Costumes Galore!

I found a Halloween costume!

This may not sound like a big deal for some of you, i.e., children and men. This is because costume designers have decided anyone under yea tall and/or with XY chromosomes may have all the fabric you want because, hey, it’s not like they’re using much on the women’s costumes. Every outfit I found either had a skirt cut to high heaven, a top so low you can see your navel, it was see-through, or a combination of the three. Which is fine...in the summer time! Do designers mistakenly believe Halloween happens in July? Apparently none of them has ever gone to Wunderground and discovered October is a fairly cold month.

And they're expensive! These almost non-existent outfits are like condos---they seem cheap until you add in all those hidden accessories such as the tail and the ears and the $261 HOA fee. I thought I’d go crazy (or crazier) when I finally found something. But for those who have not been fortunate enough to find a costume, have you thought about making one? I’m not talking about dragging out the sewing machine and buying a truckload of fabric. I’m talking about something simple.

Like decorating a paper bag.

What Can You Do With a Paper Bag? Apparently plenty. You can make hats and caps, accessories and costumes. Paper bags are great! They’re easy to get, and they’re affordable. After all, you had to buy groceries anyway. Just remember to ask for paper the next time you’re in the store.

For all the other people who think making an outfit at the last minutes sounds a bit daunting, do what I did---go to Claire's. I'm sure there's a few set of wings left on the rack.

Fright Night

I love Halloween. It has pretty colors, you can dress up, it has great movies, and unlike other holidays, there’s no awkward moments with relatives, or plastering on a present face after the cousin you gave a KitchenAid Mixer to gifts you a Chia Pet shaped like the president’s head. And there’s no turkey to cook! After last year’s incident in which I was forced to transfer the turkey to a Macy’s bag at 3 a.m. on Christmas morning when I realized I hadn’t removed the plastic giblet bag from its frozen carcass, I’m pretty sure I won’t be placed on poultry duty this year…

But people are lazy, so you never know.

Still, Halloween has its drawbacks. Finding a costume can be a real pain. For those of you who haven’t had your laugh for the day, Google “modest adult female Halloween costume” and see what pops up. Apparently modest means choosing between mid drift clothing or a nun’s habit. Then there’s the logistics of it all. Thus I’ll give people a few tips on how to approach Halloween.

1. Go easy on the vampires, okay?
Yes, we get it. You’re enthralled with vampires. They’re mysterious…just like the contents of that Tupperware container in my vegetable bin. I, too, like vampires, hence the Lynsay Sands and Sherrilyn Kenyon novels in my personal collection. However, living forever on a disintegrating planet doesn’t appeal to many of us non-Twilight mania people. Plus, as a children’s librarian, when I hear about a 100 year-old man obsessed with a 17 year-old girl, I don’t think, “How romantic!” I think, “Pedophile!” So enough with the vampires already. We realize adding plastic teeth to your already black wardrobe makes for a cheap costume, but you might want to check with your friends first. No one needs to see 20 Edward wannabes at a single party.

2. Remember, it’s cold outside.
The average women’s Halloween costume is skimpier than my college cheerleading outfit. I’m not bringing up college cheerleading because a class reunion is staring me in the face and I realize I need to lose 10 (or 20) pounds, get my teeth whitened, and make $50,000 more per year within the next few months in order to compete with my former teammate (or with their Facebook profiles). I’m saying this because we were freakin’ cold! At least in high school they allowed us to be fully “clothed” i.e., an outfit with a real sweater. Should you mistakenly purchase the scrap of clothing retailers call a costume, add some leggings. And a turtleneck. Maybe a scarf…

3. You may play some Michael Jackson music.
Sometimes I forget Michael Jackson has passed away. Then I hear the Billy Jean ring tone on someone’s cell phone and I’m reminded all over again. Usually, when musicians you’ve never met pass away and you start listening to music you hadn’t played in x number of years, I would give you four weeks before screaming, “Enough!” But there’s the Thriller album to consider, a perennial favorite come October, so I’ll let it slide if you throw in a few songs. That being said, unless you want your iPod docking station thrown into the bond fire, don’t scroll to his name and hit play. It’s Halloween, not an MJ tribute.

We’ll save that for the American Music Awards.

