Halloween – Zach Sports a Squirrel Costume

Halloween was delayed in our area because of the freak snowstorm two days earlier. Since the trees were still full of leaves and we had a foot of wet snow, trees and power lines were downed everywhere. The towns in our area as a group decided to move celebrating Halloween to Friday because it just wasn’t safe on Monday for children to be out walking around.

Kids seemed to fine with this plan - trick or treating with vigor on Friday. Our neighborhood always gets lots of trick or treaters and this year we again had a big crowd.

Zach looked adorable in this squirrel costume. This is a home made creation thought up and made by my daughter, Fran, and my husband, Hugh. The starting base was a plain gray sweat suit which can now be worn all winter. Fran and I went to the craft store, Michael’s, and she bought this cotton mesh and my husband painted it with a blend of white and brown tempura paint. He applied several coats in streaks until he was satisfied that it had the proper squirrel look. He sewed grey felt ears to a grey sock cap and Fran topped off the costume with face painting the whiskers and nose. Zach was the cutest squirrel I ever saw!  And yes, he loves nuts!


Zach is only two years old but he got to trick or treat in three neighborhoods. First, he visited neighbors at the condo complex where he lives. They don’t get many trick or treaters but they were prepared for Zach and everyone he visited had a treat for him. Next he visited his other grandparents to show off his costume and delight their neighbors. By the time he got to our neighborhood he was an old pro at trick or treating and had a full plastic pumpkin with his treats.  But he had his last round visiting our neighbors.  What fun!


I snapped these pictures at the end of all this. For the next hour Zach played and went with me or his Mom to greet the Trick or Treaters.  He really enjoyed having so many kids come to the house in costume. I always offer small containers of play doh to young children and this is a super hit. The kids always leave my porch holding it up to show parents saying “I got play doh.” Parents love it too – something that isn’t candy.  Zach also likes these litte containers of play doh - I highly recommend them for Halloween.



Zach had two pieces of candy and wanted another treat from his loot but his Mom was worried about sugar overload. His neighbor, Linda had given him two bananas and so his Mom offered him a banana from his pumpkin. Good news. A banana satisfied the squirrel’s desire for one of his treats.



Although I always have plenty of Hershey chocolate bars, I have found that lollipops are the favorite treat for many kids. That’s right – lollipops. I offer the good ones – Charms, tootsie roll and blow pops and they disappeared as quickly as I could add them to the basket.  Lollipops provide some variety to the most common chocolate candy. As Zach studied what kids were choosing, he, of course, wanted a lollipop and so the last candy treat of the night was a lollipop from Grandma.



I must say that my daughter and husband make a great Halloween costume team.  Last year's "pile of Leaves" costume was a major hit.  I can’t wait to see what they come up with next year.  Here's the link to last year's Halloween report.

How "A Pile of Leaves" Had a Happy Halloween and Reminds Me of a "Fairy Godmother"

Marion