My favorite Halloween memory is my kindergarten year. The city art council had a pumpkin-growing-carving-contest.
When I went out to pick a pumpkin from our garden all I could find was a small, tiny pumpkin, no bigger than a grapefruit. I was so disappointed. I brought this grapefruit sized pumpkin inside and washed it off in the sink. I remember staring at it and staring at it, until I proclaimed, "Mom, I'm not going to be in the contest. My pumpkin is too small to win a prize. It looks like a baby." And with all the dramatic effects I could muster, I threw my hands up in the air and stomped upstairs. Of course, I was five and baby was like a cuss word to me, then again so was poop.
When I went out to pick a pumpkin from our garden all I could find was a small, tiny pumpkin, no bigger than a grapefruit. I was so disappointed. I brought this grapefruit sized pumpkin inside and washed it off in the sink. I remember staring at it and staring at it, until I proclaimed, "Mom, I'm not going to be in the contest. My pumpkin is too small to win a prize. It looks like a baby." And with all the dramatic effects I could muster, I threw my hands up in the air and stomped upstairs. Of course, I was five and baby was like a cuss word to me, then again so was poop.
My mom, being the elementary school teacher said, "Why don't you consider dressing it like a baby". And that is exactly what we did. Mom and I cut sleeping baby eyes and an adorable nose, tied a pink ribbon to it's stem, and stuck a pacifier in the pumpkin's mouth. Then we took an oatmeal box, left the lid off and put a doll dress over it so the baby pumpkin could sit on top of it.
I won the contest for "most creative". I can't remember what the prize was, but it didn't matter because it was the satisfaction I felt that made it all worth while. It was fun. It was creative holiday time spent between my mom and me.
Today, I too am creating Halloween memories with my daughter. I'm helping twenty one kindergarteners get in their costume for the Halloween parade at O's school and then there's a party in the classroom where I will be overstimulated with twenty one over-sugared kids. Worst off, there will be no wine! Kindergarten SUCKS!
I won the contest for "most creative". I can't remember what the prize was, but it didn't matter because it was the satisfaction I felt that made it all worth while. It was fun. It was creative holiday time spent between my mom and me.
Today, I too am creating Halloween memories with my daughter. I'm helping twenty one kindergarteners get in their costume for the Halloween parade at O's school and then there's a party in the classroom where I will be overstimulated with twenty one over-sugared kids. Worst off, there will be no wine! Kindergarten SUCKS!
No comments:
Post a Comment