The Egyptian Costume That Almost Was

On Sunday evening, we found ourselves on an impromptu creative mission—Gabriel needed an Egyptian costume for school, and of course, it was time to get crafty. We had a loose idea of what we wanted to create, but it was the final hours before bedtime, and we had to work with what we had.

The base of the costume was Gabriel’s black martial arts suit, a trusty staple in his wardrobe. It felt like the perfect starting point—strong, sleek, and ready for some Egyptian flair. To add a pop of colour, we tied his red martial arts belt around his waist. It wasn't exactly Egyptian royalty, but it was a creative solution, and it gave the costume that extra bit of drama.

Next came the fun part—making the Egyptian neckpiece and headband. We had some gold cloth, and cut out the shapes we needed. Gabriel helped out as we cut and measure fit for him. We then added colourful ribbons to both the neck and head piece using double-sided tape. The gold, along with the bright ribbons, really brought the look to life. It felt like something a young pharaoh would proudly wear—at least, that’s what I was hoping!

By the time we finished, the costume was looking pretty impressive, and Gabriel seemed satisfied with our efforts. We packed it all up, and I was feeling proud that we had pulled off a homemade costume in such a short time.

But then, Monday morning came. Gabriel packed the costume in his bag and headed to school for Egyptian Day.

At the end of the day I eagerly asked how it went, only to be met with, "I didn’t wear it."

Turns out, despite our Sunday night efforts, Gabriel decided to skip the head and neck pieces and just stay in his martial arts costume. Was I a little disappointed? Maybe. But at the same time, I had to laugh. Children are unpredictable, and sometimes the best-laid plans (or costumes) don't turn out the way we expect.

At least we got to spend some quality time together on Sunday night, creating and laughing over our homemade Egyptian costume. And who knows, maybe the gold head and neck pieces will come in handy for some future adventure!