Halloween Costume Hoopla

It’s officially spooky season. 

Like many, I live for over-the-top Halloween costumes. As I rack my brain for what I’ll force (or possibly trick in the spirit of the season) my family into wearing to appease my childhood heart, I’m taking a moment to walk down memory lane. I’m revisiting some of my favorite Halloween costumes with the hopes that inspiration for my next great family-themed costumes will strike.  

            In second grade, I was a green crab. I know what you’re thinking. Is this girl a true Marylander or what? I’ll confess, crab is my favorite food now, but was not my priority back then. Benfield Elementary School put on “The Little Mermaid” for the school play the previous year. So, my mom’s beautifully, hand-made crab costume was getting another use. One boy asked if I was a spider. I nearly burst into tears. 

            Speaking of kid’s costumes, Minnie was a favorite costume of my oldest daughter, Charlotte. She liked it so much she insisted on being it two years in a row despite me already having cheerleader outfits for her and her younger sister, Riley. Clearly I love a good theme, but I also found myself ordering Charlotte another Minnie costume to change into on Halloween. I have a feeling this was only the first of her many wardrobe changes for holidays and events. 

Safe to say, I hit my Halloween stride when coordinating group costumes with my work colleagues. Some of the award-winning ones (yes, trophies were awarded) included Charlie Brown, Hipster Disney princesses and the cast from the Disney Pixar film, “Up”. 

The memory of dressing up as Schroeder and playing on a tiny piano still makes me giggle. A hipster Sleeping Beauty was one of my most strategic costumes during the pre-pandemic era because I was able to break the office dress code when I wore cozy clothes, a robe and eye mask. I really should have napped at my desk all day to fully get into character. Lastly, any day I can don a wig and glasses to be the old lady version of Ellie from “Up” is a fun day.  

However, last year was my favorite Halloween costume – and a family-themed one at that. I somehow convinced Charlotte to be Alice from “Alice in Wonderland”. Her younger sister — still peak snuggly age at one year old — wore a fuzzy bunny costume. My mom’s hand-made costumes came in handy again. She loaned Scott and me matching King and Queen of Hearts getups. They were comfortable and best of all free! Side note: true soul mates (or soup snakes for my fans of “The Office”) wear a King’s crown for their wives. Thank you Scott for humoring me with ridiculous Halloween costumes. 

Now on to 2022 planning and figuring out how to once again trick my two toddler daughters into being a family group costume. When in doubt, I’ll take a page out of Charlotte’s book and have multiple wardrobe changes or even try the 13 days of Halloween costumes.