Halloween: Harmless Fun or Child Abuse?

Judging from the picture, you would probably choose the later of the two. Ah, but you would be wrong. Contrary to photographic evidence, Casey actually enjoyed his first official "trick or treating". He started out a little tentative when approaching houses, but by the end he was reaching into the candy bowl and grabbing his goodies like a pro. Although we never could get him to clearly say "trick or treat" he did manage his own version which sounded like "trickatrickatricka". He was the cutest monkey on the block.

Watching all of the little princesses and PowerRangers and witches and chickens (yes, there was an adorable little girl in a chicken costume) made me remember how much I used to love Halloween. Growing up it was my favorite holiday, and not just because of the free candy (although, let's be honest, free candy makes just about any occasion better). It was more about the costume, the chance to be anyone or anything else, even if just for a day. My friends and I would spend weeks planning our costumes, and with a stash of cardboard donated from my Dad, we would create our masterpieces. One year we were a pair of dice, another we were playing cards in the form of Blackjack (it's a wonder I didn't grow up to have a raging gambling addiction). There were of course the requisite years of being a hobo or a punk rocker, and those early teen years where we tried to get by with just putting on our PJ's and telling people we were disguised as babies (you remember those years when it was no longer "cool" to go trick or treating, but you secretly didn't want to give up the candy or the dressing up?). Even those years when the costume wasn't totally originally and well planned, it was still serious fun and I loved every minute. And yes Colleen, I certainly remember the Ball on the Belle when I was Princess Lea, you were an angel, and Courtney was a giant condom - the addition of massive quantities of alcohol taking the place of free candy certainly never did anything to diminish my affection for Halloween.

So I felt a little jealous watching all of our little neighborhood ghosts and goblins roaming the streets Monday night, and I've decided that next year I am getting back into costume. I may end up being the oldest fake punk rocker on the block, but who cares? Free candy and the freedom of being someone else for a day are calling my name.