The New Vikings At Epcot Are Real Huggers

Here's a grin for you Dizgeeks:

As we were passing the Norway pavilion in Epcot yesterday, I spotted two shiny metal helmets bobbing through the crowd. I went to investigate, and found two Vikings bowing to a little Anna:

 Then they offered her her brother's baby bottle. :D

(Sorry for blocking her face; I figure better safe than sorry. She was laughing, though!)

 I've never even heard of Vikings walking around in Epcot, so when they were done, I sent John in for a picture.

Through various grunts and mime, the Vikings indicated they approved of John's beard, but were gravely concerned about our friend Piet, who was clean-shaven and wearing a floppy hat.

  You can see the blonde one has just spotted Piet here. Ha!

When Piet took off the hat to show his bald head, the Vikings were horrified, and this one went over to give him a sad, sympathetic hug:

There, there.

See the little boy asleep on his dad's shoulder behind them? Remember that for later.

Next they insisted Piet join the photo. So Piet decided to borrow some hair:

 (Can we also stop to appreciate John's new Ninja cat shirt? Our friends give the best birthday presents. [Thanks again, Sharyn!])

At this point I think the Vikings wanted to adopt Piet, because now Blonde Viking approached and began an elaborate mime-and-nonsense-language request:

He pointed at the sleeping child-on-shoulder behind them, indicating he wanted to recreate the scene, I think?

NAILED IT.

 Then he held that hug...

... and held it...

... and held it, while Pam (Piet's wife) and I cackled and took photos. Bahaha!

So apparently if you want lots of attention and/or hugs from the Vikings in Norway, shave your head. Or bring a bald friend. (Thanks, Piet!)

This Was Halloween

I joke every year about our local trick-or-treaters - the kids with no costumes, the teens with no costumes, the grandparents with no costumes who still hold out a bag expectantly - but let's face it: it's still worth it.

Because for every four surly teens toting trash bags, I get an excited toddler dressed as a superhero. For every six silent, expectant faces, I get a squeaky, "Trick or treat!" or "Happy Halloween!" And for every ten mosquito bites, I get one of those maybe-not-so-surly teens nodding at my steampunk pumpkin or glowing skull wreath and saying, "Hey, that's pretty cool." Heck, last night I even had a boy peer past my shoulder and geek out over our Harry Potter chess set in the front room. I'm still impressed he recognized it from ten feet back!

Our freshly painted (orange!!) front door.
Turn up the volume and you'll hear our spooky sound effects from Ambient Mixer.

I'm usually the candy-giver, but last night as the doorbell started to ring John was suddenly seized by the spirit, and dashed off to put on his Death Eater costume. Fully kitted up, he went across the street to show/startle our neighbors.

About three minutes later John rushed back inside, mask off, a stricken look on his face. "I made a little girl cry!" he said. I tried to ask for details, but he was already rushing back to his room to change.

While he was changing, a crying Snow White showed up at the door. I knelt down and gave her extra candy, and marveled again at the healing power of CHOCOLATE. (I think we're good now.)

Another ten minutes, and Dreamfinder emerged with Figment to try their hand at candy distribution. They didn't last long - that suit is hot - but managed to completely befuddle quite a few groups, and utterly delight at least one girl, who knew who Figment was, and one boy, who I think is STILL convinced he met Santa Claus. (Secretly hoping we get a Christmas list slipped under the door in a few months.)

While I'm the first to join in on a Halloween gripe fest about the lack of manners and greed and whatnot, it also occurred to me last night - specifically as a large group of non-costumed parents & grandparents all queued up for their candy - that maybe I should stop griping so much.

We live in an area where families are large and often struggling. Most of the kids who show up at my door don't have the luxury of Disney annual passes or fancy costumes, and live in a world where the color of their faces often dictates what they can do and what they can like. I saw too many of those faces already closed off, suspicious; too ready to not care if I judged or chided or sniped.

So if these kids, and these parents, and yes, if these grandparents, want to get together and go door-to-door together for free candy, then costume or no, I'm not going to be stingy with the fun-size Snickers. I'm going to smile and wish them a happy Halloween. I'm going to fawn over the giggling Supermen and fairy princesses, I'm going to wave to the adults, and I'm not going to begrudge that surly teenager his free candy, because God knows we all needed a little more sweetness in our lives back then.

Plus he said my pumpkin was kinda cool, dangit.

But, I mean...  I can still gripe a LITTLE afterward, right? ;)


Anything interesting happen to you guys last night?