Search Results for: blog halloween costume ideas

5 Ways to Spend Less on Halloween

The cute costumes, the Martha Stewart decorations, the bags and bags of candy…the cost of it adds up. Just like the dark monster in the corner, you are afraid to take a good look at how much your are actually spending. Halloween has certainly become a big holiday. In fact, according to the National Retail Federation, Americans spent more than $8 billion last year celebrating. Eight billion! Seriously. It doesn’t have to be that way. Instead, brandish your own bag of tricks to spend less this Halloween. You’ll be able to make it a magical holiday and leave the bills … Continue reading →

Can You Have A Happy Halloween Without Candy? Yes!

This evening, I took the boys out for more extensive Halloween activity than we have ever done before. This was Dylan’s third Halloween. For his first Halloween, he was a little bear and we only went to the children’s costume parade downtown. Last year, we did nothing. I forget why, but we did not dress up or go anywhere. This year, we all dressed as firefighters (even the baby) and went out two times. For both outings, my goal was the same – to have fun with Dylan and Blake without the boys eating any candy. As we drove towards … Continue reading →

The Trick Behind Halloween Treats

Depending on where you are collecting candy on Halloween, the free items can be more trick than treat. One word: Raisins. Dehydrated grapes that look more at home in the bottom of a toilet rather than the bottom of a plastic pumpkin shouldn’t be considered a Halloween treat. Ditto for toothbrushes, individual pennies, polished rocks and the errant canned good. Rocks, canned soup and raisins. Really? Who does that to a child on Halloween? Geez, the kid went through the trouble of dressing-up, braving chilly temps and navigating around mountains of fallen leaves in the dark. Doesn’t that warrant at … Continue reading →

Genalogy And Halloween Costumes

Halloween is just around the corner. If you are having trouble selecting a costume, why not check out the branches of your family tree for some inspiration. Whether you select a cultural look from one of your ethnic origins or an outfit honoring a beloved ancestor from a specific time period, your costume is sure to stand out from the sea of devils and witches at any Halloween party. Imagine how much fun it would be to dance the night away in Roaring 20’s style. Civil War Era costumes are another interesting way to dress yourself and your family. Did … Continue reading →

Green Halloween 2012

Halloween is almost here, but it is not too late to still think green. If you are still looking for a costume, I wish I had told you sooner about Green Halloween. It is a website that promotes a green Halloween. The site sponsors a yearly National Costume Swap Day, but I learned about it too late this year to advertise it here. It was Oct 13th, but it is still not too late to hold your own costume swap day. You can get together with friends from playgroup, other mothers from school or church or anyone you know with … Continue reading →

Seasonal Home Based Businesses For Next Halloween

Sometimes I come across some fun home – based business ideas for seasonal businesses. While it may be a little late to cash in on this year’s Halloween festivities, don’t be scared to try one of these ideas next year. You just might find yourself with a little extra cash in hand – just don’t go spend it all on candy. Speaking of candy, if you make candy then Halloween just might be a profitable time of year for you. Some people take great pride in decorating their homes for Halloween and passing out what they think are the best … Continue reading →

Last Minute Costume Ideas For Toddlers

Did you just look at the calendar and have a minor meltdown because Halloween is a week away? Parents of toddlers are busy, and sometimes things like buying or making Halloween costumes fall by the wayside as we try to take care of the necessities each day before we run out of time and energy. Fortunately, there are a few quick and inexpensive costumes that you can whip up in no time so that your little monsters won’t miss any Halloween fun. If your child has a rain coat and rain boots, you are on your way to making a … Continue reading →

The Art of Recycling Halloween Costume Ideas

(The purr-fect costume??) You are looking at my daughter’s darling Halloween cat costume. The one she swears she’ll never wear again. She wore the cute and cuddly getup a couple of years ago during her All Hallows’ Eve candy collecting adventures, but don’t look for her to ever go trick-or-treating again dressed as a fluffy feline because “only little kids dress up as cats.” P.S. She’s eight. I spent the better half of last night explaining to her that she most certainly could dress-up as a cat again if she desired. We’d just tailor the outfit to make it look … Continue reading →

Last Minute Costume?

With Halloween less than a week away, if you haven’t got your kid’s costumes figured out you’re probably running around like a mad woman trying to decide what to do about it. As a single parent it’s hard to find time for much of anything these days and spending an insane amount of money on a costume that will be worn once just isn’t an option for most of us. So what’s a mom to do? Take a deep breath. We’ve got you covered! Believe it or not you can make lots of great last minute costumes in the comfort … Continue reading →

Halloween Books = Amazing Alternative to Candy

Believe it or not, 100 Grand Bars, Laffy Taffy and candy corn are not the only treats that scream, “Halloween!” If you are looking for a sugar-free/fat-free/calorie-free/peanut-free/gluten-free goodie to give kids on All Hallows’ Eve, consider Mia: Time to Trick or Treat! The adorable and affordable children’s book (it retails for less than $5) is an amazing alternative to candy and can be passed out as a Halloween party favor, a prize for a costume contest, or used to spice up your kid’s bedtime story collection. There’s nothing like a little seasonal spice to get youngsters excited about reading, and … Continue reading →