My Halloween costume this year will be truly fantastic. I’m not saying a thing until after the fact, because I don’t think you’ll really be able to appreciate my plan until after liftoff. All will be revealed, my friends, so don’t lose hope.

I love Halloween. Since the first time my mother made me a costume, when I was the cheekiest Great Pumpkin around, dressing up for the fun of Halloween has brightened my fall. This brightening is crucial, since I’m generally mired in my deep dread of the cold and snow for most of autumn. 

Part of the magic of Halloween has also always been that I had homemade costumes. While I was growing up, thanks to my mom’s skill at the sewing machine, and more frequently than you might expect, my dad’s ability to baste stuff together and stitch down trim at zero hour, I had a one of a kind creation no other kid at school could have. At various times, I had a Tenderheart Care Bear costume, a Rainbow Brite costume, a Minnie Mouse costume, and a 1920’s flapper costume: it was royal blue, with more fringe than the average old lady’s living room furniture. My brother still talks about his Ninja Turtle costume; for the curious, he was Raphael and wore a red bandana.

Then were the years I just went as myself. Case in point:

Stay tuned for more information about my Halloween costume creation. This one is going to require a trip or two to the hardware store, and the use of some power tools. Don’t worry, I’ll let The Electrician do all the dangerous parts. I’ve lived this long largely because I know which things I’m far too clumsy to attempt.

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