funny because in just a few years, dressing up and carving pumpkins will be in again for your kids (my friends and I started doing it right after college)…and while they may not come home for such activities, they’ll thank you for having shown them how to do it up right.
So, I say…pick up those Mr. & Mrs. costumes, pick out the most fun or unusual candy and have a blast. Heck…seeing how you love to host parties, you should host the neighborhood shindig for adults!
Happy Halloween, Mary Beth!
LMAO You cracked me up with this post!! I don’t know if you were trying to be funny but you had some seriously funny moments in here. I say, never give up Halloween!!! Go with the Mr. and Mrs. Potatohead costumes, deck your house out in a spooky theme and hand out the best candy on the block! HAVE FUN!
One is never to old for Halloween! So deck your house, be Mr. & Mrs. Potatohead, hand out the best candy in the block (I still remember that person from when I was young, if you were brave enough to make it to the door – yard was scary decorated! – you got a small bag of mixed candy and anything from a quarter to 2 dollars also, LOVED that house) and have fun with the littles coming to your door. =)
And next year, since there isn’t enough time now, plan a awesome themed Halloween party for all the adults… everyone loves a day that they can go all out and be someone of their wildest dreams! =)
Why do I have a feeling that if your 16 year old does not see carved pumpkins around the house, he might casually mention their absence on Halloween? If you really want to be hit, give out full size candy bars. As,a parent with trick or treaters, I am alwasy so grateful of the people who are home, out in front of their yards dressed up etc. I say have fun with the neighborhood kids, and if the house is empty afterwardd, open your favorite bottle of wine and relax with your DH. BTW.. I do not think any of us see you as being anywhere on the slope of the
being the “old lady” on the street!!! You are so funny! I wish I could trade you some midwestern fall leaves for 85 degree weather! This blog brought a smile to my face for sure!
I think the vote is in you must be
Mrs. PotatoHead! Though i never pictured
that as your costume. I’m sure it would
rock! I’m so behind this year in the
kids costumes but we made it with a few
days to spare. Whew! So it’s Superman,
My little miss will be a fairy, and the
old guy (my 14 year old) is not dressing up.
So sad! They do grow up way to fast don’t they?
No time to be the “old Lady” on the block!
Party it up! Have a blast! Happy Halloween!
Do what I do, carve the pumpkins with one of the neighborhood dogs, cats or birds. Animals always find it fascinating.
If you really want to make a change, go as MR. Potatohead!
Happy Halloween!
I say go for the Potato Head couple!! I teach Pre-K and every year I think the staff have more fun coming up with themes and dressing up than the kiddos do. This year we are doing the nursery rhyme (slightly rewritten)” There was an Old Woman who Lived in the Shoe.” I say don’t be the old woman and turn out the lights…make her come to life.
I love your blogs!!!
Great blog, Mary Beth. My little guy is still in the thick of loving Halloween and thinks very hard about what he wants to be. He’s so much more aware of things now that he’s five, so he started thinking about it in August this year. In September, we bought his Peter Pan costume from the Disney Store, and he’s been wearing it every since. While he does look adorable, there’s something I know I’ve been missing from the homemade fare. I’m not good at that sort of thing, much as I’d like to be. I think that the first year he says, “nothing” or “it doesn’t matter” to me when I ask him what he wants to be this year, or the first time he seems to lack that sparkle of excitement at what has always been my favorite holiday of the year, I’m going to be heartbroken, too. It’s nice that you had that tradition all those years, and what wonderful memories those are going to be forever! I say, go enjoy remembering them … while you go out and have a nice dinner
Yes it is true when the kiddies grow Halloween is not the same…When that happened to me I did something about it. Every year my youngest who is now 26 comes over and we have a pumpkin carving contest. I light candles on the porch and put on spooky music…the kids in the neighborhood love it. We usualy get around 140 kids each year…I love Halloween
Retreat/Mary Beth…NEVER!! Retreat just is not in you. I say dress up as Frankenstein and bride of Frankenstein, decorate your house mad- scary, sit outside with great treats and enjoy all the little ones that come by. I remember making costumes for my kids and now that they are grown and gone, the memories bring tears to my eyes. It is over so fast isn’t it?
Such a thoughtful blog, reflecting on the passage of years and how things have changed. But Halloween can still be a blast! Dress up and go have your fun! Then go out for a late supper.
Makes sense to me, LOL!
