Unlike in Illinois, we haven't had many trick-or-treaters in Hawaii. I don't see a lot of homes decorated for Halloween here either. Then again, I know other neighborhoods in Hawaii do take Halloween more seriously and it's fun to see what sort of decorations they put up.
I've seen a lot of pretty amazing costumes for sale at Sam's Club or Costco. I know my grandchildren have been dressed up in some pretty awesome costumes too. It's so much easier now to just go out and buy a ready made costume.
However, when our children were growing up, many of the kids (or parents) made their own. Tiffany and Keola started out as rice bags. Yup. Nobody knew what they were supposed to be, but it didn't matter. Tif wore the rice bag first. No, we didn't eat that much rice. I think they came from Art's family restaurant.
And Keola was next.
He didn't care. The treat was the most important thing.
When they got a little older, they had their own ideas so the rice bag was put into retirement.
What were your kids' favorite costumes?
POSTSCRIPT 1:
I wrote earlier that I don't see many homes being decorated for Halloween here in Hawaii. Well... a friend of mine just texted me this photo from her neighborhood. OK... I'm impressed.
POSTSCRIPT 2:
Correction: My brother tells me that when we were growing up on the sugar plantation camp, my parents did buy 50 lb bags of rice.
The large blow up figures are very popular around here as are skeletons of all sizes. Our neighbors put up a skeleton that's at least 10 ft tall. I have to carve two pumpkins that have been on the front porch. That's the extent of my decorating.
ReplyDeleteI noticed those outsized spooky things going up around Vermont in early September. There are a few places like that here in Florida but it more common to see more "fall" decor like wreaths and pumpkins. My approach to holiday decor is minimalist.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember any decorations aside form jack o'lanterns back then, but things are different now.
ReplyDeleteRice bags! Oh, that's wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteChristopher loved frogs and I saw this in a magazine...have your child dress in all green. Take a paper plate and draw a frog face on it with the mouth cut out. Have your child use one of those birthday treats, you know the kind that has the paper that you blow into it and the paper curls out? Have that behind the mask and it looks like a frog's tongue! He wore that to our local Kroger and he won FIRST PRIZE!! LOL! You should have seen all those fancy expensive costumes! (Of course, C. really SOLD it too, he was such a great little actor.)
Most of our childhood costumes involved a store bought scary mask and a often dyed college graduation robe from one of our parents. My kids however, need to have some sort of theme so they are store bought. The good part is that being six years apart, we just pull the oldest ones previous costume for that age out of storage and give it to the youngest. Our oldest hasn't gone trick or treating in a number of years and I suspect the younger one's time is running short too. Maybe next year I will actually be home handing out candy instead of driving my youngest around our neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteP.S. We probably go through two or three of those bags a year of rice.
ReplyDeleteI remember my daughter hated her 2nd hand bumble bee costume as a 2 yr old, maybe it wasn't comfortable. -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteCutest rice bags ever!! No rice bags here but we did have flour bags. My grandma made dresses and shirts out of those for the grandkids. We usually just had masks.
ReplyDeleteHere it sometimes feels like Halloweentown. SO many decorations! Those are cute costumes. My kids liked dressing as animals (usually tigers) and princesses.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed too! Your kids are so cute! You know when I was a kid one of the costumes was a Chinese person, I seem to remember Mexican being a costume. It's hard to believe that black face and ethnic costumes were a normal part of life 50 years ago. I'm glad we live and learn. One thing I don't do is judge the people of the past. Based on our understanding today. I celebrate how far we have come. Have a wonderful, safe holiday friends. Aloha
ReplyDeleteSuch cute pictures! Those rice bags are now in demand - for bags, shirts, shorts, etc. I sure hope we don't get trick or treaters this year. I haven't bought any candy yet.
ReplyDeleteThose kids are SO cute! That's a lot of rice! I'm thinking your parents and the restaurant had to store it a certain way to keep rodents, roosters and mongoose away from it. Maybe K.C. will dance with a rice bag? Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteDidn't have to worry about the mongoose or rooster, but bugs were a problem if you bought too much rice and didn't eat it fast enough.
DeleteI think the rice bag costume is very unique.
ReplyDeleteThat pic is so cute! I remember making a ghost, a witch, and a Princess Lea for Jill. I know Jake wore the ghost costume, but I don't remember what else. I know I did a black cat for Irene and a pirate costume for Isaac.
ReplyDeleteMy girls wore homemade costumes, but for the life of me I cannot remember what they were. Sheets and ghosts seem to be in my mind.
ReplyDeleteMy kids favorite costumes were the ones I couldn't make for them. Usually the costume was a lot of winter clothes as sometimes it was very cold.
ReplyDeleteI remember when we were kids, creating the costumes were the best part. Now my grandson wears elaborate costumes that are bought for him.
ReplyDeleteThis is so nostalgic! I used to make my kids' costumes. Great memories.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a girl, I loved dressing up in my mother's clothes and wearing makeup! :-)
ReplyDeleteSadly the holiday passes us by. We do not volunteer for any events and out here in the woods, there are not chlldren. My younger grandchild will probably go to a party and my youngest may go door to door with parents help as she is not yet two.
ReplyDeleteOur kids and grandkids wore Halloween costumes and treat or treated... but I was never big on Halloween - although I usually made us a custard pumpkin pie and gave out candy. Now we don't do much. My DIL loves Halloween and she and granddaughter dress up and do a big Halloween spooky spread.
ReplyDeleteYoungest grand-daughter went trick or treating, she had a great time.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a happy month of November.
All the best Jan
I always had the store bought costumes
ReplyDelete