A fun Halloween party with no costumes and golf carts instead of hay rides
This past Halloween is now my new favorite for many reasons.
We had an early Halloween party the Sunday the weather was unseasonably warm. We played corn hole, painted on canvas and took golf cart rides instead of hay rides.
Most everyone had plans for dressing up for other parties or on the actual day of Halloween. So, costumes were discouraged so the kids could run and play without worry of getting dirty and ruining anything.
Reminiscing, my most memorable Halloween costume in elementary school was dressing up as the old man from a skit on “Laugh-In” featuring the comedian, Arte Johnson.
Arte played an old man who would sit down on a park bench next to an old woman played by Ruth Buzzi. The old man would lean in and whisper into the old woman’s ear. The woman, appearing shocked and upset, wallops the old geezer with her purse multiple times.
My friend Chris played the part of the old woman to the hilt. Being a future fellow softball player, she had quite the arm at the time and she landed a few direct hits to my head. Chris claimed the purse was empty. I’m not so sure.
Another costume idea came from a long-shot ploy that became a marketing hit for the California raisin industry in the 1980s, using animated raisins singing Marvin Gaye's Motown hit “I Heard It Through The Grapevine.”
I had short, dark spiky hair then. I made a purple raisin costume and a friend dressed as my agent. She is tall. I am short. We had a blast acting our parts that night.
Mom asked me if I had any idea what she could be for Halloween this year. She didn’t think my answer was funny when I suggested she dress up as an old woman. I got the last laugh.
Hailey, the activity director at Marian Place, sent me a picture with mom in a long blond wig. When I saw it, I knew I had the perfect costume idea for her. Dressing up as a famous old woman.
For Christmas last year, our daughter in-law made mom a yellow sweatshirt with Betty White’s silhouette in black on the front with the words “Still Golden” in script below it. It is really cute, unique and one of a kind; just like mom.
Mom paired the wig with black jeans, a black turtleneck, and bright red lipstick. She looked 20 years younger and ready to hit the streets again. I mean, the Marian Place Halloween party.
Mom looked so cute and comical. The first thing I thought when I saw her with the wig on was how much she resembled a blonde Irene Ryan with her hair down when she played the part of Granny Clampet on the "Beverly Hillbillies."
When I showed mom’s Halloween picture to a few people, I heard various remarks such as, “Oh, my” or “Do I know her?” One bold gentleman said “I'd walk her home.” He better hang on to his hat. Mom is spunky for her age.
My cousin Nicholas dressed as honest Abe Lincoln this year. Nicholas is a smart, dark haired, handsome young man. More importantly, he is a truthful and an honest young man. If Nicholas ever decides to run for President, he has my vote. I'll even campaign door-to-door for him. Fly banners from my front porch and stick 10-foot signs in my yard for him. Nicholas has what it takes to be President. Integrity.
For now, Nicholas lent his presidential sized hat to his grandfather, my Uncle Butch. Uncle Butch is not running for President but campaigning for the fictional position of Mayor of Ida under the campaign slogan, "Vote for Honest Glen." His campaign photo shows him wearing Honest Abe's hat, hands aside gesturing the peace sign.
I do love an honest man pushing for peace.
Rita Zorn is a wife, mother, grandmother and lifetime Monroe County resident. She can be reached at 7.noniez@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: A Halloween party with no costumes, golf carts instead of hay rides
