A few thoughts on Halloween Costumes

[HEthePrimate]

Meh, I don't find those costumes offensive. Though I do think they'd be rather chilly to wear outdoors at that time of year...

In a singles ward I used to attend, one year we had a Halloween party and there were a few sisters who didn't have dates. So... I went as a polygamist with his wives! It was lots of fun.

During my mission to France, we missionaries once organized a branch Halloween party. The French don't normally do Halloween, and we had to explain everything. They seemed rather puzzled by the whole concept.

Our ward still has "Halloween parties" and "trunk or treat." It's one of the most popular activities (along with the Christmas party and the chili-chocolate cookoff/pinewood derby) our ward has every year.

I know a good deal about the history of Halloween and see no need to get worked up about it. It's just plain old fun. BTW, I read Harry Potter, too!

HEP

[HEthePrimate]

I know every ward Halloween party I have attended, they have asked for no face masks.

Yes, that's true. It's been that way my whole life (along with telling people not to cross dress!).

[HEthePrimate]

OK, question:

My mom (grew up LDS in the sixties) says she was taught, as a kid, that the Church frowns on wearing masks as part of Halloween costumes.

I'm reasonably certain there's a policy discouraging the use of masks in church buildings, but does this reflect some sort of doctrinal issue? Or is it just a pragmatic restriction?

I think it's a pragmatic thing, for safety purposes. Without masks, you know who everybody is.

Peace.

HEP

[Edited to include this] Although, come to think of it, Santa Claus always wears that big beard and moustache getup, which can make it hard to tell who's playing Santa... 'Course, the people in charge know who Santa Claus is.

[Generally_Me]

How old is this child?

She is 3.

Really, making one isn't a huge problem; we can be creative.

She was Ruby from Nick Jr's "Max and Rubby" last year.

[pam]

That's adorable.

[Moksha]

My daughter was very emphatic that she did not want to be a Princess again this year. She started naming off some possibilities including Darth Maul, a Witch,The Grim Reaper or a Viking Valkyrie.

[Generally_Me]

A Valkyrie?? That is so different! I love it.

Everyone's a witch or a reaper.

[HEthePrimate]

My daughter was very emphatic that she did not want to be a Princess again this year. She started naming off some possibilities including Darth Maul, a Witch,The Grim Reaper or a Viking Valkyrie.

Darth Maul?! Now that's scary!

[ploomf]

My family always has fun with costumes. When I was in pre-school I was a devil-angel. I wore an angel dress and wings and a pair of devil horns and a devils tail. One year I was a witch and my mom got some of that fake flesh and made me a big hook nose and some warts and used face paint to paint my face green. I still have pictures around somewhere.

When I was a 11 or so I saw a sexy witch costume at the store and thought it was the coolest thing ever. I staunchly ignored the fact that my short and slightly plump self would not look the same in the skin tight and short costume as the tall, stick thin model. But my mom said no, the big meanie. But all was not lost! My aunt offered to sew me a sexy witch dress, which put her on my coolest aunt ever list for a while. But then I saw the dress. The only thing sexy about it was that it was red. A red, floor length, long sleeved, and high necked dress. And once I'd put it on (with the sweaters and sweat pants that I had to wear underneath it because it's COLD in Idaho on Halloween night) I didn't look sexy just lumpy. As an adult I appreciate the fact that my mom saying no, as a 11 year old girl I was crushed (Ok not really, I was pragmatic enough to know I would have frozen my tush off in the other costume but still).

One last cute costume story, my cousin's daughter was Stinkerbell for Halloween a few years ago. She wore a ballerina costume with a skunks tail. My cousin bought a wand and took the star off the end and glued a little stuffed skunk on. When she gave her daughter the wand she took one look at where the star had been and got a horrified look on her face and asked in this quavering little voice, why? She spent the entire night telling everyone her mom had taken her star away.

[Bini]

Aww the Stinkerbell story is cute, ploomf.

[Jenamarie]

As far as LAME costumes go, I was "Super Store" one year, out of shear desperation to have any sort of costume. (this was in HS). I cut a paper grocery bag into a vest, taped a sheet of Sunday ads to the back for my "cape", and put plastic grocery bags over my shoes and tied one around my head like a headband (which ended up giving me a HUGE zit after about an hour of wearing it).

Not surprisingly, I won the "lamest costume" award during lunch break.

[Guest Alana]

We always have a trunk or treat at church, but never on Halloween, usually the Friday before, which is great, because it means more candy!!! We do say 'Halloween' and it's fun and I love it.

