So I grew up one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and just last September at 38 years old I left the religion along with my wife. We didn’t celebrate Halloween because it was just too soon, though we did do Thanksgiving with some families that were awesome and took us in as one of their own since ours shuns us now. We skipped Christmas too.
Fast forward to now and my wife is super excited about Halloween. She has always wanted to dress up and get into it. I celebrated until I was about 8 and my parents became JWs, at which point all holidays went away. I don’t know if I liked it or not, but at this point in life I’m quite an introvert. I hate audience participation in anything. I’m the person that tries not to be seen, not to stand out, and getting into costume or playing a character doesn’t do anything for me. All I ever wanted was to just be me, and now that I’m out of that cult I finally can. I’ve never liked fiction books much, hated comic books, don’t care about movies, if it isn’t real I have a hard time getting into it.
I want to support my wife and attend Halloween parties with her. I do not want to get into some character or costume. I get why some do, but I don’t have that program loaded on my hard drive.
I can’t be the only person like this. So, are there people that go to Halloween parties that aren’t dressed up? Or if nothing else, what level of “not dressed up” can I get away with? I thought I could do maybe a shirt that looks Halloween-y with a scary pumpkin on it or skeleton or something, maybe buy an led lined hat or tie or something, and call it a day. Will I be totally out of place as a boring guy that doesn’t truly get into it? Heck, I can’t even eat the good candy as I’m lactose intolerant, lol, so no chocolate for me.
Bottom line is I don’t want to stand out in costume, but I don’t want to stand out too badly out of costume and just come in my regular attire. I want to play along and have fun, but at a much lower level than I guess I think most people want.
Just wear your regular clothes and kitty ears/dealie boppers on your head. Done and done. Or OR, Just carry a copy of The Watchtower around. That should be plenty scary.
I’m like you. The last Halloween party I went to, I wore regular cloths. About 1/3 of the party did likewise, and the other 2/3 went all out. I was fine with it.
I think the most I would do is wear a hat or themed t-shirt. (but not both)
Oh wow, I can already see that I built it up into something in my head that it isn’t. I pictured everyone in amazing costumes and me looking stupid in the corner. Lol, the things you don’t know when you grow up like we did.
@snfaulkner - I did throw out the idea of dressing as our former selves. Cult members are creepy on a level. I just don’t think I could ever bring myself to be that person again, and I certainly wouldn’t choose to pretend to be. I have revulsion to the thought.
I had a friend who once wore a cardboard sign around his neck, and went in regular clothes, that said, “Costume Fail.” Quite a few people thought it was a hoot.
Do you have a brown suit? Wear that and spike up your hair and go as the Ancient Aliens guy.
I’m with you. I enjoy lots of aspects about Halloween, but dressing up isn’t one of them. You’d be fine in either a Halloween themed shirt or a very basic costume. I picked up a black and white referee shirt and wore that with black pants for years.
Don’t be fooled by portrayals of Halloween costumes in movies and on TV. They have costume designers to create the costumes and they are far more elaborate than anything real people wear.
I recommend dressing as something simple and obvious. If you don’t want attention, don’t dress as something people have to ask you about. Wear an eye patch and plastic cutlass on your belt, and you’re a pirate - it’s just enough that you won’t feel self-conscious if everyone else is dressed up, but not so much that people will notice you.
Stay at home & hand out candy. And Don’t Be A Jerk about it! Smile! Tell the kids that their costumes are amazing. Give out candy generously & wave hellos to the parents on the sidewalk.
You can do this! Its not that hard & you can even catch some Monday Night Football plays between when the doorbell rings.
And if its really important to your wife to be able to dress you up… Let Her! But when you go to bed after, don’t take it off.
(You will SO Thank Me…!)
We’re actually going to visit friends and fellow former JWs in Austin on the 31st. They said that Austin is really into Halloween so I just want to blend in as we do whatever people in Austin do for Halloween, lol.
We do have one party prior to the 31st that we were invited to. I think that’s the one my wife was really looking forward to. She’s not planning on packing much of a costume for the flight down to Austin, but she wants to have fun at the party.
I’ll probably go with a shirt and a light up hoodie like this (without the mask, as I can’t see how a mask and glasses mesh well together and I do have to see):
or this:
I don’t know, but something fun that lights up but that isn’t too crazy and that I don’t have to explain.
Just another suggestion to consider, based on your “if it isn’t real I’m not into it” comment.
You could research the real history and original meanings of Halloween, and participate as the realist historian representative for it. You might find, instead of a costume per se, perhaps something which illustrates the true stuff about Hallowe’en.
Speaking of mouths, you and your wife can get some realistic fangs and put them in for the night. They do pop in and out if you want to eat. I did these one year with a vampire costume and people flipped! Scarecrow Small Deluxe Fangs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RUJJAU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_tpW8xbCN58CAN
I would add that if you’re invited to a party, you can always ask the host what’s expected of you. I suspect most will say it’s fine not to wear a costume.
@ZipperJJ - I like that light up mouthpiece. Pretty cool. Would go nicely with the other things I’ve picked out.
I’m sure that our hosts for the party are fine if I come as I am, but I just don’t want to be the one guy that isn’t as into it as everyone else, and from what I’m gathering so far there are likely to be others. I just hate feeling alone. For most of my life I was the kid that stood out as different for being a JW, then as an adult I still stood out in many ways due to it. I just don’t like a lot of attention.
IMHO your costume idea is awful given the above statement. I’d recommend something simple but obvious.
[ul]
[li]Do you have a set of scrubs? Everyone knows a doctor when they see one. [/li][li]Do you have a white smock, scissors & a comb? Everyone knows a barber when they see one. [/li][li]Do you have a suit & a briefcase? Write “Lawyer” or IRS Auditor" on the side of it.[/li][li]If you want to spend a little, you can get a prisoner/B&W stripes costume for < $30.[/li][/ul]
People won’t know what you are with the light up costume & that will draw attention to you & lots of, “So what are you?” comments.
If you go to the Army/Navy store, you can get a used set of ACU (the current desert and basic training uniform) pretty cheap, and also get some used boots. You won’t have a nametag with your name, but since it’s a costume, you can buy one with someone else’s nametag still on it. Or you might have time to get a name tag in time, or just go without one.
The uniform is extremely comfortable, and it is camouflage, after all, so you won’t stick out like someone with a really flamboyant costume.
The scrubs are a really good idea as well, and you can buy scrubs at a nurse’s uniform shop. Then, you can get a kid’s doctor’s kit for a toy stethoscope, and blood pressure cuff that you can stuff in one pocket. Scrubs are really comfortable as well.
With either of these, you won’t feel like you are wearing a costume.
Or you could do what my husband claims he is going to do, and wear dress pants, a white shirt with a nametag, and a skinny tie, and go as a Mormon. I told him he should also wear a bicycle helmet. He claims he won’t be making fun of Mormons, but referencing a popular Broadway musical. :rolleyes:
I keep one of these around for when the spirit (sorry) just isn’t there. Do a Google on t-shirt halloween costume and you will see a lot of various options.
