Vote! for Halloween
October 20th, 2008, 10:24 pm · 3 Comments · posted by ewingert
Recently one morning I was watching the news as J.T. ate his cheese toast (a traditional family recipe) when he blurts out in a truly exasperated tone, “Enough with the election already, I just… want to know… about Halloween!” I can relate. The on going news coverage is relentless. It’s draining. You can’t escape it. It’s affecting everyone.
For example, two friends were over one afternoon last Spring when they broke out into a heated debate about the potential presidential nominees. Both parties were represented so it was a true debate. “My mom says so-and-so should be president!” “Oh, yeah? Well, my dad says so-and-so should be president!” (Did I mention the two friends were 6 year-olds?) At one point, I guess in an attempt at a tie breaker, they both turned to J.T. and asked, “Who are you voting for?” He said, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
It dawned on me, it’s time to have “the talk”, the real tricky one about patriotic duty and the executive branch. We held out as long as we could, really just leaving it up to “School House Rock”. So, in the simplest terms I explained how our president is elected, how historic this particular election was shaping up to be and how you choose a candidate based on whether they believe in the same things you do. Throughout my explanation, his brow furrowed deeper and deeper. I quickly emphasized how he really didn’t have to worry about it until he turned 18. I was wrong. His school is holding a mock election on November 4th. So J.T. will have to make a decision, a few years early.
Apparently the simplest way to demonstrate the voting process is to take your child with you when you vote. (www.takeyourkids2vote.org) I’ve done that but I may have started too early. When J.T. was about three I told him we were walking over to Crockett Elementary to go vote. He immediately donned a safari hat and vest and grabbed his binoculars. I thought he was gearing up for the walk until half-way there he said, “I can’t wait to see the Crocket-dile-mentary on the boat!” He was sorely disappointed. No crocket-dile and no boat.
Despite the full throttle election coverage, Halloween is actually the most important topic at our house. Come to think of it, it’s very much like the election process. Discussions start in November of the previous year. J.T. begins to compile his list of potential costumes. It’s a living breathing list, changing and morphing through-out the year depending on what he reads, sees or can imagine. He weighs the pros and cons of each get-up. He even does periodic polls, “Which costume do you like best? What is your favorite costume idea? Which one do you believe is the best possible costume?” Costume candidates are systematically voted out. Lately, I’ve voted for the ones that require little money and even less work to put together.
Quite the change from last year when we suggested he draw his own costume. It was a monster with brown fur, purple spots, yellow teeth and 4 green googly eyes, called the “The Chupacabra”. However, I didn’t want him to translate “Goat Sucker” at his elementary school. He changed it to “The Creeper Monster”. So, with some faux fur, felt and styrofoam balls we whipped up what he had envisioned. I think the commitment to J.T. having a costume he loves stems from when I was 7 and wanted to be a Mummy. But a last minute major glitch with the toilet paper based garment scrapped that dream and I ended up being a sheet ghost. It was a very Charlie Brown moment for me. But we all have those, right?
It’s now down to the wire and J.T. is leaning towards a simpler costume, the Cairo Swordsman from “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. Black robe, sword, beard. Simple. And as the election looms and the economy wavers I’m sure more families are looking for simpler and cheaper costumes. Check out www.coolest-homemade-costumes.com for some very interesting ideas like a Flyswatter, Loofah, Pinata and my personal favorite, worn proudly by what appears to be a 10 year-old girl, the Easy Mac ‘n Cheese. For some great step-by-step costumes, www.familyfun.go.com. And for the procrastinators out there, the night before or even day of is not too late, go to www.familycrafts.about.com for fast and simple last minute ideas. Let me know what costumes win in your family.
Of course you could just dress ‘em up as your favorite Presidential or Vice Presidential Candidate. We just can’t get enough of those characters!
I let my niece pick my costume each year. This year she is going as Alice in Wonderland and I am going as the Queen of Hearts. Quite a change from who I had to go as last year - Ursula (from the Little Mermaid).
You are a great Auntie!
As a government teacher, i applaud your efforts to teach the election process and voting, be it Presidents or Halloween costumes. Well done!