Happy Halloween!!

Unfortunately, I will be working tonight while everyone attends fun parties, but that is alright. I like Halloween, but it is not my die hard favorite holiday like it is for some. I think my lack of creativity ruins it for me. I am always amazed at the people that think of the most random things to dress up as, and spend weeks gluing things together, and adding that final ribbon so they can win that first place trophy for best costume. I wish I had that talent.

Because I don't, I am going to write about another side of Halloween that I think we have all recognized. American women seem split right down the middle as to whether it is ok to use Halloween as an excuse to dress up in your most provocative outfit and walk around. I am not one of these people. A friend and I were laughing the other day about how many costumes are sold each year simply by putting the word "Sexy" in front of the noun. "Sexy witch, sexy fairy, sexy mouse??" are just a few of the ones that I have seen. My friend bought the "Sexy Cruella de Ville" costume (not a joke) a few years ago just to use the wig.

Don't get me wrong, I tried the "sexy" look my freshman year in college. The problem was, I did not consider the multiple pounds I had put in in the first few months after leaving home, and the sexy nurse and sexy fairy that I tried to pull off were just a mess. And let's not forget that October 31 is well into fall. Those costumes do not allow for a sweatshirt to keep you warm!

Going to school in New Orleans was a treat for many reasons, but Halloween was a major celebration. We dressed up for a week and never felt out of place. You could wear a purple wig out a week before Halloween and people would just walk by without blinking an eye. (Four of us did this, along with purple eye lashes....) After that first year I began to think about what would be comfortable. Think about how much you walk when you are in college. So first on my list was how I could incorporate tennis shoes into my outfit. Sophomore year, my roommates and I went as a Happy Meal. I was the Big Mac, with two sets of fries and a milkshake in tow. We got those packets of ketchup and mustard and glued them to barrettes for our hair, threw on a pair of jeans and were good to go.

Junior year I was several things, including a green M&M, but the most memorable was an incredibly politically incorrect cab driver. If I ever run for office, those pictures will need to be burned. However, once again, I was able to make jeans a part of the costume. I think my senior year my roommate and I went as jailbirds. We bought prisoner costumes and walked around. The felt like pajamas, I kept on my tennis shoes and I was comfortable all night.

As we have gotten older, it seems like Halloween is more fun for my friends who have kids. Who doesn't want to see a little 2 year old dressed up in something that she cannot pronounce? Instead, I look forward to completing a long day at work, coming home and drinking a glass of wine. Maybe I will just throw on a witch hat to be festive. Enjoy the day and be safe!!

PS - Happy Birthday R.K. Coley!!!