[RachelleDrew]

I've never heard the fall party thing. We've always called it Halloween. I've never been told not to wear a mask either. Not even to school.

Then again there are only like 20 active members in our branch, and I graduated from my public high school in a class of 18. Safety isn't as much of an issue here since we are so small.

My son will be a penguin this year. I haven't even thought about what i'm going to be.

[lestertheemt]

Growing up in Wyoming as a child I usually had 2 costumes.........one for the day at school and one for the freezing nights. )

[talisyn]

She is 3.

Really, making one isn't a huge problem; we can be creative.

She was Ruby from Nick Jr's "Max and Rubby" last year.

I love that show! The lobster is my favorite

I didn't see anything wrong with the ladybug costumes, except they'd be really cold to wear lol. Halloween here is usually a bitter cold evening, with kids too excited to feel cold and parents telling them to put their coats back on.

My daughter this year spent her very own money on her costume. She bought cat ears and tail and a black petticoat, and is borrowing a theater mask (the frilly kind with a stick) from an aunt and will be a gothic singing cat. It's exciting to see what the kids come up with on their own

[Iggy]

OK, question:

My mom (grew up LDS in the sixties) says she was taught, as a kid, that the Church frowns on wearing masks as part of Halloween costumes.

I'm reasonably certain there's a policy discouraging the use of masks in church buildings, but does this reflect some sort of doctrinal issue? Or is it just a pragmatic restriction?

True- no masks, but you can wear makeup. It is a safety issue. The masks on children can shift, then they can not see and then they bump into furniture-each other-etc. They can get hurt!

In the branch where I re-activated the children wore their masks backwards or as hats when they went out trick or treating, and at the Branch Halloween Party. Yes that is what we called it. They also went door to door inside the meeting house - each room had something different for them to do before they got their treat.

[pam]

each room had something different for them to do before they got their treat.

We've done that as a ward before too at our Halloween parties. Each organization took a classroom and they were responsible to decorate it and provide candy for the kids to trick or treat. Kind of became an unofficial contest to see what organization came up with the best decorating idea. All in fun.

[Bini]

OK I've pretty much decided that I'm going to be a BUG for Halloween. Either that or a giant Teletubbie.

[ferretrunner]

Unfortunately, outside of Utah, not so common. Right now there's a very good chance our ward won't get to do a trunk or treat because we didn't reserve the building and the ward that did doesn't want to share... We straight up call it a Halloween party though, not a fall festival.

It's a shame they don't want to share; the more participants, the more treats/ activities for all the kiddos. Maybe they're worried about not having enough space in the parking lot?

Perhaps your ward can have it the night before Halloween? Or the day after?

[ferretrunner]

A few years ago, I had to come up with a costume for work. No masks, no revealing clothing, no violence/ weapons- you know, nice "tame" costumes. I dressed in all black, took a vest and pinned on cereal box tops, a spoon, taped on a bowl, and an empty, cleaned carton of milk... guess what I was???

Right! A Cereal Killer!

[Moksha]

I've never been told not to wear a mask either. Not even to school.

Think it has something to do with the devil being in the waters.

My son will be a penguin this year.

I would award him MOST EXCELLENT COSTUME.

:)

[Guest]

We have ward Halloween party every year. It is not held on October 31 but usually a day or two before. No masks for safety reasons.

I think the bug costumes are okay but then I live in Florida. It is still mid to high 70's in November.

My favorite costume from last year's ward party - A big bow stuck to the chest and a tag that says, God's gift to women.

For a few years running at work, a lot of people wore black t-shirt, black pants, black sunglasses and pomade (Keanu Reeves from the Matrix). Lots of women wore white button down shirts and black pants and black bob-cut wigs (Uma Thurman from some movie, can't remember the name. I think it had John Travolta on it).

[RachelleDrew]

Lots of women wore white button down shirts and black pants and black bob-cut wigs (Uma Thurman from some movie, can't remember the name. I think it had John Travolta on it).

Uuuuh, Pulp Fiction? Hello?

[pam]

Kind of an old one..but one year I pinned a bunch of "Smarties" to the backside of a pair of pants. To put it in terms appropriate for this site..I was a "Smartie pants." Not really what people called me..but you get the idea.

[Bini]

Lol @ Pam.

In high school I remember a kid wore a plain white tee with the letter "E" on it.. He was an "E-Male".. It was really lame but I suppose that's because hardly anyone got it.