Halloween costumes made easy

By Terri Rimmer

HappyNews Citizen Journalist

The sky is black, the weather is cool, lighted jack-o-lanterns emit an orange glow, and the streets are full of witches, goblins and ghosts.

Homemade costumes are attractive to parents because they cost little, require few supplies and enable children to use their imagination. Fasten wigs, beards, whiskers, hat, and other accessories securely and ensure that they do not hang in your child's eyes.

From circus clowns to punk rockers, here are a few examples of costumes to get your creative juices flowing that cost very little and require few supplies:

· Baby - Slip into flannel pjs and put your hair in pigtails.

· Fifties Filly or Guy - A blouse, scarf, full skirt and pair of white sneakers with bobby socks will make any girl ready for the sock hop.

· Groovy Hippie - Dig through the attic for an old pair of bell bottoms and pair them with a tie-dyed shirt and sandals.

· Traveling Tourist - A Hawaiian shirt, a camera and a few maps sticking out of your pockets will make you stand out in a crowd of natives.

· Mysterious Gypsy - Predict the future with a crystal ball, lots of jewelry, a scarf for your hair, shawl, puffy blouse and a long print skirt.

· Pablo Picasso - Sling some paint on an oversized shirt, don a beret and mustache and carry a paint palette and brushes to turn you into an instant artist.

· Swamp Thing - Head to a craft store and buy some fake green ivy.

· The Jolly Green Giant - Paint your body green with body paint, then create a costume with green, brown and yellowish leaves, and be sure to carry a can of Green Giant green beans.

· Caesar Salad - make a toga out of a sheet or white cloth, tie a variety of vegetables (carrots, Brussels sprouts, lettuce; etc.) to a belt, and then make a crown out of spinach leaves and croutons.

· Money Tree - put on brown pants, a green shirt, and pin some fake money (from a discount store) to your shirt.

Remember, for children, Halloween is definitely the scariest but also one of the most enjoyable holiday celebrations. Your child may be stressing out for ideas, but that doesn't mean your wallet has to.

This story was produced by Happynews Citizen Journalist, Terri Rimmer. Rimmer works from Fort Worth, TX and frequently contributes to HappyNews.

For more information on contributing to Happynews, click here.