Every year Luke and I think up these grand plans to have a Halloween party and then every year October comes and goes and we are left with nothing but unfulfilled plans.
We will watch old reruns of shows like Home Improvement or the ultra classy Roseanne and stare with jealous at our TV's as they play out these elaborate Halloween parties complete with full costumes, spooky decorations and themed food.
They make it look so easy - like putting together a stellar party just comes together with ease. But I know this is not the case, and when I begin to put together ideas for a party I'm overwhelmed with all the details. Not to mention the fact that I have terrible party anxiety and I'm worried that nobody would show up.
I have missed out on many parties for the fear of nobody showing up. It is sad.
All of that to say that we love Halloween, we have nothing against it and we look forward to setting up Halloween traditions in our family in the future.
HOWEVER,
I have no plans to dress Eli up in costume this year, his first Halloween. I was perfectly content with this decision until some people acted like I was a fool for my lack of costume plans for Eli.
Is it completely lame/boring that I don't plan on dressing Eli up in a Halloween costume?
Here is my reasoning:
The child goes to sleep at 7:00. Is it even dark at 7:00? He won't even remember it so it's not like I am going to cause my him all these years of pain and sorrow because he didn't dress up his first year.
Instead of spending money on a costume (which isn't cheap) to dress him up for some pictures I would rather spend money on a cute outfit that he will wear more than once.
Does that make sense?
I have yet to hear a story about a child that was scarred for life because they didn't dress up their first year. But there is a first time for everything.
I am the worlds most indecisive person so there is a strong chance I could change my mind between now and October 31st but as of right now Eli will not be dressing up this year.
I might just go buy a cute outfit for him from Gap or Gymboree and dress him up in that and take pictures of him and call him "the cute kid with a cheap mom". It would be appropriate.
I think cute kid with a cheap mom sounds like the perfect halloween costume. In fact, J may be wearing the same thing. I'm with you on this J is only 6 months old, he'll never remember it and those costumes are NOT cheap! I say do what you want and forgot the crazy onlookers!
ReplyDeleteNever underestimate a roll of duct tape and a little fabric dye...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.iloveyoumorethancarrots.com/2010/10/happy-halloween-love-charlie-brown.html
C was 3months old for his first halloween and totally rocked the bald-ness. I found black sweat pants at Walmart, picked up yellow fabric dye at Joanne Fabrics.. and used black duct tape to make the zigzag!
Although, I do love your idea.. "the kid with the cheap mom.." I'm thinking C should be that this year, too. HA! :)
I don't blame you at all. You are doing what is in his best interest!
ReplyDeleteyou are not alone. my daughter will only be 5 months old and we aren't dressing her up either. and for ALL the reasons you listed as well! it's expensive and she won't remember. and it's not like she's going to go trick-or-treating.
ReplyDeletebut mainly it's just because i'm just too cheap.
I have always dressed my two but last year my little guy was a skeleton - which was actually a pair of pj's! He looked adorable and we got full use of the pj's. I got them at Carter's.
ReplyDeleteGirl, I am the SAME WAY about parties! I always really want to and envision these elaborate parties but then never try to have one for fear that no one would come! We dressed Cooper up last year but only because we went to a Halloween festival with some friends that have boys around the same age and we wanted pics of them all together. He wore his ($15 Target) costume for about 3 hours to take pics and then it was over. I say, who cares if you dress him up or not!
ReplyDeleteI am totally with you. My daughter was 11 months on her first halloween and so I ended up making her a little costume from stuff I already had. I was determined not to spend any money. We were going to a kid's dress up party, so I felt I might look ridiculous if she wasn't dressed up. She turned into a cute little flower!
ReplyDeletehttp://thedailyolivia.blogspot.com/2010/11/pumpkin-painting.html
They have really cute baby's first Halloween stuff at both Wal-Mart and Target. That's what our baby, who will just be weeks old will be wearing. And yes, some find this appalling... Oh well. :)
ReplyDeleteGuilty here. I've never dressed up my littlest. Ever. I grew up never dressing up either. And I'm not scarred. I do hate Halloween tho and I enjoy getting people riled up if they disagree. :)
ReplyDeleteI am not dressing Grant up. He goes to bed at 6:30. He does have a hand me down orange shirt that says "this is my costume." Maybe I will put that on him.
