Halloween: Costumes

Halloween is one of those holidays that never loses it's appeal. Unlike Christmas, adults get to participate as much as their children do and this time around no one is monitoring their candy intake! Halloween has always had a near and dear place in my heart as my birthday is four days before the holiday; as such I've decided to write the next couple blogs with a focus on the approaching holiday, which is on a Sunday this year (bad news for those of us who have work the following day...I guess there is something to being a kid), starting with costumes.

Let's talk budget first. Everyone wants to look good for Halloween, but what if you're trying to save a few dollars for some extra candy apples and a jumbo bag of Sweet Tarts. Understandable. The following link has a bunch of great ideas for using items you can find around your house. The list of costumes to be made with a box are pretty great:

http://costumeideazone.com/

Another cheap, affordable and quick option is make-up. Using face paint and hair dye, you can transform your child into a regular Frankenstein for 3+ hours. Here are some tips on how to make your child Harry Potter or a Frazzled Housewife, plus more:

http://www.halloweenishere.com/costume_ideas.html

Of course if you happened to have scratched off 2 out of 3 winning numbers or you recently turned in your recyclables for cash or you saved on the electric bill by learning to read in the dark, you can pay for your costume. But how much fun is that? By making a costume, and including your child, you're fostering his/her creativity and teaching a valuable lesson: the best things in life are free (or they are cheaper than some of the other best things). At any rate, I'm sure come October 31st there will be many happy goblins and ghouls running around. Look out next week for a blog about the sweet stuff: candy. Happy (early) Halloween!