Hey there, fancy pants

With the advent of Halloween upon us, consumer dialogue has turned to cardboard decoration and plastic costuming. The U.K. does not, or I should say has not, given this holiday the same attention as the U.S., but they seem to be catching up. Pumpkin displays at roadside stands, Jack-o-Lantern carving community activities, aisles of costumes and decorations at the grocery store, and BBC reports on fines for pranksters are all indications that England is getting into the spirit of All Hallows Eve.

As I've perused advertisements for different folk, church, and community events, I've made a charming discovery: the British call "costumes" "fancy dress." I love it. "Discounts for children in fancy dress!" "Fancy dress encouraged!" "Prizes given for the best fancy dress!"

So I ask you: What will be your fancy dress this Halloween?

We've discussed what Jonah's first Halloween costume will be. James wants him to be a greaser--complete with the cigarette box rolled into his white T-shirt sleeve. Last night as we bathed him (Jonah), we experimented with different hair-do's and came to the realization that in order to do a respectable pompadour one must have a more-than-respectable amount of hair. Poor kid. I suppose greaser is still on the short list, but we're also entertaining other options.