Great Family Halloween costumes can survive through generations of family legends and picture books. While it’s easy to go to a clothing store, dress up the whole family as prodigies – not including Dads – or yield to inevitable (outdated) frozen themes, Halloween may be the time for families to get smarter and work together. The beginning of some thinking.
The Stick Family
Those simultaneously adorable and obnoxious decals people put on the back of their vans to show everybody how many people are in their family are pretty milquetoast. But dress every family member in black and don the clothing with stick person-shaped glowing tape or sticks and you’ve got a costume that’s at once simultaneously cool and safe in the dark.
The Cat in the Hat and His Many Things
In 1957, when Theodore Gessel (theodo geisel) released the cat from his hat, he armed families with multiple children in a quick, cheap way. Parents can wear complete outfits, but to be honest, what they really need is a striped hat, a few beards, as much as possible blue wigs, red pajamas and hand-made “stuff” labels.
The Adams Family
Yes, you can wear it with Gomez, Motitia, Wednesday, and Pugsley. But when the kids sleep, you show up on John, Abigail, John Quincy and others, and your dandruff can turn into an impromptu drunken historical episode.
Wu-Tang Clan
No one says the whole family should dress up like Stadton Island’s crew to mark the 25th anniversary of 36 rooms, but if your child can wear a sturdy u- god costume, it’s even more powerful. Give each family member a bee costume, hit it with a small Wu Hui, and draw angry eyebrows on everyone’s face. Bang. Wu Tang killer Bio!
Each Other
The kid is dad. Mom is the kid. Dad is mom. Pandemonium! Also, hilarity.
Fun with Chest Carriers
When a child is still in an aircraft carrier, Dad has a chance to have fun in this outfit without his child saying it, and it’s a lot of fun. The baby could be a dad’s space Marine a burst alien in his chest or a clairvoyant iris in full memory or wake up a talking brain from a ninja turtle. Basically, do it before the child can protest or be scarred.
The Cast of Wet Hot American Summer
Mom and dad can scratch their itch to wear poorly fitting ‘80s clothes while also participating in the joyous practice of dressing a small child as a sentient can of green beans. Everybody wins.
Bad News Bears
This approach can be done in two ways, including as many family members as possible. The more obvious option is to have all the kids wear baseball suits and make Dad a less racist coach, coach Bartman. A tougher way is to dress everyone up as a bear and let them spread bad news, such as “you’re fired.”
