Boo!

There always comes a time when Kelly and I are helping people go through their stuff that we come upon a strange shirt that makes no sense in the context of a whole wardrobe, a tell-tale pointy hat that’s out of place, or a bag full of curly wigs and sunglasses and then we know — we’ve got some spooky business going on.

I don’t know what it is, but I love seeing the silly in adults. And walking around New York City on all hallows eve is like walking through a sea of of adults who have permission to be their wildest and goofiest selves. I frankly don’t know why I’m so hesitant to dive into the fun, but either having kids has just let me channel my inner freak into helping them with their costumes, or I just can’t think of anything really cool to put together. So I think this might be why we always find a few goofy wigs in people’s closets, a stand-by costume for all those Halloween costume challenged grown-ups. Even a creative, supposedly gifted brainstormer like myself has trouble when she’s overwhelmed by daily life — hello motherhood! — which is why that witch you see on the Pixie Logo all week is a costume I’ve, um, recycled pretty much every year since!

But last night my brother and sister-in-law told me about their costume last year and I started feeling pretty lame about my repeat witch theme. A whole bunch of them went as “The Tea Party” dressed up like the crew from Alice in Wonderland, but holding protest signs like, “No Beheadings without Due Process” and “Eat Me, Don’t Tax Me, Drink Me Don’t Spend Me!” And yes they duly won the party’s big costume prize (The Halloween Party, not THE Tea Party!)

So I put my thinking cap on and this year is going to be a little different. I’m going to have one of those ironic costumes. Easy to slap together and also connecting to the theme of this week’s PixieTips. I am going to be a — wait for it — a pregnant pause. Yes I’m going to exploit my natural condition and slap the word “Pause” onto my pregnant belly. I know. Doesn’t seem that cool when I write it out it down. Well that’s why I’ve got my stretchy witch costume in the back of my closet. Here’s to bringing the freak out at least once a year, even if it’s the same freak.