Fries with Gravy

Yeah, we do Halloween.  It's one of those things as a Christian parent, you have to make a decision about and in our infinite undecidedness, we kinda figured that we'd just go ahead and run with it because Halloween is SO MUCH FUN.  I have a lot of Christian friends who vary on the issue - some don't allow any celebration, some do the "Harvest Fest" at church, some allow it, but despair any gory costuming.  I really do have reasons beyond it being SO MUCH FUN - I have a sincere fear that one day my kids will look back on thier childhood and think that if they were deprived of trick or treat and Satan Claus, surely we were lunatic-fringe Jesus Freaks and the real answer is in worshipping owl statues in the California woods.  Quiet over there, Dugg.  I respect the parents who make it work and whose children comprehend that they are not like all the other heathens out there begging candy from one door to the next.  I'm just not that gal and would probably spend Halloween night moping about and they'd have me way figured out.  The howling and gnashing of teeth would be mine, because I've mentioned it's SO MUCH FUN, right?

For a few years, the "no gore" costume trick was okay.  The boy was pretty enthralled with Super Heroes and the girls were little and had no say in being twin ladybugs, cowgirls and flowers.  Last year, they got all cocky and went with differing Disney Princesses, woe to me.  The Princess options came up again in early talks but was quickly shut down by the boy, who at almost eight, has taken charge of the Halloween command.  YOU HAVE TO BE SCARY.  No amount of, "Really, you can be anything!  Sleeping Beauty, even.  In her thirty dollar gown, *gulp*"  was having any effect on the word of the boy - see, he is big brother and apparently the man when it comes to decisions such as these. 

Cue the Skeleton Bride.  When she saw the terrible, terrible costume in it's black and white netted, gauzy glory, her little eyes lit up like heathen beacons.  "MOM.  This is it.  I'm a Keleton Bride."   

"Did you see the fairies?  The Southern Belles?"

"KELETON BRIDE.  Mom, look at her makeup!  And her black roses!  I am the Keleton Bride."

And so there was no compromise really.  I was run over, roughshod.  The other twin chose a Bat Fairy that's kinda cute and not directly threatening to the souls of the other kids at the Presbyterian Pre-School.  I don't think.   

We're gonna have SO MUCH FUN.