Get Ready For Boo!

The stores are packed with Halloween stuff. It’s part of the pattern of expectation – we bought new swimsuits and sandals, then back-to-school clothes and supplies, now it’s time to buy for fall.

But before you do, think about making. And since that might represent a turnaround for you, take advantage of the lead time.

Let’s talk costumes. The vast majority are store-bought. Almost no one makes their own anymore and I think that’s a bummer.

When I was a kid - yes, I’m old enough to start a sentence that way – most of us made our own costumes. Sometimes we had help from our mom, other times we were left to our own devices. Some were thought-out, some were put together the night before by raiding the linen closet, or Mom’s fabric stash, or borrowing from a sibling, etc.

A big part of the fun was getting the costume together. It was “What do I want to be this year?” not “Which one do you want to get?” There’s a difference.

When I was about eight, my mom got a sewing machine and was ready for projects. So I had a couple of special ones. One that I remember in particular was from a popular TV show called The Flying Nun.

Sally Field played a nun who, as you can guess, could fly.  Apparently, she had the right combination of weight and aerodynamic habit size. There were a lot of mini Sister Bertrilles that year amid the ghosts, cowboys, ballerinas, pirates, and others.

I remember that my mother made the habit through trial and error until it looked right.  No pattern, just thinking about how one shape forms another. That made an impression on me.

In the book Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn, there’s an article and a description of a robot costume she and her son made one year: “This kind of quality-time project has value beyond the production of a good costume. The dime store ones are cheap enough. But by observing you, children learn how to create and they learn craft. These powerful memories imprint a more important message. They come to understand the superiority of the creative tightwad method.” I think it’s the creative method, period.

That is resourcefulness modeled. Priceless.

With the economy down, many families are facing budget battles. Why not employ some quality-time project work with your kids for Halloween this year? The creativity IS in you, and you’ve got enough time.

The only real factor that matters is that the kids feel like they look like what they are supposed to be. So, if you’re new at this home-style costuming, pick something that’s not too hard.  Make a robot, not R2D2. Or the tooth fairy instead of Cinderella. And do it with your children.

You’ll encourage your kids to be creative and to value their work, and you’ll have fun together. Now that’s something to celebrate!