Credit: Banjo Brown, Flickr
by Kelly Youngblood
Ahhh, fall is in the air. The leaves are changing colors, pumpkins sit on porches, and kids everywhere are starting to ask the same question- how many more days until Halloween?
The kids may be counting down the days until they can rip into their fun-size bags of M&Ms, but moms are probably wondering, “What’s my child going to wear?”
Long gone are the days of throwing a sheet over your child’s head, cutting out eyes, and calling him a ghost. Charlie Brown did it but all he ever got in his candy bag was a rock.
There are so many decisions these days when choosing a Halloween costume. Do you go with something cutesie or gruesome? Store-bought or DIY? Traditional or trendy? Do you even let your child have a say in what they get to wear for trick or treating?
Really, there’s no wrong answer here, but there are many questions to consider when shopping around this year.
Age is definitely an important factor when choosing a costume. This will likely determine whether you go with that adorable little giraffe costume or the ever-popular “Jason” hockey mask. You just don’t see that many 2-year-olds running around on Halloween wielding a machete.
It’s doubtful your 6-month-old infant is going to voice an objection to dressing him or her up in anything, as long as it’s comfortable. Although they may look back at pictures one day and question your taste.
Your 7-year-old on the other hand might be willing to go on a hunger strike in order to attain that ninja costume he’s always wanted, complete with swords and daggers. Just don’t forget that those plastic weapons are not allowed at school!
Classic Halloween costumes like witches and vampires are always a hit, but you could also go for the top costume trends of the season.
According to squidoo.com, the latest list of the top-selling and most popular Halloween costumes for 2012 includes Avengers, Angry Birds, Harry Potter, Hunger Games characters, Olympic athletes, Honey Boo Boo, Twilight, Monster High, all Princess characters (Cinderella, Snow White, Tinkerbell), Star Wars, Smurfs, Ironman, super heroes (Spiderman and Batman), Pirates, Justin Bieber, and Mario. Owls are the No. 1 costume for babies, with Disney princesses, lions, bears and super heroes also topping the list.
Infobarrel.com, listed Merida of Brave as the No. 1 costume for 2012. Ninjas, zombies, and characters from Madagascar 3 and Snow White and the Huntsman were also listed in the top 10 “most-searched” costumes of the year.
According to Wes Schield, manager of Dallas & Company, it’s still a little early to tell what’s going to be the biggest seller this year, but he did say boys are already gravitating towards the Avenger’s costumes and moms are liking Angry Birds. He noted they have sold a lot of classic ninja costumes this year as well as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Schield said some of last year’s most popular costumes were everyday heroes like policemen and firemen for boys and pretty princess dresses for girls.
Whether you’re looking for the hottest trend this year or a costume that’s totally unique, there are many shopping options in the Champaign-Urbana area, some of which you may not have even heard about or considered.
If you want to find Halloween costumes in great condition at a discounted price, check out one of the many local consignment shops, including Village Wardrobe in Monticello; Bulldog Kids in Mahomet; All Things Kids in Champaign, Strictly Kids in Gibson City; Briella’s Boutique in Savoy; Frogs & Fairies in Urbana: and Womb to Grow Boutique in Farmer City.
Goodwill in Champaign and both Salvation Army thrift stores in Champaign also sell Halloween costumes.
If you’re sticking to the big, chain, retail stores, you might be surprised to learn Big Lots, TJ Maxx, Farm and Fleet, and Jo-Ann Fabrics & Crafts also carries Halloween costumes.
Some more obvious costume-shopping locations include Dallas & Company, Party City, Halloween City, and Spirit Halloween, all located in Champaign.
Regardless of where you shop or what your child wears this year, make sure to have fun, be safe, and sneak away with a couple pieces of their candy at the end of the night. Hey, Halloween can be fun for grown-ups too!
Now, let’s all say a prayer we don’t see a plethora of Little Honey Boo Boo’s running around this year. Eeek, now that would be scary!
Kelly is a mom to three wild and wonderful children and a freelance writer for a weekly newspaper. She lives in Mansfield with her husband, kids, and two dogs.
Hey! My son was a ghost last year. Cut the eyeholes in the sheet himself! Cheapest Halloween yet and he was exactly what he wanted to be.