Take a Trip to the The Happiest (Store) on Earth
Have you asked your child what s/he wants to be? Chances are very good the response was Rapunzel, or Ariel, or Woody or one of the Avengers, or perhaps Minnie or Lightning McQueen…  you see the theme here. Kids love and identify with the pantheon of Disney characters. While you can get a Cinderella or Snow White-type costume in a number of places, the ones at the Disney Store are among the nicest, and the store has a great selection of accessories that complete the look, (a Spiderman trick or treat bag, light up wings for Tinkerbell, Rapunzel’s braid, tiaras and wands for every princess…  ugh, my shopping cart is getting heavy).  And now you can be rewarded for your procrastination, laid back attitude, savvy shopping:  Halloween is on sale through the remainder of the month, 20% off costumes, 40% off accessories.  Getting the costume your kid really wants while saving money? Score!

I want to give a special shout-out to the baby costumes at the Disney Store (check them out at Disney Baby). Typical baby costumes treat the baby as a prop, often even making a child a punchline in a joke.  The Disney Baby costumes are miniature versions of big kid costumes, tailored to a baby physique. And freakin’ adorable.

This Calls for a Super Hero
An easy and yet amazingly versatile costume is the superhero. The beauty of this costume is that you get to define it.  While you can go with an old favorite like Batman or Superman, why not use one of those as a jumping off point to highlight your child’s interests and abilities?  You and your child can work together to create the perfect superhero:  what are his or her superpowers?  Does s/he have a weakness?  And of course, what color is the cape?     

The cape is the primary feature of a superhero costume.  You can make one yourself or order online. (Last year we got an awesome superhero ensemble from Powercapes.com. While it is too late to get a personalized cape in time for Halloween, this place has thousands of pre-made capes that are ready to ship). If you're hoping to find a cape closer to home, try your luck at Children's Place or JennyBec's in Brentwood.

With cape in hand, you can add super accoutrement such as a mask, shield, utility belt, axe of justice, washcloth of invisibility, pine cone of power … a favorite stuffed toy can even come along as a sidekick!

You make the call

One of the advantages of having young children is that sometimes you can make decisions for them. Halloween is all about living out your fantasies. Why not get an early start on living vicariously through your kids? Always wanted to be an astronaut? Fancy yourself the piratical sort? You may have missed the boat, but your kid is ripe for the shaping. This explains why my daughter’s first three Halloween costumes were: Yoda,  Spock, and a Smurf.  (No unresolved smurfiness behind the Smurf costume. It was just cute). Most of these costumes can be found at any of the multitude of Halloween pop-up shops throughout the city (e.g. Spirit), or at the year-round shops that dress up for Halloween (Aahs, for one).

Recycle, Reuse, ReGift
The saddest thing about Halloween is that it only comes one day a year. (At least that’s what my dentist says). These costumes that we lovingly acquire, assemble, and accessorize get relegated to back shelves and closets as thoughts turn to Christmas. Those costumes that escape the dress-up bin are as pristine as the day you bought them, but possibly too small or dismissed as yesterday’s news the following year. Guess what?  For every outsized Spiderman in your closet, your neighbor has two! Why not arrange a swap? (See Yoda, Smurf and Spock costumes, above). Does big sister have an old judo gi or ballet outfit little sis has always coveted? A little strategic hemming and your black belt ballerina is ready to rumble.

Give them the Reins

Ask your kid what he wants to be.  Answers will generally fall into two categories: the well-known character (see Disney Store, above) or the inexplicable. The inexplicable is invariably of the head-scratching variety: a pink piece of toast. A water tower. An iced caramel machiatto. If your kid wants to be one of these, consider yourself lucky. One, it shows you have a very unusual creative kid, and two, it gives you the opportunity to work together to create something truly unique.  Surf the internet for inspiration;  for materials, head on over to a craft store like Michaels or the 99 Cent Store. Some combination of foam, cardboard, pipe cleaners, glue, and paint miraculously comes together to create a costume you and everyone else will remember for years to come.

Whatever costume you rig together, it will all be okay.  Kids can be happy wearing tinfoil and bed sheets (though you might have some explaining to do when they look at the photos in later years). And besides, the magic of Halloween isn’t in the costume. It’s about time lovingly spent together exploring your neighborhood, stretching the boundaries of your child's imagination and reveling in the power of community. Bring on the candy, and don’t be stingy!