Now that I’m 20, choosing a Halloween costume has just gotten harder. When I was younger, I’d dress as a black cat almost every year, despite not liking them—and being allergic. Then, I had my Harley Quinn phase (I know, big jump), and before that, little Jaime was a bumblebee. She beamed with a huge smile, flying around the house with joyful giggles as her dad chased after her.
In university, Halloween is a time for one of four things: rocking sexy costumes (and honestly, we love to see it), competing for the best outfit, squeezing into crowded parties, or an endless loop of trying to make plans. It’s like this unspoken pressure to have the ‘perfect’ Halloween, and believe me, it does feel spooky–and not in a good way. Each year, I do my best to shove Halloween costume planning to the back of my mind, only to realize last minute that Amazon can’t ship anything in 24 hours for my pirate/fairy/goblin/wench costume which requires about ten different pieces and a lot of f*cking tape.
So, as a 20 year old now, I am going to be a sheep. Yes, a sheep. Now you may ask yourself, well, what are you going to do to make yourself look like a sheep? I decided to wear my favourite white chunky knit sweater, my sleeveless renaissance dress, white leg warmers, and a DIY sheep headband.
The decision to dress as a sheep came for a few reasons. One big one is my dislike for the overconsumption that happens every Halloween. Each year, we produce an overwhelming amount of waste from costumes people wear once before tossing them out or dropping them off at a thrift store. We get costumes for ourselves, for children, and even our beloved pets. Unfortunately, at this point in time, bringing costumes to thrift stores does not prevent the reality of them avoiding the landfill. Thrift stores become swamped with clothes, not just on Halloween, and simply can’t keep everything or even half of everything in stores–which are sent directly to the landfill. This inspired me to create my own costume using items I already had—except for the sheep ears. The sheep ears are made out of fabric from Fabricland and a headband I bought from Dollarama. From there, my lovely grandma sewed me a pair of sheep ears, and I’ve made sure she knows I plan to wear them year-round. Another reason I chose to be a sheep is that I wanted to feel comfortable since I’m just dressing up to hang out at home and go on a ghost tour in Dundas on Halloween night… and, well, maybe I’m also a little obsessed with a certain show.
Welcome to Shaun The Sheep! He’s Shaun the Sheep, he’s Shaun the Sheep, he doesn’t miss a trick or ever lose a beat, perhaps one day, you’ll find a way, toooooo come and meet with Shaun the Sheep, oooooohhh come and bleat with Shaun the Sheep (Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!)! The TV series Shaun the Sheep is geared towards ages 4-7, but I beg to differ. This show has been my life saver as a 20 year old when it comes to dealing with stress, overwhelm, IBS pain, background noise when working, and a sense of company when the world gets a little lonely. Under the scope of my most adored animated film technique, Shaun the Sheep is stop-motion but contains something innately special. In the show, nobody actually talks–characters communicate without spoken words, making expressive grunts and bleats. I admire this style of ‘speech’ because it is humorous and universal, shifting the focus to visual storytelling rather than dialogue! I love me a good comfort show, but more than that, I truly appreciate how much can be said without saying anything at all.
Since finding this show just a few months ago, it feels perfectly fitting to be a sheep for Halloween. I’ll curl up with my stuffies, put on my show, and treat myself to some delicious food from UberEats. Now that I’m in my 20s, I’ve realized the true simplicity of it all–sometimes you just forget you have free will and now, I can embody that young girl who dressed as a bumblebee. Now, the sheep and the bumblebee frolic side by side—they watch the sunset, carve pumpkins, enjoy children’s shows, and blow kisses to the moon.
Why am I dressing as a sheep for Halloween? Because, for all those years, she wished she had the courage to do just that—skip the parties and big gatherings and follow her heart. Halloween is about embracing who you are. This Halloween, I hope you choose a costume that makes you feel comfortable and empowered–in whatever form it takes. Be a pirate, a juice box, a pumpkin, a nurse, the moon, your stuffed animal, or a sheep! Whatever you choose, may we all walk a bit lighter on this earth remembering the importance of the land, of love for ourselves and others, of kindness, and comfort. And if you, like me, wait until the last minute to choose your Halloween costume, maybe this is your sign to… be a sheep!
A bleat from me to you (Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa)!