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Published
by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. CLICK FOR NEWSPAPER DELIVERY
Tuesday, October 16, 2001
Halloween costumes lift spirits, follow lighter themes this year
By Samantha Critchell
Associated Press
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Associated Press
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Juliet Yznaga in her frilly ghost costume at a Halloween preview, sponsored by Child magazine, at New York’s FAO Schwartz toy store.
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NEW YORK - A Halloween costume is so much more than a single night's getup.
Just think about the lingering effects: Even as an adult, you're probably more likely to remember the costume you wore when you were in the second grade than the name of your best friend who you went trick-or-treating with.
"I know an adult woman who still resents her mother for dressing her as a fisherman. She wanted to be a ballerina," says Leila Peltosaari, author of "Illegally Easy Halloween Costumes for Kids" (Tikka Books).
Peltosaari's advice is to make each year's costume count. In addition to the happy memories, it will allow parents and children to spend some valuable, creative time together.
Creative fantasy
"Kids really care about Halloween," agrees Kathy Henderson, lifestyle director at Child magazine. The October issue of Child features up-to-date versions of ghosts, spiders and devil costumes.
"It's a fantasy in good way."
This Halloween, in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, there is a movement away from scary costumes, reports Sal Perisano, chairman and CEO of iParty, a chain of party goods stores in New England and Florida.
Lighter themes
Young girls are choosing "glam" witch costumes over goulish ones, and the perennial favorites of princesses and Dorothy of "The Wizard of Oz" are more popular than ever. Expect to see young boys dressed as heroes - either the fantasy variety, such as Superman and Spiderman, or the real thing, including firefighters and police officers.
"This is the first year we've seen a real run of fireman hats," Perisano says. Also, a "fire dog" costume for pets already is sold out.Older kids, who are more likely to want scary outfits, are leaning toward comedic and patriotic costumes, including the Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam.
IParty made the decision to remove goofy masks of President Bush from all ads and fake body parts that normally are used in displays and haunted houses are stored away in the stores' back rooms.
Never too old
"Before you go to the store, set rules with your kids," advises Henderson. If parents want to steer their older children away from gory getups this year or any other, urge them to choose a costume that won't frighten little trick-or-treaters.
She suggests holding on to the capes and hats that children will accumulate over the years because teen-agers often act as if they're too old to celebrate - right up until Oct. 31 - and then decide at the last minute to join in the fun and scramble for a costume.
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