Grown-Up Halloween 1950s

I used to think of Halloween as just for kids though lately more and more adults are dressing in costumes for the holiday. Among my mother’s photos, I found one showing her in costume as an adult. Apparently back in the fifties, there were grown-up costume parties in Kansas.

Here she is, Gail Lee Martin as a young married woman, wearing a Mexican outfit.

The photo seems to be at her parent’s home near Madison. I’ve never heard the story about this outfit but know her parents took a trip to Mexico at one time. They brought back a pair of bird pictures made of feathers. Perhaps the sombrero and the serape are souvenirs from the McGhee’s trip as well.

The light-colored, long-sleeved blouse looks silky in texture. She’s wearing slacks with it. Up until she had her 5th child, she only weighed 90 pounds.

I must ask my aunt if this photo of her came from that same occasion?

Here’s Carol Jean McGhee and her friend. Is that the same tree behind them that we saw in the photo of Gail?

Update: My aunt had several more photos from this occasion. She remembers that it was a party, but not who held it or how they celebrated.

Carol Jean hams it up with her friend.

Daniel Boone is in a tree now. Not sure if that is a toy rifle or a BB gun.

Are you dressing up for this Halloween? Tell me about your costume.

Make a Halloween Pumpkin Decoration

Back in 2008, my mother sent me this craft project in an email. I posted it to the eHow website for her. People loved it.

Here’s Gail Lee Martin’s fall pumpkin made from a dryer hose sprayed orange.

Things you need:

• An 8 inch across by 23 inch long piece of clothes-dryer vent hose
• A can of orange spray paint or a small can of orange paint and a paint brush
• A thick stick from your yard (about an inch across and 8 inches long)
• Colorful fall leaves either real or fake
• Hot glue gun
• Imagination

Take the hose outside where you can spray paint it without getting paint on
other things, I use a clear plastic bag. After the hose has dried, check if you
need a second coat of paint.

Curl the painted plastic hose into a circle and hot glue the ends together.

Thrust the stubby stick down through the center of the curled hose. Leave
about an inch sticking out of the top to look like the pumpkin stem. Hot
glue the stick at the top and the bottom for stability.

Hot glue the colorful fall leaves around the stem.

This make a vibrant centerpiece for a luncheon or an attractive window
decoration.

If you need a source for dryer vent hose, you can get it for a reasonable price on Amazon (5 ft Vent Duct Hose) or check some local stores.