It’s Halloween!!
Time to break out the candy and put on the scares.
One of the best things about Halloween can be Halloween parties.
The amount of thought that goes into some costumes can be astonishing.
But then there are people who just don’t feel the costume thing that much.
And it can be messy when those two groups clash.
Case in point…
Redditor GrassAITA wanted to discuss his experience and get some feedback. So naturally, he came to visit the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit.
He asked:
“AITA for going as grass to an early Halloween party?”
The Original Poster (OP) explained:
“A few weeks ago, I (31 M[ale]) was invited to my friend (33 M), Will’s, early Halloween party.”
“I had eagerly accepted the invite and was excited to celebrate, because as a childless/single thirty-one-year-old man with no children/younger siblings, Halloween had managed to be one of those holidays that slipped through the cracks.”
“A few days after the invite, though, Will informed me that the party was a ‘costume party.'”
“I hadn’t been too surprised, though, because Will has/had a young son who is incredibly passionate about Halloween yet doesn’t feel that comfortable trick-or-treating.”
“And—because it really wouldn’t be that difficult—I agreed to dress-up.”
“Now, here’s where I think I may have went wrong.”
“While I do/did love Halloween, I don’t/didn’t really have any costumes.”
“Which meant that my options were either to make something or to buy something to wear.”
“And—because I’m a ‘cheapskate’—I decided to just make my own costume.”
“Unfortunately, though, the only things I had that felt slightly ‘costume-y’ were a green shirt, green pants, a top-hat, sunglasses, a white scarf, and one of those bead necklaces you get at parades.”
“Being limited, I had decided to reach into the deepest and darkest corners of my mind for a costume, and, eventually, I came up with a ‘Blade Of Grass’ costume.”
“I was wearing the green pants, green shirt, shaded sunglasses, and the top-hat, which I had covered with green construction paper.”
“Then, for good measure, I went outside my house and massaged a little soil into the clothes.”
“Then—yesterday—the party rolled around, and I came in my grass costume.”
“I was a little embarrassed, as the first three people I saw were wearing realistic demon costumes and stuff.”
“And—there I was—as a dirt-wearing piece of grass.”
“It was all okay, though, until Will’s son came out, and started to cry.”
“Now, when I said that Will’s son was young, I meant that he’s too young for kindergarten.”
“So, when he saw me and started to cry, I felt kind-of at fault.”
“Then, when Will saw me (and tried to comfort his son), he asked what I was, and so I told him.”
“Then, Will told me that I knew how much his son loved Halloween (which I did).”
“And—when his son started to scream at the top of his lungs that I had ‘ruined’ the party and had gone as the ‘wrong’ thing—he asked me why I thought that would be appropriate.”
“As I had witnessed his son freak out over the smallest of things plenty of times before.”
“So, AITA for going as a blade of grass to a party?”
Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Many Redditors declared OP was NOT the A**hole.
“NTA. You don’t cater to kids being dumb like that.”
“They need to learn to deal to be resilient even at a younger age.”
“At the very least you don’t throw blame on the person who did nothing wrong.”
“Creative low budget Halloween costumes are great.”
“His dad should have redirected him or told him how the blade of grass was fun.” ~ Squish_the_android
“Kids can be pretty dumb.”
“When I was 4 and my dad got into a car accident and came back home with lots of bandages.”
“I was terrified, not because I saw my dad injured but because I believed he was being possessed by Mumm-Ra from the Thundercats.”
“Don’t know how my mom convinced me that no, my dad wasn’t secretly an ancient evil sorcerer.” ~ haitechan
“Mine recently burst into tears because I wouldn’t let her eat the kitties food.”
“Or even more recently, dip her carrots in ketchup.”
“That last one was my fault.”
“Should’ve just let my tiny hellion dip-dip.”
“She’s a hoot and a half.”
“She’s now deciding she’s cute enough to get away with anything if she smiles real big and bats her eyes at me.”
“Toddles are hilarious, but part of them learning how to manage those big emotions is to be put in the situations and given a safe space.”
‘You can’t just wrap them in cotton wool.”
“They need to learn how to manage those feelings so they can self-regulate!” ~ Willing-Panic1908
“THIS. I’d have said Kudos for your effort.”