Mary Beth, back when you were playing the role of Kayla on “The Days of Our Lives”, I was playing the role of a single father with a baby girl, named Soledad. Because of a military disability I had the opportunity to be there full time and my daughter was my entire life which was amazing. BUT… besides all of the children things that made up our days, we always took a break to watch “Days”. You, (Kayla” … and, Stephen, (Patch) were 2 of our favorite characters, only rivaled by, Bo and Hope. Watching “Days” was one of my most important coping tools… Anyhow… I am sure that this gets lost somewhere along the way but to me it was great to have a chance to say it. By the way.. I am writing this from Barcelona Spain. I have been on an extended European visit since May. It is now November. I did the Italy scene. Made it to the Accadamia and Uffici. And climbed up Michelangelo watched the sunset over the Arno. I didn’t see anything in your trip that made note to any of those places. Unfortunately, I lost my camera on a ferry ride from Brindisi Italy to Greece. Some of the most beautiful shots could have been made in the early morning misty sunrise glittering through the water and embedding the shadowed islets into the amazing backdrop of hued of reds and oranges. No one else had risen so I was alone. I had lost my camera so I did not take the photos but told myself that there better be a God, because someone besides me had to remember what I saw. Not to matter because everywhere that I have been I have seen the best so far. At Piazza San Marco watching the sunset over the water there was one of the best best as was trucking around on ferry through the rest of Venice. At Piazza San Marco I spent an entire evening going from person to person making sure that they saw what I thought was one of those rare moments that God and man came together and prayed the perfect prayer. And God keeps coming back nightly and adding new amazing verses to that prayer. Anyhow… once again thank you for Kayla…maybe not Piazza San Marco.. But still she helped ad the color of a few beautiful sunrises and sunsets into the “Days” of my life.
~Gareth Pietroboni~!
I feel your pain. My daughter is sixteen, no pumpkin, no costume, nothing. She is my only child and I didn’t even get to ease into this slowly. It hit me all at once.
I made all of her costumes and we carved pumpkins every year. I guess I will have to wait for grandbabies or find some other little ones to celebrate with, maybe volunteer somewhere. It does really leave a void when they grow beyond these things.
I have to say though, that I cannot see you as old, no matter what your age. I say go for Mrs.Potato Head and enjoy yourself. I made a couple of costumes for younger nieces and nephews to make me feel better.
It is sad to see our children grow up and need us less, unfortunately for us that is what we have been teaching them for years, and then when they do it is’nt fun.
I guess I will keep the light on and enjoy all the little ones that come to the door, and find some little ones next year that want to carve pumpkins and where home made costumes.
Ahh Mary Beth what a thoughtful blog. Its so true what you say about the home made costumes. I have 2 daughters who are so vastly different. Shannyn is ALL girl. Princesses or bust kind of deal. But the costumes mom makes are not good enough, it needs to be from a store. Caitie is more non chalant about it and always has been. Halloween kind of weirds her out I think. My Boys are all about the super heros. LOL Funny how different they can be.
I don’t think its time to give up the ghost MB. I think its time to get those true creative juices flowing. Come up with the whackiest costumes you can…or the most creative couples costumes. Let it all flow. Your neighbourhood kids will appreciate your efforts!
I love this blog Mary Beth
Where I live there are charity drives to pick up old Halloween costumes for children to use who can’t afford a storebought/new one. Maybe you can make some costumes for those charities to fill the void…or help to host parties for homeless kids or kids who can’t go trick or treating in their own neighborhoods.
Mary Beth, I loved this blog as well. I’m looking at it from a different point of view though. I can now imagine how it must have felt for my mom to watch her 3 kids grow up and Halloween was no longer as special as it once was. During my teenage years and college years I really could have cared less about going “home” for Halloween. However, now I am 33 and am very close to my mom, I make sure I am home every Halloween to pass out candy with my mom, in fact the neighbors on either side of us all pull their chairs into our driveway and just make a production line party out of it. I hope my mom never gets to the point that she’ll “want to turn out the light and go to dinner” and if she does, I won’t let her.
Wow how I love your internet diary…I think we have shared more here about you and your awesome loving life then in any magazine interview. I especially love the personal moments of reflections because it is important to look inward when you’re feeling bummed about “what used to be.”
I believe you are on the right track about making Halloween something new and awesome. I went to a great party where there was an even mix of adults and kids with the whole fog machine and carving pumpkins and they also has a costume contest which was cool. My friend and I were the Super Mario Bros. and we made our costumes. It was a blast and they had simple foods like a big ole pot of chili and bread and cute treats like orange jello in ghost foil tins. The kids had a hula hoop contest and a good time was had by all as creepy door noises and Twilight Zone music played.Make it fun and remember there’s always a kid inside of us all that deserves to have fun and live it up!
TY for sharing…It makes my day!