Wholesome Hilarious Halloween Costume Stories From The Parents Of Reddit

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Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Oct 25, 2023 10:00 AM EDT

Halloween is a knocking at the door folks and as many of you might already be in frantic preparations ahead of this hallowed eve, we thought it would be a good idea to lend a helping hand with some inspirational and some comedically tragic Halloween costume stories fresh from the parents of reddit.

We have scoured the forums to bring you the great ideas the parents and kids of reddit have shared to make this Halloween as spooky as can be. From your kid wanting to be a blackberry plant, to be both scary and have the ability to poke people, to the unhinged demand for a Spider-Man dinosaur costume, to warnings of feline ferocity against handmade costumes, to your kid wanting to be a lightning bug with a switchable light up tail. Suffice to say that you are likely to feel much better about your Halloween preparations after an indulgent scroll through these hilarious parenting memes. So kick back in bed a few minutes more and no longer be afraid of Halloween knocking at the door.

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  • 01
    Font - r/Parenting · Posted by u/Mandze 1 year ago What ridiculous Halloween costume are YOU frantically crafting this week? Halloween My child, age 6, wants to be a blackberry plant "because they are scary and they poke people and they grow everywhere." I was hoping that we had finally reached the year of being able to just buy a Disney princess dress, but nope.
    via u/Mandze
  • 02
    Rectangle - Aloof_bidoof 1 yr. ago I'm making a paper mache Shrek head for my little boy to wear to a party. My little boy is 15...
    via u/Aloof_bidoof
  • 03
    Product - . throwradoodoopoopoo 1 yr. ago omg for a last minute costume my dad put a trash bag on me and a red line on my cheek with a crayola marker and said I was one of dexter's victims... for the middle school halloween fair
    via u/throwadoodoopoopoo
  • 04
    Font - tundrab0y · 1 yr. ago My kid wants to be a mummy but not with a mummy costume I can go out and buy, he literally wants to wrap himself in toilet paper. 29 Share Yzma_Kitt · 1 yr. ago Been there, done that. Some hints. Cheap medical gause is a better choice. The peel and stick Velcro dots are your friends. Wrap waist and torso separate from each other for bathroom breaks. Don't let strips be left hanging or trailing. A few years ago a local kid here dressed as a homemade mummy had a bad ti
    via u/tundraby0y, u/Yzma_Kitt
  • 05
    Font - SpeakerCareless · 1 yr. ago Things I have made: • custom Miranda sings costume with appliqué cat sweatshirt and haters back off sweatpants • a homemade Elsa dress the year you couldn't buy one for love or money • a custom lalaloopsy wig • a very specific scary clown dress that I had to fashion from a different dress pattern ● “a police car you can drive with lights” The blackberry bush is genuis. I had a cousin who dressed as a very convincing bush and liked to sit with people's real bush
    via u/SpeakerCareless
  • 06
    Font - Leeyore- 1 yr. ago All my kids are in store bought costumes for the first time this year and it is so easy, low stress! I love it. I have a spider and two astronauts. Much easier than the crow, pink owl, and peacock of last year! ((Involuntary shudder at the memory of gluing felt feathers at 1 am)). 10 Share lisette729 1 yr. ago Solidarity! My kid was a chicken the one year. Stitching feathers for days...
    via u/Leeyore-. u/lisette729
  • 07
    Font - beatleslisa 1 yr. ago . Ours isn't ridiculous at all but my 8 year old wants to be the crazy cat lady from The Simpsons. I just need to sew some cats on
    via u/beatleslisa
  • 08
    Font - yohoitsalex1850 · 1 yr. ago my 3yo wanted to be Helga Pataki (from Hey, Arnold) after changing her mind from rainbow mermaid, rainbow cat, and a butterfly. I tried to pitch being a butterfly to her again and she said “okay, mommy, I'll be butterfly Helga." and that's the story of how I had to sew a dress for a character no one in her class will recognize paired with butterfly wings I found on amazon that are as tall as she is I even managed to finished the dress ahead of schedule, in time
    via u/yohoitsalex1850
  • 09
    Font - Stellar_0708 - 1 yr. ago Spider-Man dinosaur. Not Spider-Man. Not dinosaur. A Spider-Man dinosaur 5 Share Mandze OP · 1 yr. ago That sounds like a fully plausible part of the Spider-verse.
