halloween or no halloween?

Do you allow your kids to dress up for halloween?  Many homeschool families I know are vehement about not "observing" or "celebrating" halloween.  We don't "celebrate" it either (at least not in the way that I think of a celebration), but I do allow the girls to dress up, with certain restrictions - no gore, no witches, no ghosts, no ghouls, etc.  I always loved trick or treating as a kid and my girls do too.  

This year the girls will have had four (yes, count them, FOUR) costumes by the time halloween comes and goes.


First, we went to Disney and we booked a makeover for them at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. CUTE!  They had so much fun getting their makeovers.  They both chose Ariel costumes - Punkin chose the Ariel bridal costume and Puddin chose the Ariel mermaid costume.  Here they are in costume waiting to have their hair and makeup done:

Next, our beloved Heard Nature Museum had a halloween event.  The girls wanted to wear their "real" halloween costumes, but knowing them I thought better of that idea.  Several years back I purchased poodle skirts, so we scrambled to find poodle skirt accessories and I think they turned out really wel:

Aren't they cute?  Unfortunately, the winners of the Heard's costume contest were the kids who dressed in blood/gore/witches/Harry Potter.  The girls were disappointed, but I used it as a teaching moment about the world and worldly influences.


This past weekend they informed me that Wednesday night (tonight) was favorite Bible character costume night at Awana (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed!).  Punkin's costume of choice was Mary with Baby Jesus, and Puddin chose to be the angel Gabriel.  Again, they turned out nicely:

I love shopping at Ross - I found the perfect accessories to turn a white nightgown into a Mary costume.  Could that blue shawl have been any more perfect?  Add a patterned scarf for a headcovering and a light blue scarf as a belt (both of which perfectly coordinate with the blue shawl) and you have a Mary costume.

Next up?  The night of October 31.  Puddin will revise her angel costume slightly, and Punkin will be a gypsy, which I allowed this year even though it's getting awfully close to my off-limits line.  No pics yet - check back after halloween!  We'll "borrow" our cousins' neighborhood again for trick-or-treat since our own neighborhood tends not to do much for *any* holiday.


BOO!