Halloween Reflections

At expectation, I went to a couple of Halloween parties Saturday night.   I made the following observations:

1.) The Halloween crowd on public transit is less scary and more interesting than the usual crowd.

2.) Despite point one, the solitary, uncostumed elderly gentleman on the bus wanted to be my new BFF and chatted me up.  Halloween or not, I struggle with ignoring people with whom I do not want to be friends.  I generally don’t like strangers, but that seems rude.  I often remember too late to pretend I don’t speak English and just reply in Russian. 

3.) As a child, how my costume would work with appropriate outerwear was a HUGE consideration.  As an adult, how annoying my costume will be in a crowd is my primary consideration.  (This year I went for an easily removeable costume – win! – which I removed after the novelty wore off…and when I went to the bathroom.)

Piggyata

 

Piggyata

Piñatas make parties better. That’s a lesson I learned when I was a kid (last summer).  The idea of being encouraged to hit something you can’t see, to yield a reward of raining candy is pretty much just a recipe for awesome.  I began the great journey of bringing piñatas to my current stage of life (kid at heart) after my first Baconalia! party, when the make-and-take craft option proved to be a hit.  I was a bit uncertain about the potential of a bacon-shaped piñata, but a pig one seemed appropriate – and easier to find, if I wanted to buy (versus make) this wonder.  When I coined the term “piggyata,” the potential for wordplay the presence of a pig piñata became a sure thing. 

Bottlecaps Candy “Care” Packages

As referenced here and here, I recently made some packages for a couple of my friends.  The nearly identical packages took me MONTHS to complete.  It required over 100 (beer) bottlecaps, which you know, is a lot of beer – roughly a cap for every pound that I weigh.  I saved my bottlecaps and also collected them at some parties, as though they were favors.  One of my hosts even gave me a Ziploc to bring them home in, as I was wearing a dress which lacked pockets.    

A couple of my friends and I are big fans of Bottlecaps candy, mostly because it is delicious.  Here is what they received:  

Finished Products

  

 Here is the process of their creation:  

Resolved: Time > Novelty

The next Baconalia! is fast approaching.  Have you RSVP’ed?  In addition to offering a make-and-take craft opportunity at Baconalia II I also decided that we needed a PARTY GAME.  You know, because we’re clearly twelve.   Thus, enter THE PIGGYATA.  As per the norm, ‘piggyata’ is a term that I’m pretty sure I made up.*  It’s a pig pinata, which I am going to fill with bacon and pig themed treats.  Well, as much as I can.  I realized after totally committing to the plan that bacon isn’t exactly the ideal pinata filler, so I branched out to include pig stuff and well, there will probably be a late run to the corner store for some mini Snickers.  I’ll make it work.

Initially I was considering making my own piggyata, out of balloons and papier mache.  I’d paint it, give it a snout with a dixie cup, some google eyes, a pipecleaner tail, etc.  Then, ha-ha, I sure reconsidered that.   Um, I’m recommitting to supporting America’s economy.

*Piggyata(TM) ?