Spooked

 Dear Spooked,

Did it all start with Star Wars? If you were trick-or-treating in the late 70's, you probably remember the year that C-3PO, Darth Vader, and the Storm Troopers invaded neighborhoods. Whose mom could make those costumes? Pity the kid whose mom tried. I remember wanting to be one of those little creatures with a hood and glowing eyes. It didn't happen. But enough about me.

Depending on where you live, there's been a big push to make Halloween ever more extravagant. And the thing is, it is fun to be imaginative. On the other hand, I think parents have the obligation to decide what the limits are. But maybe it's not just setting a monetary limit. Maybe there's a way to recapture some of the sense of inventiveness that feels like it's slipping away, and some of initiative that your kids can take. With a little planning, you could also keep an eye out for imaginative ideas throughout the year--looking well beyond the costume superstores into odd corners: thrift shops, restaurant supply  
houses, uniform suppliers...Think outside the costume box.

One Cent

Dear Spooked,

Do you know what scares me?  This.

Every Halloween, people with incredible imaginations create crazy costumes that make you feel like you could’ve been smarter, more resourceful, and more inventive.  One of SixSeeds contributors is expert at making cool Halloween costumes.  Once, he was a Brannock Device.  (Don’t ask me how – Tom, you should send a photo!)

So, realize that these expensive, already made costumes are the only thing keeping my kids in the game.  Last year, my daughter was an American Girl, so I bought a handmade costume off eBay, from a woman who creates them in her home.  My daughter was era-appropriate, the eBay lady made a few dollars, and I didn’t have to make something clever out of the stuff laying around the house (a coat hanger, three unmatched socks, and a camping lantern).  My son was Jeff Gordon.

In other words, give the rest of a break.  Some of us don’t revere Halloween -- it’s somewhere below the Fourth of July and above Arbor Day in our ranking of American holidays.  We do what we can so our kids can get a bucket of candy and meet the neighbors.

Whether you make your own costume or buy one off the rack at Wal-Mart, you have to have kids who aren’t measuring their fun by how their costumes measure up. Just as children frequently have more fun with the box their Christmas presents came in than the gifts themselves, kid will have a great time in whatever they’re wearing.  But that means that you have to be the parent, to decide what’s best for your kids, and to – as they say – “cowboy up.”

In fact, you could even dress up like a cowboy – with your old clothes and a hat, or a costume you buy off the rack. Either way, it’ll be fine!

Thanks, Two Cents