A Different Approach to Halloween

By: Christine Singleton

As any child does, my daughter started talking about Halloween weeks ago. Asking in excitement if it was today, asking everyday of course, what the weather was going to be like, and if she could wear her costume around the house. Surprisingly  both of my children chose to be the exact same thing they were last year. Her butterfly wings still fit and she saved the antenna headband I had made her. My son’s alligator costume was large to begin with, so it fit well with room to spare still. This Halloween seemed to be typical, until my daughter asked if she could hand out candy.

Of course I didn’t mind if we handed out candy instead of going out – especially since the weather was supposed to be yucky – and I told her that. She was excited to hand out candy but all too quickly realized that meant she wouldn’t be going door-to-door Trick or Treating herself, so she came up with a plan. She asked me what if she were to hand out candy to people as we went door-to-door as a thank you. Her face lit up and she excited asked, “Momma, can I draw pictures and give pictures to people? I just want to make people happy! Happy faces and candy make people happy. Please momma?”

It caught me off guard, and just as I was going to tell her that’s not exactly how Halloween works but then I thought why not. It’s not going to hurt anything and she’ll get a kick out of it, and boy did she. She worked on pictures for weeks; littering the kitchen table with markers, crayons, pens, and paint. She stacked all of her finished photos in her Sesame Street suit case to bring along on our journey around the neighborhood. Halloween day rolled around and we spend a good part of the morning attaching candy to each and every paper. I’d hand her cut pieces of tape and she would chose what candy to put on each picture and tape it herself. She was the happiest little girl as we all worked on this project together.

The weather was terrible Halloween day. It started raining about an hour before Trick or Treating was to begin, but it didn’t dampen her spirits in the least bit. I carried her suitcase around for her, and pulled out a new picture to give once we got to each house. Everyone was so kind, and thankful for their little ‘Thank you’ gift from her. We didn’t leave a single house without a smile and wave sending us onto the next house. She was excited and wanted to get to the next house, not for the candy she would receive, but to GIVE the little gifts she had been working so hard on. She was proud of herself and I’m proud of the little person she has become. If we could only give like a child can, image what a place this world could be.

‘To live a creative life, We must lose our fear of being wrong’   – Joseph Chilton Pearce

Holly Russell (owner) + Christine Singleton (associate photographer) are the ladies behind the lens at LADY AND THE LENS PHOTOGRAPHY located in Michigan City, IN. This outgoing and energetic duo loves to shoot wedding + lifestyle photography. Both ladies are mothers, and realize the value in capturing fleeting moments that make up your life story. Facebook | Website | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Pinterest