ReplyDeleteI don't blame you! Why waste the money? Put him in the Gap outfit like you said...when people ask you what he was, tell them "Gap Baby model"!
ReplyDeleteI didn't dress my oldest for his first Halloween. stayed home, actually. and I even love the holiday!
ReplyDeleteWe skipped his 3rd halloween/his brother's first as well. :)
and now, i'm due October 28....so.... not sure we'll do it this year.
I am SO the same way with party anxiety. I always think no one will come so I end up just not doing anything. We're thinking about attempting a Halloween party this year but I kind of want to take a poll with our friends first to see if it would even be worth it. Lame I know.
ReplyDeleteSomeone gave us a cute little Halloween outfit that our one month old wore last year. We weren't going to dress up our now one year old (wow-time flies) this year, but we went to a consignment store a few weeks ago and found the most adorable ladybug costume for only $8 so we changed our minds ;).
ReplyDeleteI so agree a cute outfit instead of a Halloween costume. You are the first person who said what I think. Why is it such a big deal to dress up a 1 year old in outfits they won't remember and the cost is crazy. For sure Eli won't be scared for life. Keep being true. Kelly
ReplyDeleteOne more thing...when Eli is older take a white tshirt and paint a black P on it and put something black around his eye and he could go as a black eyed P.
ReplyDeleteGreat minds and all that. My Eli goes to bed at 7, too, and as cute as baby costume are, they're also a pain to get on and usually make the kid miserable. I found a cute Halloween tee on clearance for $2.98 in February (?) so little E will be wearing that until 630 when he takes his bath. I probably won't dress him up next year, either since he still won't care, and I plan on being the mean mommy who doesn't let her kid have candy until he's 3 or 4.
ReplyDeleteA baby's first Halloween is no different than going to see the Easter bunny or to sit on Santa's lap during their first year. It's more for the parents than the child in the present moment. However, in the future it might mean more to Eli than it ever did to you. Then again, he might not care about childhood pictures at all.
ReplyDeleteYou could always put him in casual clothes that make a costume. Like Charlie Brown or Superman but the dress him up as Kent Clark.
Most importantly, do what is best for your family. Who cares what everyone else thinks. I have no idea what I will do once we have kids.
I'm with you on the party anxiety but I'm a little leery of skipping the Halloween costume. I was only 2 weeks old on my first Halloween and I'm glad my parents have cute pics of me dressed as an overpriced little skeleton. PRECIOUS!
ReplyDeleteI say make/buy something cheap to dress him up as. He could go as Harry Potter, you've got half the costume!
Apologies if I come off judgy, seeing as I am the non-married, non-mom. Bad Sarah.
I admit that many of the baby costumes I see (that I know cost a pretty penny) look so cheap to me. Pick up a cute Halloween Tee or onesie at Old Navy (I see them advertised every year for like $7), snap a few pictures, and call it a day! There are lots of adorable "Fall Moments" to capture that don't require a lighter wallet and cheap polyester :)
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem with parties... I bought my little girl's costume last year after Halloween and luckily it fits! My little boys costume came from a used baby store for the bargin price of $5. I do like "the cute kid with a cheap mom" idea though.
ReplyDeleteGoing out on a limb here.... But he is YOUR baby! If you & Luke aren't into it, who cares? Some people need BIGGER things to spend their energies on, geesh!
ReplyDeleteI have that weird phobia that no one will show up too. I've been wanting to have a Halloween party for years... Ugh. Someday I will!!!
Forgot to add, I picked my nephew up a pair of cute jack-o-lantern pjs that glow in the dark at wal mart for $6! I figure he can wear them all of October. :) And the day-week after Halloween is great for next year's costume! 75% off? Can't beat that! :)
ReplyDeleteI think you should do what YOU feel is best. That is your right as the parent. :)
ReplyDeleteHa! I have a cute dragon costume you can borrow for Eli. You at least need to take a picture. Get a pumpkin, use a marker to write his name and the year, and sit him up by it for the picture. It's a cute memory, but it's cheap.
ReplyDeleteLet me know if you want the costume.
Mel Law.