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When I was a kid there was (practically) no such thing as a store bought costume! (Shall we make that into a chorus?)
Anyway, the popularity of Halloween and the invention of pop-up (now BIG almost permanent) costume/decorating stores make it different today.
S'ok, I like Halloween! But I don't want to buy a costume for $20+
Here's some ideas for keeping it thrifty.
Add your tips too!
Candy
The candy criteria: MUST be individually wrapped, PREFER better quality (not made with unpronouncable chemicals!)
1. Coupons. If you wait until about a week or 10 days before Oct. 31, look for newspaper coupons. I used one for $5 off a big bag at Smart & Final (a west coast non-membership warehouse store).
2. Go to the warehouse style store, but do hard comparison on the bag vs weight costs. The big bags at the warehouses seem to be the best cost per weight, but check hard against bulk candy at major groceries.
3. Resist giving out big chocolate bars! or full size anything. I get about 100 visitors and stock up on small candy so most everybody gets something. Much as I would like to give out the best candy, that is just not possible! Good choices: individually wrapped caramels, small tootsie pops, butterscotch hard candy
4. Chocolate is not the ultimate candy. Did I just say that? Naw! Believe it or not, there are two kinds of people in this world, chocoholics and non-chocoholics. We chocoholics can't imagine there is such a thing, but even one of my own children PREFERS Skittles!! Fine especially since chocolate seems to be the most expensive candy, I am happy to accomodate those crazy tastes and give out less expensive candy they want anyway such as: Skittles, Starburst, peppermint drops, butterscotch hard candy
Costumes
The best costumes are clever and inexpensive, not necessarily elaborate or extremely detailed.
1. Use a current event. One year in college I went to a party and saw 3 korean airline plane crash survivors. Smudged white t-shirts with the plane logo, mussed hair, jeans. It took all of $5 and 5 minutes to put that together I expect. A little insensitive? maybe, but I thought it was smart.
Try: flood victim? waterlogged looking clothes, waterstained 'family' heirlooms
2. Use what you have in the closet. Why oh why did I keep that cap and gown. Oh yes! One year I went as a college graduate. Held a rolled document all night.
Try: use your old graduation gown and go as a judge.
3. Use the make up you have. marth stewart put out a fantastic idea for a evil queen using make up you probably already have. Probably hard to duplicate exactly, but even close would be good! Instructions
4. Switch with another gender. One of the funniest best clever costumes I saw were a brother/sister (close in age) which simply but very effectively switched! he was a cheerleader, she was a football player. VERY impressive!
Try: what's in his/her closet? She might have a ballgown, he might have a tux.
Have fun and happy trick r treating!
Anyway, the popularity of Halloween and the invention of pop-up (now BIG almost permanent) costume/decorating stores make it different today.
S'ok, I like Halloween! But I don't want to buy a costume for $20+
Here's some ideas for keeping it thrifty.
Add your tips too!
Candy
The candy criteria: MUST be individually wrapped, PREFER better quality (not made with unpronouncable chemicals!)
1. Coupons. If you wait until about a week or 10 days before Oct. 31, look for newspaper coupons. I used one for $5 off a big bag at Smart & Final (a west coast non-membership warehouse store).
2. Go to the warehouse style store, but do hard comparison on the bag vs weight costs. The big bags at the warehouses seem to be the best cost per weight, but check hard against bulk candy at major groceries.
3. Resist giving out big chocolate bars! or full size anything. I get about 100 visitors and stock up on small candy so most everybody gets something. Much as I would like to give out the best candy, that is just not possible! Good choices: individually wrapped caramels, small tootsie pops, butterscotch hard candy
4. Chocolate is not the ultimate candy. Did I just say that? Naw! Believe it or not, there are two kinds of people in this world, chocoholics and non-chocoholics. We chocoholics can't imagine there is such a thing, but even one of my own children PREFERS Skittles!! Fine especially since chocolate seems to be the most expensive candy, I am happy to accomodate those crazy tastes and give out less expensive candy they want anyway such as: Skittles, Starburst, peppermint drops, butterscotch hard candy
Costumes
The best costumes are clever and inexpensive, not necessarily elaborate or extremely detailed.
1. Use a current event. One year in college I went to a party and saw 3 korean airline plane crash survivors. Smudged white t-shirts with the plane logo, mussed hair, jeans. It took all of $5 and 5 minutes to put that together I expect. A little insensitive? maybe, but I thought it was smart.
Try: flood victim? waterlogged looking clothes, waterstained 'family' heirlooms
2. Use what you have in the closet. Why oh why did I keep that cap and gown. Oh yes! One year I went as a college graduate. Held a rolled document all night.
Try: use your old graduation gown and go as a judge.
3. Use the make up you have. marth stewart put out a fantastic idea for a evil queen using make up you probably already have. Probably hard to duplicate exactly, but even close would be good! Instructions
4. Switch with another gender. One of the funniest best clever costumes I saw were a brother/sister (close in age) which simply but very effectively switched! he was a cheerleader, she was a football player. VERY impressive!
Try: what's in his/her closet? She might have a ballgown, he might have a tux.
Have fun and happy trick r treating!
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