Many Halloween costumes of the past wouldn't cut it today

I admit it—as a mother, I dressed my kids in costumes that would be considered racist today. Google knows everything—including what costume you’ll be wearing this year. Its Frightgeist site just released the top trend report for Halloween costumes, based on search history, and it predicts you will go as Buddy the Unicorn. 

If not him, then NeeDoh, Freaky Nikki from Obsession, Agamemnon from The Odyssey or Lily Love Braids from the latest release of Poppy Playtime. If not one of those, you’ll rely on the most-used costumes in history: vampires, ghosts, skeletons, princesses, pirates and Star Wars characters. Or Dolly Parton. She is Number 12 on the Frightgeist list—and Kenny Rogers (with whom she famously recorded Islands In the Stream) is Number 14. And since this is the year the movie Michael was released, you may be going as Michael Jackson.

It's a safe choice, at least! Buddy the Unicorn is predicted to be the most popular costume this Halloween. I would prefer Ozzy Ox! Just sayin'!

Be careful there, unless you are Black. Pretending to be a person of another race is complicated. I admit it—as a mother, I dressed my kids in costumes that would be considered racist today. Our daughter, with her almost-black hair, brown eyes and skin, dressed as every kin

d of female Native American heroine we knew of during her childhood. She was a beautiful Pocahontas, Sacagawea and Indian maiden. I honestly thought we honored the Native American culture with her costumes. One year back in the late 1980s, our son went as his hero, Kirby Puckett (so did a lot of other people I know, both adult and kids). Puckett, the beloved Minnesota Twins center, is still close to our son’s heart. He portrayed his favorite player, not out of mockery, but ultimate respect. And yes, of course, he painted his face black, although, truth be told, I doubt there was ever a white kid less concerned about the color of skin. He knew every move Puckett made on the baseball field, and when we met Kirby in the hall of the Holiday Inn right before a Kirby Puckett event, he was beyond star struck. I don’t think he ever thought of Kirby as Black, white or any other color. He just thought of him as an absolute hero. Then there was our third child, whom I dressed in a poncho and a huge sombrero when he was very young. I thought he was the cutest little thing I’d ever seen. Today, kids don’t get to dress like that—at least, not without giving it a lot of thought. They—and their parents—-must be aware of the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. I am obviously no expert on the subject--but the last thing I meant to do in dressing our kids for Halloween was to stereotype another culture. So learning more about the difference between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation has opened my eyes. Check out the article at this link. Meanwhile, I may or may not be going again this year as a witch. Five years in a row wearing the same hat and black dress. My grandkids are even tired of it, and told me so last year. But hey, Google lists the witch as THE most popular costume of all time! HAPPY HALLOWEEN COSTUME HUNTING & HAPPY HALLOWEEN!