Happy Halloween, It's one of my Favorite Occasions!

I have always loved Halloween!  I’m sure it started with the fact that I love CANDY!  M&M’s Milky Ways, Snickers, malted milk balls, candy corn, I love it all!  Easter is my second favorite, always love all the great stuff that the easter bunny brought me in my Easter Basket!  Easter is more gourmet, but  Halloween is pure bulk.  Who doesn't remember coming home, dumping out all your treasures and picking out the good stuff.  The secret was to hide the Milky Ways, Snickers and 3 Musketeers before my dad could get them!

However, I think this love for the holiday is more a product of my upbringing, with candy just being a bonus.  My family was always looking for an excuse have fun, to be out of character and become someone different for a day.  Going through these old pictures, I found these wonderful reminders of Halloweens gone by and how I am a product of my roots.

My Aunt & Uncles and Cousins, the "Down the House" crew.

 My mom was a fantastic seamstress and initially made all our costumes, which were passed down to all the kids.


Carol & Barbara, my cousins with Jo Ann in the famous clown costume that everyone wore.  Millions of yards of bias tape were used for the white edging on the sleeves, feet and neck.  I also wore Carols outfit when I was older.

 


Clown Christina with Ya Yia and Pa Pou

 

 

 





Crocus Drive neighbors who just want to Trick or Treat, not have their picture taken!!!
Leclairs, Pararas & Jones

 

Being an excellent seamstress myself, Christina had many costumes over the years too. 



Rainbow Brite.  When I made this costume it cost a fortune, just for the materials.  Vange had bought me a "number" and I won $45, the exact amount I spent on the costume!  Lucky costume!

 

Christina the good witch!

 

I was room mother every year and also would get into the act.



Mom and Daughter Mini Mouse's

However, it appears that we didn’t need Halloween as the only excuse for that great escape.  In my early years, my brother Bob loved Cowboys and Indians and my parents enabled him by purchasing him a genuine indian headdress, which he frequently wore. 

 



Brother Bob in full headdress

 

 

 

However, we didn't see to stop at Halloween.  We later used our Campouts as the perfect opportunity to have fun all our participants get into character.

 



The Pirate Campout
 

 

 





The Greek Olympics Campout
 

 





The luau

And the craziest of all, the Wild, Wild West Campout.

Finding gold at McGriff's Mine

 

Of course, campouts made for great family portraits!

But there is always one in the group who just goes a little over the top.  For us that is my brother Mike who looks for any excuse to take it to the extreme.

 

Mike top
 Steve, Ed and Salami on the bottom



Another Greek God, two in one family and a goddess to boot!



Hold onto your head, you don't want to be another shrunken head around Mike's neck!



Who buys a fake butt!

 

Captain Jack Sparrow and the Zombie

 

But as I said, its in our roots, so I guess we can't be totally blamed.

  For look who is our role model!

Ya Yia, the Cyclops!

So for all you lucky people who get to go out trick or treating, have a great time and be safe.  Oh, and save the M & M's for me!