Costumes and Candy

If you’ve followed this blog for the lat year or so you have some idea of my loathing for Halloween. I think the money spent on useless sugar for that one holiday could probably end world hunger. I think the time and energy spent on sewing/rummaging/gathering costumes for multiple children if put to better use could probably bring world peace. But, try as I might, my kids still beg for Halloween, and because I am going for that "she was a good mom" line on my gravestone, I'm still delivering it.

This year it is no different. South Africa is just now waking up to the Halloween concept-enough that you can find made in china masks and trick or treat buckets and novelty stores and party suppliers. But not enough to allow for kids to safely trick-or-treat or to dress up in something non-devilish/Frankenstein-ish or witch-ish. So this year's Halloween has taken time, creativity, energy, an over abundance of enthusiasm and, did I mention, time...

Check us out. Our boys are classic Rastafarian dj's thanks to the African novelty shop in the mall and the guys at the souvenir market by the Hartabeesport Damn. The girls have a much more interesting costume array, each – including me - dressing as a different African tribe indigenous to South Africa. I'll let the kids explain their costumes on their blog so you can see it from their perspective. Let's suffice it to say that we ran around all of Johannesburg so that the kids could have costumes that, in the end, I wouldn't mind lugging home in my suitcase for them to share what they've learned about Africa with the folks back home.

Oh, and we threw a party too. A huge party it turns out. We had around 50 kids in attendance, and many of those kids brought their parents too. Apparently lots of people in South Africa want to see what an American Halloween is really like. Funny we spent our Halloween dressed as people from the tribes of South Africa.