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Cheap Scares

Halloween Costumes on a Dime

By Tawra Kellam

Here's an idea:

One child could go as a present, another a Christmas tree, another Rudolph and another as Santa.

Dye an old pair of sweats brown. Put a light brown felt tummy on the shirt, make a set of cardboard antlers and paint the child's nose red.

Wrap an old box that is big enough for the child to wear. Cut out the bottom of the box and make holes for the arms and head. The child can wear a turtleneck and stretch pants underneath it.

Cut two pieces of cardboard into the shape of a tree. Make two, one for the front and one for the back. Hook them together with a piece of string, yarn or ribbon over each shoulder. Paint the pieces green with latex paint and attach old tinsel and ornaments with hot glue. Make a star headpiece by gluing glitter to a cardboard cutout or use a Christmas tree angel as a headpiece.

Trim a pair of red sweats with white fake fur and a large black felt belt. Make a beard with more fake fur, top off with a Santa hat and add a little "Ho, Ho, Ho" for good measure.

Of course, if all else fails you could wrap the child head to toe in aluminum foil and send him as a frozen burrito...

Want to see more?

• A Safe and Simple Halloween: Tips for Celebrating the Holiday with Preschoolers
• Frighteningly Frugal Fun! Great Halloween Ideas for Cheap
• Homemade Costumes: An Inexpensive Tradition
• Read more Halloween articles.
• Talk about it!