Halloween

Halloween

By Kathy Grzendzielewski

To children, the fall season cumulates in Trick-or-Treat. One way to expose them to a little of their heritage is to have them dress as a character out of Russian folklore. Here are some ideas to help you get started, but don’t limit yourself to these suggestions. Look in the folklore section of the library for Russian, Ukrainian, etc. tales for more ideas and to familiarize yourself and your child with the character he/she will portray. If the stories you find are too advanced to read to your child, read the story yourself first and retell it to your child using the pictures if desired. Remember, these stories were passed on orally for generations.

Baba Yaga – The Russian "witch". Wear an assortment of old, tattered, patched and layered clothes. A long skirt, scarf over the head (babushka), and a wart on the nose complete the look.

Babushka – Dresses much like Baba Yaga, but the clothes need not be tattered or patched. Leave off the wart, but don’t forget the scarf. She might carry a basket lined with cloth to put her "treats" in.

Firebird – A red sweatsuit and red knit hat might be the beginnings of this costume. Make wings out of felt and attach them at the shoulders, and to the wrists with a piece of elastic. Let the wings flap when the child moves his arms. Add feathers if desired and a beak of make-up or face paint. A more elaborate costume can be made modifying a bird costume found in a commercial pattern book. Check your local fabric store. Many are simple to make, almost for the ‘non-sewer’.

Bear, Rabbit, Fox, Wolf - All appear frequently in folklore. Try plain sweatpants and sweatshirt in the appropriate color. Add a tail of felt or fake fur and knit hat with ears made out of felt. Use face paint or make-up to add appropriate facial characteristics. Patterns are available for many animals and can easily be adapted to other animals.

Nutcracker – For the little boy who likes the idea of being a tin soldier. A rifle can be made from a wrapping paper tube.

Snowmaiden – For the little girl who wants to be a princess. A blue "party" dress and tiara over a wig of long blond braids. Have her wear mittens or gloves and a cloak.

Ladybug – This starts with black sweatpants or tights, black turtleneck and oversize red sweatshirt with the sleeves cut off. Add black felt "dots", and a black knit hat with pepe cleaner antennae.

Dancer – The men really shine in dancing. A loose shirt, belted at the waist, sweatpants and boots to start. If desired, base some trim at the hem, neck and sleeves for a more authentic look. Complete the costume with a little boy’s newspaper carrier type cap. Females can wear a full skirt, vest and leggings. Again, add trim if desired.