    via u/Stellar_0708
  • 10
    Font - Bread Puddding. 1 yr. ago My kid wants to be a blue unicorn, which is fine except that a) I have to go to my parents' house to sew and I need my mother's assistance with some elements and b) he was sick all last week so I was unable to go work on it c) my mom can't find her invisible zipper presser foot so I had to buy one on Amazon and it JUST got here. Also her cat keeps attacking parts of the costume.
    via u/BreadPudding
  • 11
    Font - . patrickverbatum 1 yr. ago i still have to GO to the fabric store to get the fleece to make a Bat for the 1 year old. 5 Share Ninotchk 1 yr. ago Awesome simple idea! Anything that can be hot glued is a win
    via u/partickverbatum, u/Ninotchk
  • 12
    Font - KitchenNazi- 1 yr. ago Soundwave (G1 Transformers version). 3D printer is making the shoulder mounted rocket launcher as we speak (which will house the yet to be made electronics). The helmet looks pretty awesome, but I am going to put some fans inside it because I know it will get hot as hell in there. He's 7. Next year maybe he can go as Dracula or something. Share Mandze OP 1 yr. ago That sounds awesome!
    via u/KitchenNazi, u/Mandze
  • 13
    Font - Alluem 1 yr. ago My 9 year old wants to be a giant foot. Foam, fabric, and glue? Mom is not crafty but I try. Lol.
    via u/Alluem
  • 14
    Font - Slightlysanemomof5 · 1 yr. ago I had a child want to be a lightning bug with a butt he could make flash on and off. Good times. Hope it's really dark so no one notices craftsmanship...
    via u/Slightlysanemomof5
  • 15
    Font - Ninotchk 1 yr. ago My teenagers are complete geeks, and their costume ideas are awesome and we are having so much fun arguing about armor. But man have there been some doozies in the past which I can't tell you or it would identify me, they were that insane
    via u/Ninotchk
  • 16
    Font - ResponsibleLong8776 · 1 yr. ago I had to craft a Charmander and Squirtle costume this year, but our first trick or treating event was two weeks ago so i was stressing out then instead of now. Good thing I can sew and have a cricut!
    via u/ResponsibleLong8776
  • 17
    Font - mydeerwatson - 1 yr. ago In a fit of optimism, I bought myself a sewing machine this year so I could sew my 3-year old's costume, and one for myself. She wants to be a ghost, so I'm attempting to make a ghost-like poncho with a spooky appliquéd face on it. I haven't used a sewing machine since middle school, so its been a challenge!
    via u/mydeerwatson
  • 18
    Font - . picapakapoco 1 yr. ago This is the first year I'm not making his costume. He saw a hot dog costume at target so that's what he's going to be. Makes my life easier, but I do kinda miss making one.
    via u/picapakapoco
  • 19
    Font - marijuanacandymama · 1 yr. ago I'm making an owl costume for my 2 year old because I am a sucker for punishment. I worry he won't even want to wear when Halloween comes around... because you know.. kids...
    via u/marijuanacandymama
  • 20
    Font - Fit Text_180. 1 yr. ago Good heavens take the time make the child a costume. Make it sound like it's such a big inconvenience. Enjoy these days they're going to be past you before you know it!
    via u/Fit_Text_180
  • 21
    Font - lisette 729 1 yr. ago I am currently trying to debate whether or not I need to pull a skeleton costume together. The 2 yr old decided to be Elsa over a month ago. Today was dress up day at preschool and last night she told me she wants to be a skeleton. I convinced her today to wear it by reminding her of the sparkly shoes. Hoping that works again or I might need a back up plan.
