By Nathan Marchand
October 30, 2015
Me as Captain America blocking an attack from Catwoman at a Halloween dance party last week.
I love Halloween.
There are some Christians who might stone me—proverbially speaking, of course—for saying that. Many believers won’t have anything to do with the holiday because they can’t get past its occult origins. I can understand that…and yet I can’t. See, if you dig into the history of any major holiday, you’ll discover that it had unsavory beginnings until the Church “Christianized” it. Even Christmas and Easter, which Christians love.
Growing up, Halloween was always a fun time. I remember when my Mom first explained to me at age three or four what trick or treating was: “You go to people’s houses and they give you candy.” I couldn’t believe it. She added that I had to wear a costume when I did it. That excited me even more. I wanted to be a pirate.
Mom made me a clown.
I hated it. The obnoxious make-up; the goofy outfit. I did not feel awesome. I have distinct memories of washing the red dye out of my hair in the shower.
Next year I got to be a pirate. And there was much rejoicing.
As the years passed, my siblings and I went through many different costumes, most of them handmade. I was Super Mario, a dinosaur, and Mega Man, among other things. Even after I stopped trick-or-treating, I’d escort my younger siblings in costume. I wore my Dad’s military-issue fatigues a few times; I was Zorro once. Even then, people still gave me candy, which I gladly accepted.
As the years went on, my activities and costumes changed. When I was in college, the school held an annual Harvest Carnival (being a Christian college, they didn’t want to call it a “Halloween party”) in the gymnasium. Everyone from the neighborhood was invited to come. There were carnival games for the kids, and I was in charge of one of them. Thanks to thrift stores, I was able to assemble an Indiana Jones costume. (I did have to borrow the hat from a classmate.) My partner at the game was a friend dressed as a picnic. She definitely won most original costume, I’d say.
My Mom was looking at old Halloween photos of my siblings and me as kids and remarked that it was those early days that got me into cosplay. I think she’s right. Even as an adult, I still have costumes and look for excuses to wear them, even if it’s not Halloween. Heck, I even put together a bad Joker outfit for a series of YouTube videos a few years ago. Beyond that, I currently have costumes for Captain America, Superman, Captain Kirk, and the 10th Doctor, all of which I’ve worn to Halloween parties, conventions, and even a wedding. There’s something fun and wonderful about taking on a new persona and “playing pretend,” even as an adult. It gives you a chance to exercise your imagination and entertain others.
Maybe next year I’ll dress up as a Children of the Wells character. Any suggestions? 😛
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