I don't really 'celebrate' Halloween. It's not in my culture (nor religion) and I don't really believe in it. I also don't like the idea of giving children cavities. I mean, how is it that you tell them "not too much candy" on other days, but then shower them with candy on this one day? No wonder they're confused.
Every year towards the end of October though, kids in KeyStage1 (ages 4 to 7) at my children's school gets a letter that they get to wear costumes to school on the very last day of the very last week. The idea of going to school in normal clothes itself excites the children, what more costumes! So for a few weeks in October, I get bugged with costume ideas and whines about why they cant go to school as this, or that.
I try to play it down, make them wear their normal clothes and tell them they are a librarian or an army guy in covert operation so they must be disguised in plainclothes. Last year Anis wore her lacy kebaya from bandung and I stuck a fake plastic crown on her head and told her she's a Malaysian princess.
This year Anis wanted to be a princess again, because (whine) "But Hanna's going to be a princess!!!!". I balked at the idea. I mean.. I dont want her to stereotype herself. I actually thought of getting her a hardhat and make her go as a drilling engineer. But I'm too lazy to go look for a small hardhat.
So looking at stuff I had around the house and her existing clothes, I suggested to Anis that she could be a scarecrow. She was excited enough to not bug me everyday with her "What can I wear? What can I wear?".
She went to school today looking like this:
The overalls, long sleeve t-shirt and hat were all from her closet.
I cut up square pieces from remnants of the baju kurung & dress I made her (I swear, I wont mention it again), and sewed them on the overall and tshirt with exagerrated stitching to look like patches.
I cut up strips from yellow plastic bag, tied them on rubber bands to create 'straw' bracelets for her hands and feet. The same strips of yellow plastic bag were also used to line the hat to make it look like it was filled with straw.
This morning I braided her hair, put some foundation on her face, and drew the scarecrow smile, eyes and nose.
She was so happy!
As I watched her walk to the bus, her friend Hanna was dropped off by her dad. I could hear her scream excitedly to Hanna, "I'm a scarecrow!!"
I hope she has fun in school.
ish. when i see your creativities kan elisa, i doubt i could be as good and exciting a mother as you are, lah...
ReplyDeletebut DO lable your entry as 'costume' ke, 'craft' ke... leh la esok-esok i cedok idea... boleh kan? hehe
okay, sudah tag bukk..
ReplyDeletethat is so creative. I remember our daughter going to school as Robin Hood and won a prize.
ReplyDeleteDuring Christmas, my husband persuaded the youngest not to become one of the wise men. After all he had taken part in many Xmas plays already and shld really stop. But he pujuk my husband - and said, can I become the goat instead?
Kak Teh,
ReplyDeleteHa ha that's so funny.. jadi kambing pun tak per!
Hm.. I wonder what is the hukum for participating in nativity plays.. I guess if it's just for fun and you explain how baby jesus is not really 'God' , it's okay kot.
Kadang2 susah jugak kan.. you want them to participate and have fun, but yet you want to make sure their faith remains intact.
My kids get presents during Santa's Grotto, but I whisper to them that we dont really celebrate christmas and that Santa don't really exists but dont tell your friends coz they might get upset etc etc.. but if someone gives you a present just say thankyou.
:D
Ya, we put a stop at Xmas plays - mula2 susah for them to understand, but I realise that as they grow older and with the understanding of our own religion, Insyaallah, they are okay. They took part - once or twice and after that we said enough,
ReplyDeleteBut in the schools here now where there's more religious tolerance, the school provided a class for muslims who are fasting and get parents to come and give talks to non muslims.
I guess things are changing.
Kak Teh,
ReplyDeleteInternational schools here are not allowed to have any religious classes (for any religion). So they don't really 'celebrate' anything. Cuma benda kecik2 for budak2 kecik (like pakai costume on halloween, presents for christmas), more like an introduction to different cultures. In November ada International Week, where the small kids get to experience different cultures/languages and one day will get to pakai national costumes to school.
Bulan Ramadhan they provide a special place for muslim students to hang out during lunch and tone down PE a bit.
I think as long as we provide a good foundation, Insya-Allah, okay lah diorang, campak kemana2 pun.
29 Syawal 1429
ReplyDeleteSalam
Scarecrow ter'cute' on earth... ever...
Ramli AR
Wa ha ha ha... kreatifnya mama sorang ni! dan rajin...
ReplyDeleteNad & Abg Ramli,
ReplyDelete'Rajin' sebab I malas nak tukar baju, naik bas dan pegi kedai cari barang.
Kalau really creative moms mesti dah pegi cari rafia string buat straw tu nampak lagi real, and maybe beli burung tipu se-ekor to bertenggek on the hat... fake corns/vegetables as hiasan..
sebab malas, anak I pakai plastic bag aje..(agaknya kalau boleh buat baju from plastic bag, I would have!)
memang sebijik cam scarecrow...:)
ReplyDeletewow,sangat cool!
ReplyDeleteanis dah balik sekolah?how was her day in that costume?
maszuzu,
ReplyDeleteLepas letak face make up tu, takut jugak dia nangis tak nak pegi sekolah coz the abang2 dok tease dia, "Oh my God Anis, you're so ugly! You're so scary!", but she was cool aje. She said she really liked the mouth.
Temi,
She's gonna be home in an hour. Can't wait to hear how he day was too!
cuteness!! :)
ReplyDeleteI am so amazed at your creativity..bravo!
ReplyDeletei like the mouth part too!!
ReplyDeleteso how was her day?
Ahhh you Elisa...that was sooo cute and original too.
ReplyDeleteI need help. My children wl be having fancy dress show on 29th nov. Afiq came up with his own version of secret agent. He wl be the MC for the show. Sarah as hawaiian girl and Hannah as Thumberlina kotnya lah.
cool giler!
ReplyDeleteMY GOD! That looks like a real scarecrow!Except that is it is not scarylah.
ReplyDeleteDasat dasat!
You've not been visiting us. Fret not, you ain't miss nothing yet. But you may appear in future posts - Haggling at Dira Souk, etc. Do you object?
ReplyDeleteElisa, this very creative of you to stay with what our religion is;
ReplyDeleteYup I think it has become a culture especially out there; I hope next year you don't dress her in afghanistan hijab tho - that would scared everybody else; hahaha;
OMG!My 2Ds saw 'scareanis' and they kept asking 'itu org betul ke ibu?' and Danil the monster, kept saying 'nanti adik nak jadi macam tu!nak suruh ayah lukis mulut macam tu tapi nanti ayah kena padamla ya!'heheh...you are so good at this!cayalah!
ReplyDeletebut thanks to you, my kids will bug me to turn them into scarecrow..(gulp!)
Nice scarecrow costume. Can get prize for originality. I mean you can guess how many girls turn up as princesses and boys as batman/spiderman these days due to ready to wear stuff.
ReplyDeletescare me!!! pandai betul sape yang made her up tu.. :))
ReplyDelete