L'HALLOWEEN

All the kids at school are talking about what they are going to be for halloween. They are excited and I can't blame them, Halloween is fun, dressing up in costumes is fun! I was at Walmart the other day checking out the huge array of costumes and make-up and wigs and I couldn't help but think about the costumes I used to wear as a kid. I have to laugh when I think back and I wish I could post mom's halloween album on this page. If I could, you would notice a trend in the DesRochers' costumes....they were always made of garbage bags, contuction paper and twine! We were all witches at least once as you could make a witch's dress from a black garbage bag, black twine made a great wig and a tall witch hat was easily created from construction paper by dad. Aim was a carrot once, not very Halloweeny, but you can be a carrot with the help of an orange garbage bag, a sharpie (to draw the carrot veins) and green construction paper! We all experienced pulling the orange garbage bag over our heads (yes a hole was cut first,) and stuffing it with newspapers to create a chubby pumpkin costume, and we could easily transform a black garbage bag dress into a wizard's cloak by adding a few yellow construction paper stars and moons. A wooden spoon covered in black paper with a tinfoil star at the end made a perfect "magic wand!" These costumes easily covered winter jackets and occasionally snowpants. They were safe, visible and...damn creative. Sure, the walmart costumes are pretty cute but they lack the creativity and love that went into our home made costumes. At least I like to think that parents who take the time to dress their kids in garbage bags for Halloween, do it out of creativity and LOVE!!! Here's hoping your costumes this year involve some creativity, love and garbage bags!!