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Umm…Halloween?

I’m a little ashamed and embarrassed to admit this, but Pierre and I bought the boys’ Halloween costumes yesterday. Yes, before Labor Day. Wasn’t I the girl who was just complaining about overzealous retailers? Well, those retailers caught me: hook, line and pushy-sinker.

In the past, I’ve tried my best to make the boys’ costumes. Ben’s second Halloween, I was so proud of his homemade scarecrow get-up:

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And two years ago, the boys sported mommy-made pirate costumes:

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Now, let’s be honest. I can’t sew. I’m not an artist. And yielding the glue-gun usually results in at least one blister to my thumb. And I fret, praying that the costumes will hold up through all the times that they need to be worn: parties at school, trick-or-treating at the outlets, birthday parties close to Halloween, and the big day itself. Given all this, I have no problem buying costumes, borrowing them, or using hand-me-downs. Last year, Benjamin wore a Buzz Lightyear ensemble generously lent to us by our neighbor. Nicholas used Ben’s old fireman costume:

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And while I love Halloween, I don’t love Halloween in August. The push from retailers to buy costumes in September so they can put the Christmas stuff out by Columbus Day (or Canadian Thanksgiving for all my Canucks), drives me bonkers. On stubborn principle alone, I wait until at least October 1st before considering costumes. Then, I stress.

Not so this year.

We were at the outlet mall this weekend. The outlets have a Disney store. The boys always want to visit the Disney store. It is a necessity in their lives, so Pierre and I use it to our advantage: if Benjamin and Nicholas behave like gentlemen (or at least closer to gentlemen than heathens), they can take a peek in the Disney store. But, we’re not buying anything…

Sure.

Ben and Nicholas were in Disney paradise on Sunday, when Pierre pointed out a Captain Hook costume. And right beside it? Hook’s arch nemesis: Peter Pan. Considering how into all things pirate and pixie-dust my bugs are right now, the wheels in my brain started turning feverishly. How adorable would they be dressed as Hook and Pan on October 31st? The costumes were definitely more pricey than I would have liked though. I began to divide their cost by the number of times that each would be worn when Pierre’s eyes met mine, and he said:

“Those” (pointing to the costumes), “would take all the stress out of Halloween.”

Well, that’s all he had to say. I whiplashed to the boys:

“Benjamin? Nicholas? Would you like to be Peter Pan and Captain Hook for Halloween?”

This question was met with a loud chorus from two happy, bouncy, excited Neverlanders. And after a few minutes of haggling over which brother would get which costume, it was quickly decided: Ben would be Hook. Nicholas a pint-sized Pan.

I grabbed the boys’ sizes, complete with optional hook add-on (retailers get you don’t they? How can Captain Hook’s costume not come with the hook?), and made my way to the cash before anyone could change his mind.

The boys tried on their costumes when we go home. Both fit - with room to spare for growth-spurts.

And so, Halloween costumes are done. At the beginning of September. I could rationalize this early-bird purchase by saying that I took advantage of a great coupon, but who am I kidding? I was a goner when Pierre said, “take all the stress out”.

Let’s hope I can hold off on buying the Christmas cards until at least November.

xo Naomi  

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