“Life Lessons…one Disney Movie Line at a time.â€
“Aren’t you broads a little old to be trick or treating?”
 So I admit that I have Peter Pan Syndrome. I am a huge kid at heart and never want to grow up. Sure, I have two boys, a job, a mortgage and I’m very responsible but that doesn’t mean I’m not a silly, goofy ole gal. The inner child in me loves to throw a good party.
I am an uber party planner. I go to great lengths to make sure all of the minute details are handled – you know the ones – the ones that only I’d notice. I love the holidays because it is a great excuse to decorate and plan a party. I love Thanksgiving and all the amazing food that comes with it (although it seems I’m now at the age where my body doesn’t like cholesterol and my doctor suggests I make some dietary changes – well pooh).  I love decorating for Christmas. Each year I spend hours putting up my Disney Christmas tree, saying “hello†and catching up with all my Disney ornaments. You’ve seen “Toy Storyâ€, right?   I like to think my ornaments as great friends hanging out playing cards or something until time to come out of the box for Christmas (yes – I am a little weird). Of course, there is there’s nothing better than watching my boys on Christmas morning. Those are fun times and magical memories that I’ll treasure forever.
Although there is no comparison to the heartfelt joy of Thanksgiving and Christmas, I also love Halloween. It’s the time of the year that I can break out my Tinker Bell outfit without getting too many strange looks (and God willing I don’t pop any seams). Halloween is more of a stress free holiday without lots of family drama over whose stuffing recipe is the best. There’s no stress over giving the perfect gifts, maxing out credit cards or going a little nuts fighting over the last Turbo Man doll in town. There is only one thing on the shopping list – candy.Â
I think Halloween parties are great fun to plan and attend. I owe my fondness of this to my Great Uncle and Aunt. Their adult only Halloween parties were the talk of our small town. We had haunted trails through the woods and only allowed one person to travel the path at a time. If that wasn’t enough, a haunted house waited at the end of the trail. The scavenger hunts took you through three neighborhoods. The homemade costumes were way cool.
Then I moved to Athens, GA where I continued on the tradition. A friend of mine owned a recording studio in an old historic house. It was the perfect setting for parties attended by some incredible musicians. We went all out on the decorations. One year we stuffed a pair of overalls (that had somehow had been left behind at the studio by Michael Stipe of REM) and turned it into a headless motorcycle rider chasing a witch flying through the air. Yep – the motorcycle was real. We would have used a horse but he was always booked for the “Boo To You Parade†at the Magic Kingdom.
Now that I have kids, the themes of my Halloween parties have changed a bit but the attention to details has not. A couple of years ago, I recreated Pixie Hollow for the annual Trunk-N-Treat event at our church. I took the usual car trunk up a few (bunch) notches by bringing it outside with a tailgate tent. I left off the canopy and used the frame to fly my fairies. Everything was super sized down to the butterflies and big paper flowers I made. I dressed up as Tinker Bell and handed out Pixie Stix, of course! My friend still laughs about the plastic pumpkin I won by taking first prize.
For now, my boys get a kick out of the things I do. But I know that there will come a time when I will embarrass them. Will that stop me? Heck no! In my heart I’ll be forever young and this old broad will never be too old to Trick or Treat. Remember, no matter how busy you are, take the time to be silly – laugh – play and enjoy these times with your children. These are precious times and life doesn’t give you a second chance to dress up and go door-to-door with your little pirates & princesses.
Have a safe and spooktacular Halloween! BOO! (Oh – I scared myself)
Written by fellow Disney Mom & dear friend: Allison V. Allison is a proud member of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel. She is not a Disney employee. The postings on this site are her own and do not necessarily represent Disney’s positions or opinions.
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