Halloween Costumes

Every year, the time comes when I have to come up with a costume for Halloween. Since I am a 1st grade teacher, dressing up for Halloween isn't optional! Every year I think I am going to be something amazing and every year something happens that makes me go hmmmmm. For example, the first year I taught school (12 years ago---wow, 12 years!!!) I dressed up as a Nerd. I was a dang good nerd, so good in fact that I won the faculty "best costume" award.....but it wasn't a hit with my first graders. When they saw me, they asked me what I was. I responded, "I am a nerd." Of course I never thought about what a 1st grader might not know.....they then asked me what a nerd was. "Someone who likes school a lot..." was my reply. "But everyone likes school Miss Winward, so why are you dressed so weird with toilet paper hanging out of your pants?" Yeah, not a great costume.
The next year I dressed up as a witch and spray-painted my hair black. When the kids came in to the classroom I said (in a witch voice), "Come in my little pretties." Well, that was also a bad idea. I had kids burst into tears! I am not kidding, full on crying. I removed my hat and everything and they still wouldn’t come near me.
The next year I decided to play it safe and dress up as Jan Brady. I had the greatest pink polyester suit outfit and long blond wig. I looked dang groovy if you asked me. Well, bomb again. When the kids saw me, they asked me who I was. When I said Jan Brady they said, "Who is she?" Obviously, the Brady Bunch reruns aren't on as much as I thought. ;-)
Now, I am not going to bore you to death with every costume story of mine (and I have quite a few), but I have to say I thought I covered my bases this year.
When my 1st grade co-workers were discussing wearing similar costumes I perked up. We ended up saying a witch costume of sorts. I spoke with a friend of mine and she said she had a great costume for me to use. I ran over to her house and she handed me the Evil Queen costume from Snow White. Perfect I thought, a Disney character. The kids will not only know the story of Snow White but all of them would be able to recognize my costume......right.....WRONG!!! MANY (not all--thank goodness) students, co-workers, parents and staff kept calling me Magnificent from Sleeping Beauty, instead of the Evil Queen from Snow White. Some even asked me who I was suppose to be!?!?! Well, so much for the perfect costume.....thanks goodness it is another 365 days before I have to wear another one!!!


Me trying to look mean....

Making ones face white is harder than it looks!!! It took me almost an hour and half to get my paint to look like this....and it still wasn't perfect.

The little piece of fabric dangling from my head made me itch ALL day long!!!


At least this year the kids weren't afraid of me.....



Thanks Tina for letting me borrow your costume! You are the best!!!