Keep Halloween Fun and Simple

Posted by Jamie McIntosh Oct 9, 2008

I have always been a big fan of Halloween, and for me, nothing beats the vicarious thrill of watching my young children enjoy this sweet-filled holiday. Trick or treating, like Santa Claus, has a short window of existence in a child’s life: for the first two or three years, the child is too young to comprehend what is happening. For the next few years, the child partakes in the holiday rituals with exuberance. Not long after that, the child learns Santa’s secret or becomes too cool to trick or treat.

Last year was the first year all of my sons were in the right age bracket to live it up on Halloween. They wore matching plush skunk costumes, and they delighted in “spraying” each neighbor at the door. This year they’ve not only outgrown their skunk costumes, but they aren’t interested in dressing as something with such a big “cute” factor. They’ve declared they want to be something spooky, like a ghost.

Perhaps I’m not imaginative enough, but I can’t come up with a ghost costume fancier than a sheet with eye holes cut out. How dull this seems compared to last year’s lil’ stinkers! My three year old saw my disappointment, and consoled me with his idea of a ghost: “Don’t worry mommy, I can just wear the blanket Aunt Deborah knitted for me.” I imagined how ludicrous he would look in this ghost getup, a baby afghan crafted from multicolored pastel yarn. However, I saw the earnest look in his eyes, and I realized that to him, this was a fine ghost. Why must I impose my Martha Stewart idea of perfection on his holiday?

If you’re already feeling your blood pressure rise in response to the demands of the holiday season, step back and view the rituals through your child’s eyes. The candy will taste just as sweet.