So, Halloween is coming up, which means Christmas is on the way too! But we’ll worry about that later. This is the one night of the year you can be extra bold, or effortlessly wear a pair of black cat ears and still look the part.

Read on and I guarantee your children will have a Halloween to remember…..

Putting in the effort

It’s the night before Halloween. You’ve found some pumpkin-shaped marshmallows at the bottom of the cupboard (that expired a year ago) and you’re hoping the costumes will be ready on time. We’ve all been there!

Obviously not everyone has the time or money to buy a full outfit every year, so by using our DIY looks listed below and our affordable products you can be sure your kid will look the part this holiday.

Whether they want to be a pirate, a knight or a princess we can help; from our Pirate Torch to our classic Wooden Axe, our range of Halloween toys is here for you. All our toys are high quality and shipped with care, so you’re also purchasing a toy that your child will love for many years to come.

Creative DIY looks

For younger kids, there are many adorable and easy to make outfits. Why not try a “Where’s Wally” look using a striped t-shirt and a hand-knitted hat. Or how about a scary mummy look, all you need for this is some toilet roll, white clothes or pyjamas and our paint your own mask kit.

Older kids might want a scarier outfit such as a vampire or pirate. For the pirate look, you may have to sacrifice some clothing. Get your baggiest, oldest t-shirts and trousers and tear them as you please to make a rugged outfit. Then you can add our classic pirate torch to help you find your way trick-or-treating, and a pirate hat, and your work is done!

Not all parents love dressing up but, in case some of you do, here are our ideas! First a simple one, a Witch Queen look for all the mums (because you’re all Queens in your own right). Find a black dress and some cardboard (preferably gold) to make yourself a crown, then impress everyone with your spooky magic colour mixing bubble potions. You can also summon your many witch familiars with help from our Hand Shadows Book; its foolproof!

For the dads, wow your children as a Halloween inventor with our motorised robot hand – or even just our Halloween themed lego models and classic wind up teeth for a good laugh.

Other ideas could include:

• Peter Pan, which would need some green clothing and creativity.
• Olaf, for all the frozen fans. This wouldn’t need more than some white clothes, pom poms and some felt.
• Fairy, an easy option if you already have a pair of fairy wings lying about.
• Bunny rabbit.
• Skeleton.
• Minion, this is a good choice for younger kids as it’s sure to be super cute.

Why Should We Bother?

Halloween is thought to originate from the Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated on the fringe of Autumn and Winter, where the boundary between the living and the dead was weakest. At this time of the year, Celts would make bonfires and wear costumes to scare away roaming spirits and protect themselves from harm.

Later, in the eighth century, the Pope created All Saints’ Day. A day to honour all martyrs and some Samhain festivities were performed on this day. The evening each year before All Saints’ Day was called All Hallows’ Eve.

This later evolved into Halloween and here we are today. So, whether you give any credit to its origins or you don’t, protect yourself this year. By dressing up and have a good laugh!

Above and Beyond at Halloween

For full costumes, support local businesses by shopping at a costume shop. Or keep an eye out for bargains at boot sales and online Marketplaces.

So, if you’re a die-hard fan or someone who only notices it’s the 31st when someone knocks on your door in a Witches hat, we can help you take some very memorable family photos this year! Lastly, remember to have a bowl of sweets ready, don’t be that person who gives the trick-or-treaters an apple!

So, will it be a witch or a zombie this year? We’ll let the kids decide!

Editors note: This blog was originally published on October 23rd, 2017. Updated on October 5th, 2021 to improve the information available.