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Simple Owl - IncognitoMy kids love to wear costumes long after their Halloween sugar buzzes have worn off.  My girls used to wear princess dresses any time of the year.  For my boys, it is Iron Man, Thor, and Gandalf.  And that’s all fine and dandy around the house, until they want to wear them out in public.  I don’t know how many times I’ve had to say things like “No, you can’t bring your Thor hammer into the grocery store” or “Sorry, you can’t go to church as Iron Man.”

A few Decembers ago we invited some friends over to go Christmas caroling around our neighborhood.  I know what you’re thinking…”you have friends?”  Anyway, one of my boys decided that caroling was the perfect time to go in costume… as Gandalf!  Have you ever had one of those arguments with a child who is being so completely illogical that you know you HAVE to win, no matter the amount of crying, and kicking, and screaming it takes?  Well, let’s just say we had something like that, and then headed out into the night as a happy group of carolers strolling down the road singing, with a miniature bearded wizard running ahead to turn and plant his staff, saying, “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!”

But after we had caroled at a few houses, Gandalf was upset that everyone was mistaking him for another well-known bearded figure (and I don’t mean Dumbledore – who was the upsetting identity mix-up from the school Halloween parade).  He was so upset that I had to pull him aside and let the others go on while I tried to calm him down and explain how easy it was to mistake him for Santa, who just happened to be wearing a grey robe and wizard hat, with staff and sword.  After several minutes of talking, he calmed down and finally agreed to join the others.  I knew his mood was fragile, and one more “Santa” comment would bring down all the wrath of Middle Earth.  So we took off running down the street to catch up.  But we had only gotten a couple of houses down the road, when, to my horror, some kid saw us running by and said “SANTA!”  Luckily (for him) my son didn’t hear him, or I would have told Gandalf to go back and tell that boy he was getting coal in his stocking!

But in the end the evening turned out ok, and Gandalf joined the group, and got hot cocoa and cookies to calm his upset nerves on a cold night.  All I can say is that I’m glad Gandalf came caroling with us that day, and not Gollum.

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