When I was a kid, Halloween was never about the costume. I was focused on was the bag of candy ahead. I would usually find something left over from my brothers that could be a costume- like a too small (for them) football uniform. That is one I remember.
It got more fun when it was my kids dressing up although we started out very casually. I went on a little nostalgia trip today…
This was the first year with costumes- construction paper circles, cut out and attached to shirts= clowns!
We skipped a year- I seem to remember croup.
Second costume year- sweatshirts with ears and tails= cats. Except Eleanor also wore a frilly skirt and wings, so she was a kitty fairy.
next was one of my favorite Eleanor costume memories- little Indian girl. Julian was a boy in armor. The armor lasted about 4 houses before he came back home and took it off. It was way too uncomfortable.
And then there were 3.
I put a paint brush in Peter’s hand and, being 6 months old, he held onto it… add a beret and tada- he was an artist! Eleanor was a fairy again, although more traditional this time in a pink tutu. And Julian… well, he found that yellow mask and he really wanted to wear it. He put it together with some other dress-ups and told us he was “Love Man”, the most powerful force in the universe. Gotta love that 4 year old brain!
Okay, enough of that. So much fun though!
This was so much fun to see! I met you after your children were all grown up, but I am home with little children, making Halloween costumes this week, and we have talked about our kids so much! It is great to get a glimpse at you as a mom of toddlers! Thanks!
Four-year-old brains really are the best. Love ’em, and gotta love “Love Man.”
great memories!!!
happy hallowen!
Thanks, Mimi. I enjoyed these so much.
But this was so much fun–this creating costumes out of what was found around the house. Every once in a while, you’d get the fabulous get-up like the Indian girl, but you’re right: Halloween was about the trick or treating and generally the whole she-bang only lasted about a week, instead of the current month-long extravaganza.
I see my daughter/daughters in law stressing about the whole costume thing, and one of them makes elaborate costumes every year. I can’t believe the hoops they jump through when I would wish they could just have an easy, relaxing time scouting through the house, coming up with something to wear while they all go trick or treating.
I think the holiday has become way too much–too much build-up, too much emphasis on costume, too much adult input (do the kids care as much as the Moms? I don’t honestly know.). Boy, do I sound like an old curmudgeon, but your lovely pictures with these sweet children reminded me. Thanks for these!
They were sooooo cute! Thanks for sharing these pictures. So precious!
Homemade costumes are the BEST! And even BETTER when the kids supply the creativity! Love the “Love Man”!!
loved these photos! halloween should be easier than it is now-a-days. I kept trying to convince my 10 year old boy to be a hobo/bum but he wouldn’t have any of that. we waited until the last minute deciding and he ended up wearing and old costume from a few years ago and he wasn’t happy. Thanks for sharing these — very sweet!
Just precious!