Favorite Holiday Day Costume Ideas for Kids

Pick the holiday, then dress in that holiday's signature colors and items: Halloween: wear the costume from last October. This is the easiest and most popular approach. Any Halloween costume — witch, vampire, superhero, ghost — counts as representing Halloween. Christmas: red and green clothing, a Santa hat, reindeer antlers, or an elf hat. An ugly Christmas sweater if you own one. Candy cane props or a wrapped present box as a prop. 4th of July: red, white, and blue from head to toe. Star-spangled headband, flag-themed shirt, or patriotic sunglasses. Anything Americana. Valentine's Day: all red and pink, heart-shaped sunglasses, heart stickers on cheeks, and a box of conversation hearts as a prop. Easter: bunny ears, pastel colors, and a basket. Spring flowers and chick-themed accessories. St. Patrick's Day: all green, shamrock accessories, and a leprechaun hat or green headband. The key is committing to one holiday's color palette and adding one or two holiday-specific accessories. A shirt in the right colors plus one themed prop is enough.

Favorite Holiday Day is best approached by shopping your own closet and holiday storage boxes. Check the holiday decoration bins: Santa hats, reindeer antlers, bunny ears, patriotic flags, and Halloween accessories often live in storage boxes year-round. Pull them out for spirit week. Reuse last year's Halloween costume. It's probably still in the closet or costume box. A single-use costume getting a second day of wear is the best ROI in spirit week. For any holiday, the color formula works: dress head-to-toe in that holiday's signature colors from your regular wardrobe. Red and green from the closet is Christmas. Red, white, and blue is 4th of July. All pastels is Easter. The colors communicate the holiday without any specialty items.