Ghosts of Halloween past...

Last week I promised a rant on Halloween (part of my wider war on fun).

I was all set to complain about the over-commercialization of Halloween (as based on the cartoon above). 

However, I find myself unable to rant. As a child (yes, I was one once), I actually enjoyed Halloween, probably in all likelihood because it was over-commercialized. I can only remember wearing a "traditional" costume twice: in Kindergarten I was a ghost, and later in Grade 3 I remember going as Count Dracula... although on that occasion most people thought I was some sort of biker in a cape with a speech impediment (because of the fake plastic teeth). You see, when it was time to go out trick or treating, it had got quite cold outside and my mum made me wear my "Michael Jackson" leather jacket over top of the costume. Every kid at school had one of those jackets. It was supposed to be cool. One kid even had one white glove... everyone was really jealous even though it was only an old golf glove. I seem to remember most of us that winter walking around with one very cold hand (as we all took off one winter glove after we were beyond the view of our respective parents' house). 

But I digress.

I can't remember most other years except Grade 2 (I was a ninja) and Grade 1 (I went as Darth Vader). I thought the Darth Vader costume was the coolest thing at the time. In retrospect, it was pretty lame. You can't really carry off the whole "Darth Vader" thing when your costume has "Darth Vader" printed on the front (see picture).

I guess we had less expectations back then.

Happy Halloween anyway.

*In an addendum to this post from last year, I'm quite chuffed that my young nephew will be following tradition and heading out as Darth Vader this year. His costume is significantly more convincing (despite his miniature stature) than mine was.