FRAZIER: Costumes trump candy at Halloween

Published 4:00 am Saturday, October 30, 2021

It was never the candy that made me excited about Halloween. It was the costumes that made it fun.

Playing dress-up was something I liked doing as a child, and Halloween was just one more reason to slather on red lipstick. The thought of going as a goblin or ghoul was totally out of the question. I always erred on the side of the feminine and exotic.

One year, I created a geisha girl costume, headdress and all. I was so proud of my design. Thinking back, I must have looked a sight wearing a coat hanger on my head that had a bracelet hanging from it.

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Don’t laugh, it was the best I could come up with to recreate an elaborate hair ornament.

Ah yes, those were the good old days, when children came up with a costume by scouring their home for sheets and hats and old shoes, or when mothers would stitch up a cute little outfit.

As a young mom, it was all the rage with my friends to create and design hand-made costumes for our kids.

One year, my friend Corin Morrison spent no telling how many hours making a Mickey and Minnie Mouse costume for her son and daughter. She did an amazing job and the kids looked adorable.

I guess mothers now could just order them off Amazon.

Back in the day, my friends and I would also host neighborhood Halloween parties. It was geared towards the children, but we adults had a good time, too.

One year, a parent rigged up a four-wheeler and trailer with hay that was used to carry the little ones from house to house.

And for any parent who has ever taken their young child trick-or-treating, you know the challenge of keeping them from digging out the piece of candy that was dropped in their bag.

How many times did we have to say, “Come on. Let’s go to the next house. You can eat it when you get home.”

As a child and as a mother, Halloween was always a magical time, and it still is. While I don’t go door to door anymore, I do love decorating my house with witches and pumpkins and handing out treats when the doorbell rings.

The best part, of course, is seeing all the costumes.

Maybe I should wear some red lipstick this year.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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