Sweat and saliva streaked down my face. The plastic mask stuck to sticky places as I tried to take shallow breaths through the tiny nostril holes. Death via suffocation seemed imminent, but I didn’t care. I’d achieved my heart’s desire – a store-bought Halloween costume. No makeshift hobo costume cribbed from my brothers’ clothing for me. This was it. The real deal. A shimmery satin dress and a Cinderella mask, complete with crown. I may have won the costume war, but I lost the battle of the boots. Heartlessly ignoring my tears, my mother sent me out trick-or-treating wearing boots, a bulky sweater and corduroy pants topped by the thin blue satin gown. Even my formidable imagination couldn’t transform moon boots into glass slippers. If Cinderella had gone to the ball like this, Prince Charming wouldn’t have given her a second look/Cindy Hval, SR Front Porch. More here.

What do you usually do on Halloween?