Fun and Free - Halloween Edition

I don't know about your part of the world, but the Halloween festivities begin Saturday in our neighborhood and the kids can't wait.

I've posted already about some costume ideas but am going to go even further here.

I buy pumpkins last minute, because they are usually deeply discounted then. I began doing it that way years ago, due to disorganization rather than frugality, and was so pleased to find such good prices that it has become a tradition of sorts. I cook some, pureeing and freezing the "meat" in 1 cup portions to use throughout the year in breads, muffins, pancakes, pastas, and so on. The rest are carved into jack-o-lanterns by Halloween night.

The seeds are always lightly oiled and salted, then roasted. They don't last long in this house, usually gone the day after Halloween.

Here's the further mentioned above ... Great, awesome, creative ... Halloween fun. Some activities will require a little output, some will work with things you have on hand.

 

Modern Parents Messy Kids has some terrific pumpkin and costume ideas. I'm certainly going to try the cookie cutter pumpkin carving this year (great looking and easy!).

Martha Stewart has a great deal of everything, for beginners and accomplished Halloween decorators and partiers alike

Thrift store costume ideas
More last minute thrift store costume ideas

Lastly, an interest search for "free Halloween" will pull up loads of free printables - coloring pages, games, decorations, and more.

Frugal Halloween Costumes

When I was a child we usually made our own costumes. Some years we were treated to a store costume, complete with stiff plastic mask with gigantic eye holes, but most years we made our own. This was in Wisconsin and back before kids trick or treated at the mall so under or over our costume was our heavy jacket ... which kind of distracted from the costume.

But here we are in Florida, where my kids have never had to wear a jacket on Halloween, but where they still often have home made costumes, often out of parts of other costumes, things from the dress-up box, consignment and resale shopping, and a bit of sewing from Mom.

Not only does the "make your own" technique of costuming save money but it allows the kids to be more self-expressive and creative. AND, we've found that the costumes that win the contests are usually home made ... and really really cool!

One year three of my kids were the Blues Brothers (when they had the little kid with them) using simple dark pants, dark shoes, white shirts, dark jackets, hats, and sunglasses, one was a good purple witch (using parts of store bought costumes), and another was a pirate (he's always a pirate).

So what kind of costume could you make? Here are a few simple ideas:

denim overalls + flannel or t-shirt + hat + straw or raffia = scarecrow
jean skirt or jeans + white t-shirt + scissor-fringed vest = cowgirl or cowboy
shredded dirty white clothes + face make-up = mummy
jeans + white tee with sleeves rolled up + loafers = James Dean
white tee + white tights + stuffed pillowcase with arm and head holes cut out = marshmallow

For more great ideas, even some instructions, check out these sites:
www.familyfun.com
homemade halloween costume ideas
JoAnn Fabrics
Halloween kids
Budget 101