From left to right behind Alex... Kara, Alyssa and Linda (his teachers at the school).I spotted the Jack Skellington costume at the Disney Store when we picked up Dana's Snow White costume. Jack from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" has been Alex's all-time favorite character EVER. And he's watched the movie so many times I think I've memorized all the lines myself. So, when I spotted it, I was not going to leave the store without it. I wasn't sure if Alex would wear the head... it's kind of clunky and looks absolutely ridiculous sitting on top of the wearer's head... but I figured Jack takes his head off in the movie so it should be fine even if Alex carried it around in his arms. Note: when Alex was about 3 years old, Dana had a Jack Skellington doll and Alex (after having watched that scene in the movie) promptly tore the head off. He now has 18 inch tall plush Jack and Sally dolls he goes to bed with... and having learned that Jack can only reattach his head in the movie, has not tried to take off his doll's head.
I wish you could have seen the look on his face when he was sitting on the couch watching the movie and I put the Jack doll next to him. I tapped his shoulder, he turned his head... and JUMPED. He grabbed Jack and gave him and kiss. I waited a few minutes then I put the Sally doll next to him and tapped his shoulder. *laugh* He jumped again. This time though after grabbing Sally he looked past me and around the couch to make sure no other movie characters would pop up to surprise him. :)
Anyway, soon as he saw Dana trying on her costume, he went up to me holding Jack and said, "On. Help. On." :D He completely understood the idea of a "costume."
Well, he understood part of it. While "trick or treating" when people would yell "Jack!" "Jack Skellington!" "The Pumpkin King!" Alex's eyes would widen and he'd look around like, "WHERE?!?!"
I (and his teachers at school) didn't think he would tolerate the head piece since he is still a bit defensive about anything on his head or being touched there. But he insisted (and his teachers
finally had to pin it to his costume because it kept falling over his face). And the first time we got it on him and Alex saw himself in the mirror... he totally cracked up.
He now carries Jack's head around with him at home.
If it's in my room at night, however, I move it to where I can't see it. The thing glows in the dark.
