The Halloween costume party has always been the highlight of Halloween for me. As I stated before, I love dressing up as something or someone else. How amazing that I can play a role that is different from my everyday self. Almost as fun as being in my own special costume is seeing what everyone else has decided to be for a day. Having gone to costume parties for several decades now, I am still surprised every year by the variety of ideas, and how these ideas are executed and turned into awesome costumes.
I like to consider the process of how one comes up with a costume idea. Traditionally, of course, is the horror character, either a Halloween character or one from the scary movies. Speaking of movies, numerous costumes through the years have been characters from movies. Last year for example, 5 different movies were represented. Television and cartoon characters are also big, as well as inanimate objects. Sometimes I have gone as characters that I have always wanted to be, while other times, I get a last minute idea. One important element in wearing a Halloween costume is how practical it is. That is, can you actually get to the front door, can you sit down, or can you drive a car? Some participants have solved these issues by removing their costume after everyone has seen them, and then putting on street clothes for comfort during the rest of the evening. Probably the one costume that I remember for its total impracticality was the year that my brother-in-law, Fred, dressed as the Invisible Man. It was a fantastic costume and he nailed it, except that because of his wrapped up face, he was unable to eat!
And now comes the really important part of the costume party: the prize for best costume. Some people say that winning this prize really doesn't matter to them, as it is simply fun just to be in costume. I would say that this is bull...t, ah, I mean, simply not true. Everyone that puts effort into a Halloween costume wants to win the prize. What the prize is doesn't matter - it is just that you have been voted the best of everyone at the party. And losing does hurt, particularly when you really feel that you had the best costume and didn't win, something that we refer to as being "robbed". A blood relative of mine, who is not my sister, recently expressed distress at being robbed at the party one year. I had to agree with this family member, who is not my sister, that the costume was particularly good. Unfortunately, this incident left the family member scarred, and this member has never attended another party! Oh yes, excuses were made for not attending but I can't help but think that being robbed that year left a permanent scar. Oh, the pain of losing!
We vote on paper ballots every year, and they are turned in to our hostess, Brenda, who counts the votes, announces the winner, and gives the prize. There have occasionally been concerns of voter irregularity, alliances, and bribes. However, Brenda will not allow herself to get the prize, so we generally trust that she is fair and honest. Actually, it is a shame that Brenda doesn't count herself, as she has had some of the most incredible costumes through the years, excluding, perhaps, her Captain X-ray costume. (will be discussed another time).
So, I am waiting with anticipation at seeing everyone in costume on Saturday. We all keep a secret about what our costumes will be until the party. What will be perpetual great costume team, Elaine and Fred, come up with this year? What creative ideas will be seen for the first time? And most important, who will win the prize? I am going to stick out my neck and go ahead and make a prediction: I was robbed!
No comments:
Post a Comment