Halloween Part 2

Becoming dependent on the corporate world for Halloween costumes, decorations, and candy can be an example of waste in another way besides money.  It is a wasted opportunity for creativity.  

Getting kids involved in the process of making costumes, spooky decorations, and creepy holiday treats gives them the opportunity to express themselves in new ways.  It also provides an opportunity to build skills that will be useful in other situations.  Bringing their costume ideas to life involves being able to envision a plan and then collect the materials to make that plan come to fruition.  Using scissors and glue can be opportunities to practice fine motor skills.  Measuring and baking can provide opportunities for following instructions and improving math skills.

Losing these creative skills can be problematic for adults as well.  You might find yourself at the mercy of an industry that really doesn't care about you, and isn't so creative itself.  Witness the rise of "Hookerween."  Grown women are supposed to brave a brisk Autumn night in tiny scraps of cloth bearing descriptors like "sexy" or "naughty."  Now please don't take this as prudishness on my part.  I don't mind if women want to dress in sexy costumes.  The problem I have is that this is almost the only option available in many costume shops.  I also have a problem with the fact that these little snippets of cloth foisted on women cost the same amount as full coverage men's costumes.  Selling 1/3 of the costume for the same price means that these companies are making an exorbitant profit on women's costumes.  I have no intention of letting the costume industry fleece me out of that kind of cash.  My costume this year?  A (full coverage) velvet, medieval style dress from a thrift store...$4.95.

Halloween Costumes

Somewhere along the way, Halloween (like so much of our lives) has been co-opted by big corporations.  In the same way that people have become convinced that they can't cook without a prepackaged, freeze-dried miracle in a box, our society has increasingly become convinced that Halloween is something better left to the experts.  And when people become incapable (or believe they are incapable) of creation, then they are left to the mercies of the creators.  

If you go to a costume shop, you can easily expect to spend $50-60 for a costume.  Even many children's costumes will run $40+.  In a time when so many folks are struggling to keep the lights on and food on the table, spending that kind of money just isn't feasible.  Don't be convinced that costumes must be expensive or elaborate for a night of trick-or-treating.  Below are some of the costumes that we have created for little or no money:

Batman:  already owned pajama top and a $3 mask.

Robot:   $5 worth of dryer vent hose, $3 can of spray paint, duct tape and recycling bin scrounging

Plants vs Zombies:
sunflower:  green pajamas, fabric scraps from sewing box, Easter headband (no new spending)
zombie:  jacket and tie from thrift store (about $5), soccer practice cone (already owned) and grey face paint (about $2)

Wasting Time on Perfection

So my last post on this blog was in July (yikes!).  Now, I have been out of town and busy and dealing with kids and all that.  But that isn't really why I've had such a long hiatus.  I had such a long hiatus because I wasted time wanting to create the perfect next post.  I didn't just want to fix the faucet; I wanted to fix the faucet and take pictures and document and etc.  And what actually happened was that because of this, the faucet never got fixed and I didn't start blogging again.  It is important to remember that sometimes the perfect is the enemy of the good.  And sometimes perfect is the enemy of getting anything at all accomplished.

An obsession with perfection has been the source of a lot of waste in my life, mostly wasted opportunities.  I have often had a fear of look foolish or just not being good enough, and so I just didn't try.  I suspect I'm not the only one.  I realize that this is a silly way to waste my time, and it is a lousy example for my kids.  So, I'm jumping back into this blog with the idea of failing better, having fun writing, and sharing with my friends and family.

Wish me luck.