“Many folks I know just show up in regular clothes and don’t bother trying.”
“A blade of grass sounds like a perfectly acceptable costume to me.”
“And yeah, kids that age will scream over everything or nothing.”
“And Will needs to learn how to handle this. NTA.” ~ EmeraldBlueZen
“NTA. If you have a costume party with your young and sensitive son, you can’t expect everyone will come dressed as something young son will “accept.'”
“Your costume sounds original.”
“I’m sorry this happened to you.” ~ Maximum-Ear1745
“NTA. Perhaps your costume was not in the same league as the others.”
“But that is no reason for Will to allow his toddler son to have a temper tantrum and embarrass his guest.” ~ OrcEight
“NTA. I don’t celebrate Halloween so I don’t know what etiquette people follow in such parties.”
“But from my point of view as long as you don’t have particular theme to follow it’s up to you to choose what you want to wear.”
“Will is the AH here.”
“He is letting his son act like a brat.”
“Costumes can be expensive not everyone can afford them.” ~ Rika77
“I also don’t celebrate Halloween but can relate to low budget costumes.”
“We were going to a costume birthday party and I dressed up like a tree.”
“Literally brown clothes and I made the ‘tree top’ from a pack of green balloons from the dollar store and some cardboard.”
“My kids, ages 2 and 4, were monkeys (costumes borrowed from a friend).”
“It worked out great!”
“I agree that OP is NTA and that kids needs to be taught better.”
“Also, I guess I must too much time here- I thought OP was going to say he dressed up as marijuana.” ~ Wearealreadyhere
“I highly doubt this is real.”
“If it is though 100% NTA, I think you’re a bit lazy in terms of costumes, but NTA.”
“I’m not sure of ages, but I think Kindergarten is about 3?”
“I have a daughter that’s about 2 and a half, this morning she cried because she could find her duck toy, despite holding said toy.”
“Don’t take children’s tantrum’s to heart.” ~ Hazzadcr16
“NTA. Will’s dad is an AH, though. It’s Halloween, it’s not a requirement that you’re in an elaborate get up.”
“Kids that age cry over everything (and nothing).”
“Will needs to remember he’s the adult in the room and act like it.” ~ MrsMean22
“No, that’s ridiculous.”
“You did fine I don’t even see why the dad questioned you.”
“You didn’t show up in normal clothes.”
“You wore a costume and it sounds super funny.”
“The kid will live and you’re not an asshole at all.” ~ Unable_Incident_6024
“NTA. You were asked to be on a costume and you wore one, what else does Will want?”
“When my child, 4 years old and already on preschool, is acting up or being annoyed by small things, I usually check what can I DO to make her feel better.”
“Not what OTHERS should do unless I want her to be a spoiled brat.” ~ DragonfruitWhich6396
“NTA. Toddle-waddles are a funny bunch.”
“HOWEVER, if my toddler did this to someone at a party I threw, I’d be mortified and apologizing like it was my job.”
“Will is a major AH though for letting his son behave that way and acting like you were the problem.”
“And I love the idea of a blade of grass!” ~ Willing-Panic1908
“This doesn’t even sound slightly like a real story.”
“But in the off chance it is, NTA.”
“Policing other people’s consumes in what should be a fun party is dumb, and one person showing up without a costumer shouldn’t ruin an event.”
‘And it sounds like you did have a costume that you actually put slight effort into, even if it was unusual.” ~ AnonymousWritings
“NTA. I guarantee that kid has cried over not being able to eat dirt or be a firetruck.”
“And if his dad’s actually taking his stupid, child tantrums seriously, he’s not only the a**hole, but raising one.” ~ DerpDevilDD
“NTA, is the kid autistic?”
“Serious question as my nephew can get really upset for no apparent reason to anyone except for the fact that things need to be exactly how he wants them.”
“It often appears arbitrary.”
“In daily life patterns can be established, but an uncommon event like a Halloween party is fraught with opportunities that cause upset.” ~ Splindadaddy
Well OP, Reddit is with you.
You put on a costume that was appropriate for the public.
Art is subjective.
Will may want to look into some therapy for his son though.
Happy Halloween!