Halloween Plans! by DL Larson

The Children's Department of my library has been transformed. It now has the ghoulish look of an abandoned building. The windows are blacked out, cobwebs abound across every book case and an influx of spiders has encroached on the area. In other words, we're ready to have some fun.

Our Teen Advisory Board decided to host a haunted house. It's called 'The Abandoned Library Walk-Thru.' We have creepy music, including Marilyn Manson stuff - G rated, yet full of creeking, moaning and eery sounds. We have a fogger ready to disorient our guests, but the most exciting is the large strobe light. If only I had dug that out of my supply box first, none of the other props would have been necessary. As we set up last night, we had to take strobe-light run throughs, which meant turn off all the lights and dance around to the flashing, jarring light. I have to admit, the hippy girl in me enjoyed it immensely and I busted a move or two. I'm thinking the kink in my neck this morning may have something to do with that.

We have all our props ready for the adult section upstairs and will finish that area on Friday before our event begins. The weather has threatened to be soggy if not darn right wet and cold, so we opted to leave our back entrance for our guests to wait in case of inclement weather, which is all we've had in the midwest lately. We've sent out numerous flyers around town and take home notes to school kids. We decided to charge $1/person with all the proceeds going to our local Helping Hands. All we need to do now is get our costumes ready.

The kids don't need any help in that area, they have too many ideas and struggled in deciding what they really wanted to be. I am wearing a hockey mask and something black with a cape. I don't want my little friends to think I actually had anything to do with this project. I want "Mrs. Deb" to hear about it rather than be visible to them and have them become afraid of me. I got this idea from a school teacher friend of mine. She's taught for over twenty years and said the kids loved telling her about their Halloween program, thinking she hadn't attended because they never recognized her in her costume. She's a clever woman, a little devious too.

Halloween night is another costume change. My family has decided we all need to be pirates for trick or treating! There are seven of us and I will undoubedly be the oldest and scraggliest-looking one who refused to cough up a lot of money for her attire. I'd rather spend my booty on more worthy endeavors - like candy, and drinks, and supper.

What are your plans for this Halloween? Are you hosting a party? Going to one? Hitting the streets with your little ones? How about a costume? What's the child in you want to be this year?

Share your Halloween plans with us!

Til next time ~

DL Larson
www.DLLARSON.com