Buckifan,.....
.... Now is a good time to "fish" for decent costumes on clearance. My costumes were probably not exactly cheap - but by my reckoning I figure the regular "full" price for my new costumes (just 2 for spouse and I) runs 750 (not counting potential taxes or shipping) and we spent approximately 265 so far (inc/ taxes and shipping). Most of the stuff I ordered is coming from Singapore and shipping ran $42.50 or 28.2% of the cost of the "costumes" ordered at $150.50 ... but we saved 8% as there was no sales tax. I'm still hunting for 2 minor "detail items" that ought to cost no more than $40. So our estimated savings is $800+ in costumes for under 300 including taxes and shipping. That is like saving approximately 62.5%.
Now, my spouse thinks I've gone over-board a bit on this. As last Holloweens' costumes ran under $65 for 4 costumes for the bunch of us. Their original retail cost ran well over 220 total. But - we were fortunate to have found 3 of these at deep discount clearance for $5 each. I'd guess that the 3 five dollar costumes had an original retail of $25 or 30 + tax. The Jafar ran about $35 and accessories were another 15 or so. I made a cobra staff that shot silly string
by taping a can of silly string to the top of a broom stick - wrapping it in aluminum foil and shaping it into a cobra head with mouth open where the string shoots out - then I spray painted the thing gold. The staff shooting "snake venom" was great fun and always good for smiles and a predictible pattern of stares and questions! A lot of kids at our church holloween party thought the staff was the "coolest" gimmick at the party!
The down side was I spent a minute every time after I shot the cobra "venom" to PICK UP the mess .... as I wanted to leave NO MESSY string behind. I quickly learned to avoid cameras and hair with the silly string!
So - for a family of 4.... you could be as creative as U like.... Or not
. In many ways the new 2006 costumes for myself and spouse are not particularly creative - but they are probably leaning towards being fun, slightly elegant and probably exotic with the tailoring and degree of detail accuracy attempted. [there's a clue of sorts] I recall hearing or seeing folks as .... dressed all in light blue with big cotton wads attached and they had a hand held atomizer with water. They were "partly cloudly with a chance of showers". Ocassionally they converted into partly cloudy with a chance of T storms! Imagine that! They sprayed everyone who asked what they were!!!! I love that sort of thing!!!!
I thought someone mentioned that they were going to have a Holloween contest/parade on the Magic. For last Septembers' cruise I modified the Jafar costume to be an "exotic pirate" and my family were all pirates. I used self illuminating glow stick "straw sized tubes" to enhance various parts of our costumes. Our swords were self illumated by glow sticks taped on to their outline. We'll probably recycle most of the gear for next year's pirate nite. Except we're likely to enhance the costumes with new detail pieces. I at least need a decent parrot for my shoulder.
I spent a little more than I should have because we have the ships costume parade + 2 major costumed opportunities next year - including a Holloween costume dinner party we'll be hosting. So.... my original "clue" that my spouse and I sort of "go together" is fitting as we're hosts for one costumed event next year.
AND.... I am still trying to think of a decent clue that doesn't give away too much! Everyone already knows next years' costumes are NOT pirates or Jafar.... OK... how about this.... our costumed characters are romanticly involved with one another. Does that help? If not - remember I offerred to entertain ONE question (yes or no answers only) from each screen identity that cares to enquire and GUESS at what my costumes are.
No more "FREE" clues from me now. This was not intended to be an "easy" opportunity at guessing!
Any takers?
OK.... I'll modify my terms by saying I'll allow ONE yes or NO question per screen identity after each GUESS... with one yes or no question permitted BEFORE the first guess. So - everyone gets 3 yes or no questions and 3 guesses. That's potentially A LOT! I'll honor these terms until the end of this year for any who find this and wanna guess and question us!
K... gotta go nor now,
TTFN!
