Keep adult costumes kid-friendly for trick-or-treating

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 31/10/2024 (693 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: We’re young parents, and we’re going out trick-or-treating on Halloween night for the first time with our small kids. Problem is, we’re in disagreement as to whether the parents should dress up, too.

My husband is a big kid and loves wearing scary masks and costumes. He clearly misses trick-or-treating himself, but he’s tall with a loud voice, and I think he’d be too scary in costume even for our own kids, never mind others. We do, however, have a silly black-and-white dog mask with spots, and a tail he could wear, rather than his favoured spookier getups.

Should parents chaperoning kids out door-to-door on Halloween night also dress up, or not?

— Too Scary? River Heights

Dear Too Scary: Little people in their costumes really may not like to encounter big people in scary costumes out on their Halloween route, as they can look quite frightening and intimidating.

However, you could go out in more kid-friendly costumes — and your husband could definitely go the silly, spotted-dog route.

Your kids might love it! Save the scary adult costumes for adult parties, where people in attendance will be amused and snapping photos, not bursting into tears!

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: Not all witches fly on brooms. Every year at Halloween, visions of my ex-partner — a “witch” who swindled me out of tons of money and property — come back to haunt me.

The nightmares are prompted by the late-October anniversary of finding out just how much she’d taken me for — six digits. She’s living high on the hog now, and I wish her the worst.

— Annual Freak-Out, Transcona

Dear Annual Freak Out: This woman from your past got much more than your money. She also got an annual occasion all about her, where you gnash your teeth and bemoan things all over again. She already lives rent-free in your head! Don’t let her get your soul too.

You need to know other people hate listening to the kind of anger and hatred you’re spewing, even if they make an attempt at sympathy, at first.

It’s time to stop “paying” over and over again with your anger. This Halloween, take a vow to go for some much-needed therapy. No one’s asking you to forgive this ex; just to finally get her out of your head and free yourself up to live the rest of your life.

Start this week by asking people you trust — close friends, your physician — to recommend the best counsellors they know. Assure them you’re finally going to take yourself in for repair. They’ll be relieved you’re working to stop complaining to them.

The best news? You could feel much happier by year’s end and as a result make some new friends and maybe even find new love. Just don’t introduce yourself to new people as the victim of a swindle. It turns off the good people, and turns on the bad people who think you may still be just as gullible and could be a good mark!

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: Talk about ghosts, my ex-wife — a ghoul if there ever was one — has moved back to our old high school neighbourhood, where I moved after the breakup. She works in a popular spot nearby that everybody frequents.

It creeps me out when I see her, and I swear the woman is everywhere I go. She really gets around in this little neighbourhood, but every time I run into her, she gives me a prissy little nod and just moves on. It’d be more honest, if she pitched her purse at me!

She acts like she can’t stand talking to me, and yet she came back to live in this area and is “running into me” constantly. I sometimes wonder if she has a network of neighbourhood spies. Is that even possible?

— Frustrated Ex, Charleswood

Dear Frustrated Ex: Don’t flatter yourself by thinking she came back for you. It was her old stomping ground, too. She may have moved back because it’s a place of comfort for her, close to work or it fits her budget.

It seems your ex-wife is over you now, but your anger says you’re not over her! It’s time you got used to her being in your general neighbourhood, and started looking for a new mate from a different area to take up your attention and time.

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6.

Maureen Scurfield
Advice columnist

Maureen Scurfield writes the Miss Lonelyhearts advice column.

   Read full biography