Do you remember those childhood days where you would think for months about what you wanted to be for Halloween? My friend Susan shared how she got excited to shop the Fall church rummage sale to find something interesting to make an exciting and memorable costume. My mom being a seamstress, usually had extra fabric we could use. A fun costume I designed was a black witch's cape and pointy hat. It wasn't elaborate, but I added black tulle around the bottom of the hat so my face wasn't easily recognizable.
Halloween is a time when we can use our creative juices to invent the perfect costume. My sister, Vickie, didn't sew much, but she always created special costumes for Halloween. In high school, she made a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader costume. A few years ago, she made an "I Dream of Jeannie" costume for herself and dressed her boyfriend as the Colonel from the TV show.
I don't think of myself as very creative, but now with Pinterest, there are many ideas for costumes for all ages. I have included a link to my Pinterest page, where I have saved several ideas for you. https://www.pinterest.com/JulieSpirkFolkerts/2021-halloween-costume-ideas/
Excitement for the Fall and Halloween involves all senses: smell, feel, hear, see, and taste.
- SMELL – pumpkin spice, apple cinnamon, apple cider, brown sugar vanilla, pecan pie, and outdoor scents – like a bonfire and s'mores.
- FEEL – I think of velour, corduroy, and flannel fabrics, cooler temperatures (we're hoping for them in the Houston area), and fright where my heart beats out of my chest (that is, if I watch any scary movies or visit a Haunted House).
- HEAR – crunching leaves under our feet, crickets soft humming, the honk of the birds flying south, and little voices saying "trick or treat." On YouTube, you can also listen to some Halloween music. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=halloween+music
- SEE – the harvest moon in all its majesty, deciduous trees with their leaves turning yellow, orange, and red, pumpkin patches displaying numerous pumpkins, and then on Halloween, all the costumes worn by young and old alike.
- TASTE – pumpkin pie, apple cider, pecan pie, candy corn, all the Halloween candy along with the fall spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
Fall is the season of change. It often seems like a short season, but it is vital to transition us from the bright hot summer to the quiet cold winter. In his practical meditation on living seasonally, Henry David Thoreau advised in "Walden,"
"Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth."
As I finish this blog post, I'd like to ask you to share in the comments what is special or memorable about the Fall or Halloween for you and your family. Also, please leave your email address so my weekly blog will be sent directly to your inbox. I would greatly appreciate it.
Happy Haunting,
Julie
Great job Julie!