By Staff
POPULAR COSTUMES – Halloween costumes on the must-have list this year include pirates, clowns and superhero outfits like Superman and Batman. Characters like Harry Potter, Scooby Doo and Barbie also are popular. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Penny Randall / staff writer
Oct. 27, 2002
Ebony Blair wants to be a ghost because she thinks it's scary.
Jamarco Myles wants to be a ghost because he sees them on television.
Kayla Gordon wants to be a witch because she wants "to wear a funny hat and black dress."
With Halloween days away, witches, ghosts, goblins and candy are on the minds of children everywhere including first-graders at Parkview Elementary School.
Most of them, students in Lynn Bryan's first-grade class, said they can't wait for the one night of the year in which they don costumes and go door-to-door asking neighbors for treats.
Department stores in Meridian began stocking up on Halloween attire and candy last month. Within the past week, parents have flooded stores looking for costumes their children want to wear.
At Geoffrey, Meridian's new toy store from the Toys R Us chain, the most requested costumes this year are Scooby Doo, Barbie, Spider-Man, Batman and other superheroes and cartoon characters.
Fun tradition
Halloween traditionally is a time for fun. But Meridian Police Department officers remind children and parents to be safe and responsible.
The city of Meridian has a law that children over the age of 12 can't wear a mask or be in disguise. The city also requires door-to-door trick-or-treating to end at 10 p.m. Halloween night.
Other tips include simple things like carrying a flashlight and trick-or-treating in familiar neighborhoods.
When it comes to candy, Harper said parents should examine the treats before children eat them. If the candy looks strange or is open, he said, parents should throw it away.
Scary night
Many first-graders in Bryan's class said they think of Halloween as a scary day because movies and TV shows portray it that way.
Other students whose birthdays fall around Halloween view the day as a time to celebrate.
That's precisely what JaDahija Nelson will be doing. Nelson, who will be 7 this week, will celebrate her birthday with a party on Halloween night.
But it's trick-or-treating that always captures children's attention. First-grader Dana Rawlings is excited about Halloween because she already has her costume.
Macaulay Silliaman said he is looking forward to Halloween because he can't wait to dress as Harry Potter.