4. Don’t go completely disgusting.
Have you seen Extreme Halloween? It’s really cool. The projects are akin to taking the kitty litter cake to the nth degree of grossness. There are a few things in there that are doable. However, if you make food which is too gross, no one is going to eat it. You’d be better off setting out a platter of wheat germ. Everyone’s going to stare at the dish you spent $25 and six hours of your time creating and pass it right by. If you make the house too scary, no one’s going to knock on your door and you’ll have a bucket of candy to eat all by yourself. This may seem great (“Mine! Mine! All mine!”) until mid-November hits and you realize you have 10 pounds of Halloween candy left, and since it’s covered in pumpkins and ghosts, you can’t foist it off on others.

5. Come to the library for ideas and programs.
We’re free. Which means a lot in this economy. Central Library is hosting Trick or Treat @ Your Library on Sunday, October 25th at 1 pm. Families, children and teens are invited to put on a costume, park their cars on the street (it’s free on Sundays), and join us for stories, crafts, trick or treating, Rock Band and snacks. I promise not to make anything gross---when it comes to baking, I’m more Martha Stewart than I am mad scientist. (Plus I’m not willing to put one of my nice baking pans at risk.) For those with itty-bitty-teeny-tiny babies, we have the Baby Boos and Ghouls Lapsit Storytime on Saturday, October 31st at 10 am. Costumes are optional, and parking is free at the 10th and I Street and 10th and L Street city parking garages.

Trick or Treat at Central

Last Saturday, dozens of costumed kids turned out for an early Halloween event. After some seasonal stories and pumpkin-decorating, they queued up for a trick-or-treat tramp through the building. Here's a photo of the survivors in the Kids' Place at the end of the program. The youngest now know how to assert themselves at the door for the Real Thing tomorrow night.

SONRISAS: UN HALLOWEEN ESPECIAL EN KID'S PLACE! #1

REUNENSE CON SUS ESPRITUS FANTASMALES Y PRINCESAS PARA HALLOWEEN EN KID'S PLACE EL 27 DE OCTUBRE DESDE LAS 1400 A 1550 HRS. ESTAREMOS LEYENDO HISTORIETAS ESCALOFEIANTES, DECORANDO CALABAZAS Y REPARTIENDO "GOLOSINAS O BROMAS" POR TODA LA BIBLIOTECA CENTRAL.

QUIEN PEDIRA POR MAS ESTE HALLOWEEN Y TENER OTRA OPORTUNIDAD PARA PONERSE ESE DISFRAZ ESPELUZNANTE? ADEMAS CADA SABADO HAY APARCAMIENTO GRATIS EN LA ESQUINA DE LAS CALLES 10 E "I"! POR FAVOR REUNENESE CON NOSOTROS ESTE 27 DE OCTUBRE PARA GOZAR ESTE FESTEJO ANTIGUO!

SU FIEL SERVIDORA JAMI TRAWICK , BIBLIOTECARIA DE SERVICIOS JUVENILES EN KID'S PLACE.
PARA HACER RESERVARVACIONES LLAMEN AL 916-264-2920 Y ASEGURENSE UN RATO PLACENTERO!

HALLOWE'EN
Esta fiesta de origen pagano se celebra en los países anglosajones la víspera del Día de Todos los Santos, ocasión en que se suponía que los muertos visitaban a los vivos. La tradición continúa hoy en día: se vacían calabazas para convertirlas en farolillos con forma de calavera y los niños van de casa en casa disfrazados de brujas o fantasmas. Actualmente, en el Reino Unido se está adoptando la costumbre americana del "treat or trick" (golosina o broma) por la que los niños piden un regalito a los residentes de las casas que visitan y les amenazan con gastarles una broma si no acceden a ello.

A Special Halloween in Kids' Place

Gather all you ghostly ghouls and princesses for Halloween at Kids’ Place on Saturday, October 27 from 2-3:30 p.m. We’ll be reading spooky stories, decorating pumpkins, eating goodies and Trick-or-Treating through the Central Library! Who could ask for more than Halloween treats and another chance to don your Halloween costume? Plus, there’s free parking now on Saturdays! Please register for event online at www.saclibrary.org or by calling 264-2920. Hope to see you on the 27th. Jami, Youth Services Librarian @ Kids’ Place