Grandma's Halloween

Halloween! I love Halloween. I don’t love Halloween because it’s scary or because I like to dress up as somebody odd. I love Halloween because I’m a grandma.

I love Halloween because I got to dress up my granddaughter when she was little. One year she was Tinkerbell. I made that costume and am proud of it. One year she was an upscale witch. We went to a resale shop and found a fancy, tiny, formal dress that, combined with a witch’s hat and a broom, made my granddaughter the best dressed witch in the west. One year she wanted to be an M and M.

Hum. Made that costume, but had a bit of a hitch while ironing it for the final presentation on Oct. 31. That’s when son walked by and made the comment, “Uh mom, you got the M on backwards.” Oops. Had to start from scratch.

And that’s why I love Halloween. It’s called grandchildren.

Being a grandma is the greatest job in the world. I, and other grandparents, have noticed that parents do not understand this attitude. Parents are just happy when the grandparents agree to take on the child overnight, or longer. We grandparents tell them that they will change their attitude in the future, when the parents become grandparents themselves. They don’t believe us. But, without exception and I mean WITHOUT EXCEPTION, every parent I know who became a grandparent has recognized that new attitude.

“It’s a whole new world.” Yes it is.

Now, however, my grandchildren are all grown up, and I don’t even want to know what they do on Halloween. That might really scare me. But they have children of their own now. Unfortunately, most of them are too far away to come visit this great-grandma.

And the one who lives near, my 2-year-old great-grandson Jarek, has a closely related grandma. That is my Darling Daughter. Darling Daughter has discovered the greatest job in the world. She loves being a grandma. Darling Daughter likes to be called Grams. And Grams has discovered the joy of Halloween – the grandchild.

I got this text this week (only slightly edited) from Darling Daughter, otherwise known as Grams:  “Jarek is going trick-or-treating. He will be coming to your house. I will be there. How exciting!!! I have to get stuff to give him. I’m happy happy happy!”

No doubt I am going to be in big trouble for reporting the above, but it was so cute I couldn’t resist. I can still be proud of my Darling Daughter, especially now that she’s a grandma.

But hey. I have plans too. It’s called Halloween on Elm Street. It’s from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday in Sallisaw. And I will be there. I will be there at the Friends of the Library booth and maybe even hang out a little with the KXMX gang who will also have a booth. Now I’m excited. Because I plan to tell every little kid who comes by, dressed up as an M and M, or a witch, or Tinkerbelle, that this grandma thinks they are the greatest and have the best costume ever! And Grandma wishes them Happy Halloween. And, I hear Jarek plans to stop by too. Woohoo!