The Beth Lists
  • Homepage
  • Little Bear's Adventures
  • Diverse Dining List
  • 90 Notable Nights
  • Happy List
  • Quilt Adventure Blog
  • Not So Happy List
  • The Texas Twenty List
  • Mom's Picnic List
  • 18+ Dance Adventures
  • 55 Strangers
  • The Barbie Bucket List
  • 60 Celebrations
  • 57 Celebrations of the Fifties!
 Quilt Adventures

Costumes and The Quilt

10/31/2014

0 Comments

 

Dress-ups
​
​
When I was recently hunting through old "dress ups" in search of a costume for a Halloween party, I was reminded that we're never too old for costumes!
Picture
If my husband and I were able to laugh that hard as we joked around with old wigs and masks and hats (that his mom had kept) well then it would work for the Quilt groups!

Masks

We talked about how downright creepy masks can be. I shared an odd assortment of flat masks that cover just the top half of the face.
Picture
There's something incredibly eerie about recognizing the mouth and voice... and then noticing the eyes peering out from those tiny holes on the paper mask. 
​
Politically Correct?
​

Picture
These old molded masks are pretty spooky, too.  Some of us remembered how ridiculously hot these things were to wear!  We debated about the Indian mask and how appropriate it would be to wear that today.  I wasn't surprised that quite a few could see no harm, where others had concerns about the painted face and the mean image.  

Costumes, Then and Now
​

Picture
We wondered what costumes kids used to wear... that we don't see anymore. There aren't many gypsies trick-or-treating these days.  We figured we wouldn't see Roy Rogers at the door or a scarecrow or a "tramp".   We wondered what costumes we see today that we wouldn't have seen 40 years ago. "Barrack Obama!" was one answer.  ​

A Princess or Two!
​

Picture

There are some costumes that seem to show up every year.  We still see witches and maybe even a ghost or a Superman now and then.  
And there's always at least one princess!

What Could You Be?
​

Picture
We tried to be inspired by picking up just a pair of gloves or a scarf or glasses. How can one thing transform you into another character?

Homemade Costumes
​

And we remembered when kids' costumes were simple and homemade.  You didn't buy a sword or a broom to add to your costume.  You made it from cardboard or searched the closets till you found something to use.
Picture


Trick-or-Treating?
​
​
I was so curious with some of the older folks, or the quilt group members who didn't grow up in the States.  I wasn't sure how many even had memories of going door to door in costumes.
 My most surprising answer was from Ken, who was a young boy growing up in the Bronx in the 1930's.  No, he didn't remember going door to door on Halloween.  "But I remember dressing up in poor looking clothing and knocking on doors asking if they had food."   Since I know Ken wasn't really poor I asked. "Did you feel a little guilty about that, Ken?"  ​
Picture


Ragamuffin Day
​

Picture
"Of course not!" Ken explained.  All the kids did it.  His daughter was visiting and helped us with her internet search. What a surprise!  I never realized there was a tradition like this, actually on Thanksgiving.  I read later that it was often called Ragamuffin Day.

Scary Music
​
Picture
I always have to add some music to the group, so we enjoyed a few recorded tunes.  Some staff members at the Assisted Living home were happy to dance a little to Thriller and I was surprised that 90 year old, June could recognize the music to Psycho.  I was equally surprised that some of my Spanish speaking crowd at the Center recognized Phantom of the Opera.

Eerie Melodica Sounds

​
My last group at the Skilled Nursing Facility met on the patio because the weather was heavenly.  The balmy air attracted some folks I might not have had otherwise.  There were more wheelchairs and caregivers and family members than usual... a more varied group than I'm used to.  
Picture
At one point I pulled out this funny organ sounding instrument I bought when I was a kid. I laughed that I wasn't a very skilled musician at 11, but I learned that it didn't take much talent to slowly move fingers over a few clashing notes and you could create some very eerie sounds to scare your siblings. 
 
I slipped back into my childish self and crept around the group, adding a dramatic jolt of organ sound to "scare" my friends.  They were all good at humoring me and   played along.  I came closer to a new gentleman in a wheelchair who had been moaning and thrashing uncomfortably. His wife had been enjoying our theme, but I wasn't sure if I might cause more agitation.  This is when I realize my lack of training.  The dear man wasn't looking at me, but I sensed his mouth turning upward as I got closer.  I decided to risk it and gave him a "jolt" of my silliness!  His reaction was sublet, but sweet.  I could see the distraction had been pleasant for him.  His wife smiled as he became calmer.

What Did I Learn?
​

Picture
I'm realizing now that I may be the generation with the best Trick-or-Treat memories.  My senior groups didn't have as many stories of Halloween as I would have expected.   Traditions are changing.
With concerns of health and safety, there are fewer kids enjoying the old-fashioned fun of going door to door for candy.  If I'm lucky enough to meet great grandchildren someday, I wonder if they'll question me with envy. "Did you really knock on doors and open your bag for candy when you were little?"
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    The Quilt

    For 20+ years children have called it the Magic Quilt.  They've danced and pretended all over these colorful squares.  I've dragged it to schools, shelters and studios where children have climbed on top to hear Magic Quilt  Stories and to act them out.

    I still regularly use the story telling quilt with children at a nearby  Shelter, but 7 years ago I started using the quilt on a table with a group of Alzheimer's  folks.   I was blown away by what these incredible people could share and enjoy, so I started up "Quilt Groups" at other centers.  

    In 2013, motivated by the warmth and generosity of the friends I've made through this quilt, I decided to start taking the quilt with me, when I vacation. So far I have met some wonderful adults and children while traveling and sharing the quilt in Mexico, N. Carolina, Utah, California, Mississippi, Chile, Mexico, Guatemala New Mexico, Bermuda and Honduras.  

    In this blog I will share about some of the adventures I've had near and far with the help of the quilt.  Mostly, I'd like to share some of the things I've learned along the way.

    Archives

    April 2022
    September 2021
    May 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Homepage
  • Little Bear's Adventures
  • Diverse Dining List
  • 90 Notable Nights
  • Happy List
  • Quilt Adventure Blog
  • Not So Happy List
  • The Texas Twenty List
  • Mom's Picnic List
  • 18+ Dance Adventures
  • 55 Strangers
  • The Barbie Bucket List
  • 60 Celebrations
  • 57 Celebrations of the Fifties!