Halloween Round Up

There's a yearly tradition round our way: on the afternoon of Halloween when the businesses of downtown Davis hand out sweeties to trick-or-treaters, my mother and I (and sometimes my father too) sit outside the coffee shop and silently judge admire the costumes.



Here's what I now know:

• Elsa is over. Last year, Frozen was hot. This year we only saw one little pale-blue princess. (But there's still nothing more adorable than a tiny bedraggled princess with sugar all round her mouth.) 
• Unicorns are in: fluffy or otherwise. 
• Notorious RBG is this year's Bernie Sanders. (What can I tell you? It's California.)
• Everyone agrees Trump is no laughing matter. Good.

Also, I've got a new hot tip for a Halloween costume for a tiny baby. Put it in a plant pot in a brown romper with palm fronds stuck to its head. Cute and easy to carry!

And of course we were judging, Ranking, even. My second favourite costumes of all (adult division) are the superhero ones in XXXXL sizes. I love to see what Precious Ramotswe calls "a lady of traditional build" decked out as Wonderwoman or Elastogirl and looking extra-fabulous. Take that, body fascists.

But my absolute favourite costumes of all are the "is he or isn't he" ones. This being the People's Republic of Davis, there are a few . . . how can I put it . . . differently normal folk around every day of the year. I love it when someone walks along the street on Halloween and everyone catches everyone else's eye and wonders "Halloween costume? Or just Davis?"

This year we shared the coffeeshop sidewalk area with a woman who might have been dressed up as The Spirit of California or might just have been living her best life. Then there were the two sharply-suited guys in sunglasses, talking on their phones who strode purposefully by. Men In Black? Or just men. In black. We'll never know.


Happy All Souls Day, everyone. And let the pumpkins roll.