SURVEY SAYS: Dressing Up for Halloween

Last week, I asked NewsDash readers, “Do you have plans to dress up in costume for Halloween this year?” I also asked them to share the most creative costumes they’ve seen or come up with.

Two-thirds (66.7%) of responding readers indicated they have no plans to dress up for Halloween this year. Nineteen percent each said they would dress up for answering the door for trick-or-treaters and for trick-or-treating with their children. Only about one in 20 (4.8%) will be dressing up for Halloween at work, and 9.5% said they would for a social gathering.

Some of the most creative Halloween costumes responding readers have seen or come up with, include:

• I’ve dressed as a tourist and a cow, and won work contests both times. Words of wisdom: don’t dress like a cow. Folks kept trying to pull on the udders (even though I wore a sign that said, “Old cow, no milk”).
• This year I’m dressing as 50 shades of gray. Two years ago I was dressed as a chef and carried an iron, the “Iron Chef” was too esoteric for most of my much younger co-workers.
• Last year my son was a bulldozer. This year he wants to dress up as a fireman but he wants his wagon converted to a fire truck and his baby sister dressed up as his fire puppy. He says I can be a T-Rex.
• When I was a child in the 70’s, I dressed up as a toilet. I put a big box in the back for the tank, and a smaller box in the front as the bowl, put a real set on it, and opened up the seat to expose my candy bag. I remember it vividly to this day because most people laughed out loud, but several actually closed the door on me and turned me away.
• I’ve volunteered at Night Eyes at our local zoo for many years. In the early days, a family would come as a fairy tale every year. The mom would make the costumes. One year was Jack and the Beanstalk with the dad on painter’s stilts as the giant, mom the harp, daughter the goose with the golden eggs, and their son was Jack. Another year was Rapunzel with the dad in the elaborate caste with his daughter, Rapunzel, sitting on his shoulders, the mom was the witch and the son the prince. So creative. We looked forward to them coming through the event every year. Miss those days!
• I have seen much more creative than I have come up with. My best effort was that my husband and I were salt and pepper shakers one year. It was simple and I like easy.
• My 9-month-old is a pea pod, and my wife made a carrot costume and tomato costume for me and my 2.5 year old. She’s dressing as a farmer.
• Remember the survey about working from home earlier this year? This is one of the downsides that wasn’t mentioned, it just doesn’t make much sense to wear a costume for work when you’re at home all day.
• Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz
• Someone just had a label on them that said “98.4 degrees.” They were a “Temp”
• I painted a box to look like a night stand and went as…a one night stand.

In verbatim comments, several just pointed out the fun of the holiday, but notably some said the fun part included children. A couple mentioned a simple costume or outfit just to commemorate the day. Editor’s Choice goes to the reader who said: “Unfairly we hate dressing up but we make our dog wear a costume. This year our Golden Retriever will wear the lion’s mane similar to the commercial. In past years he has been a wide retriever with his football jersey.”

A big thank you to all who participated in the survey!

Verbatim

Love seeing the kids in costumes, but I think the really creative ones are saved for the big block parties downtown.

It’s challenging to come up with a good costume to wear at work with clients popping in and out.

I think it’s fun for kids and if you’re a parent, otherwise I’m pretty “meh” and just want the discount candy on 11/1.

Ears and black clothing and I’m good!

I appreciate group costumes with a theme, however I’m not big on dressing up for work.

For work, I usually wear black and/or orange, with Halloween earrings. Just giving a nod to the day.

It’s a lot more fun when you have young kids.

A lot of fun!

Fun to see costumes :)!

Unfairly we hate dressing up but we make our dog wear a costume. This year our Golden Retriever will wear the lion’s mane similar to the commercial. In past years he has been a wide retriever with his football jersey.