The Craft of the Season

Today, I finished my granddaughter’s Halloween costume. All I had to do was hand work – tacking the lining to the bodice, sewing lace around the neckline, covering the sleeve seam with ribbon. It takes a while for me to do this hand work. But it is relaxing, and it gives me the opportunity to saturate the costume with love.

It was afternoon when I finished. I already had a box picked out for it. I packed the costume and two spools of thread (in case my daughter needs to adjust the hem), and then I headed to the UPS store.

The clerk asked if she could help me, then smiled when I told her I was mailing my granddaughter’s Halloween costume. There is some sort of rite of passage – or even ritual – about Grandma making the costume. I wondered how many other Grandmas the clerk had heard this from so far this year. The transaction was completed quickly, and then it was time to go back home.

On the way into the house, I stopped by the mailbox for today’s mail. Lo and behold, there was an orange envelope in the mail with my granddaughter’s name printed on the return line! Yes, her costume and my card had crossed in the mail.

The card was embellished, as it all turned out. The pictures of candy corn on the front had been enhanced with a ball point pen, which was used on the back of the card as well. Inside the card, however, crayons had been used, with every bit of empty space emblazoned with vivid colors (mostly green). This one is a keeper!

So, the Samhain traditions are slowly being met. The trees may be late, but everything else is moving along in its own time.

Now I have to come up with a costume for myself.