    via u/lisette729
  • 22
    Font - flinch86 1 yr. ago My kid (10) wanted to wear cardboard boxes. Thank heavens we found him an ender dragon costume that he got excited about.
    via u/flinch86
  • 23
    Font - J3ssica899 - 1 yr. ago My daughter wanted to be ratchet from the ratchet and clank video game but I said no lol so she picked rapunzel instead. I am just not crafty.
    via u/J3ssica899
  • 24
    Font - Elfpost 1 mo. ago My kid loves the idea of costumes but not actually wearing them. We ended up ordering him a Bowser hoodie and yellow pj bottoms for him this year. Amazon and Etsy have tons of T- shirt's/sweatshirts that mimic characters and you can pair them with joggers, pj pants, etc. My kid will wear a hat/headband so we will also do a little head bad with horns.
    via u/Elfpost
  • 25
    Font - simplythere 1 mo. ago Last year, my kid wanted to be a tow truck mechanic so we got him coveralls and a custom red and white name patch for it. 8 Reply Share . xHappyAcidx 1 mo. ago This is our sons costume this year! But he's a monster truck mechanic
    via u/simplythere, u/xHappyAcidx
  • 26
    Rectangle - tallyllat 1 mo. ago Get him a "Hello, I'm ____" name tag (or tee shirt with it printed on) then pick a random name. That's who he is for Halloween.
    via u/tallyllat
  • 27
    Rectangle - BlondeJacket - 1 mo. ago . My kid was a pizza delivery driver once. Red T-shirt, jeans, and a backwards ball cap. He loved it and it was super simple. I ended up getting him "Pizza Planet" branded hat/shirt to make it more fun for me, lol.
    via u/BlondeJacket
  • 28
    Font - dreefom 1 mo. ago My son was a garden gnome two years ago (overalls and a flannel shirt and I covered a dollar store party hat in red felt) and this year he's being mario but again just his overalls and a long sleeve red shirt and a red cap I sewed an M onto. So his regular clothes basically with a different hat lol
    via u/dreefom
  • 29
    Font - the_lusankya. 1 mo. ago My daughter dressed up as Captain Underpants for book week. Skin tone shirt and pants, plop some giant white undies over the top (we bought a fresh pair at the supermarket for a couple of bucks) and a red cape. Then when she got sick of it, she took the underpants and cape off, and spent the rest of the day dressed in weird colours, but otherwise comfortable.
    via u/the_lusankya
  • 30
    Font - Atiqua 1 yr. ago My husband came up with the idea of Gabby's Dollhouse for this year. My daughter is 2.5 and loves it. She already has a sweater that is modeled after Gabby, and a pair of jeans with little cats on the knees. My husband said he'll dress as Pandy Paws, I'm going to be Kitty Fairy, and my stepson (18, but loves his sister enough to participate) is torn between DJ Catnip and Catrat. ↑ 42 ↓ Reply Share gettingloston purpose OP 1 yr. ago . I'm not familiar with the characters b
    via u/Atiqua, u/gettinglostonpurpose
  • 31
    Font - kimberriez 1 yr. ago Our son was a chicken (crochet hat and feet with white shirt and orange pants) We were "farmers" (jeans and plaid shirts.)
    via u/kimberriez
  • 32
    Font - Betty_Rizzo 1 yr. ago Last Halloween, our kid was newly 2 at the time, he was obsessed with telling us how flowers grow. So he would say sunshine, rain, and love make flowers grow (think he saw it on Little Einsteins?). So I was sunshine, my partner was rain, and he was a pink flower, because that's his favourtie colour! it turned out cute! I bought a flower bonnet for him and then the rest was diy with the glue gun, and felt! You could also do sun, rain, rainbow too!
    via u/Betty_Rizzo
  • 33
    Font - majestros 1 yr. ago Rocket racoon, with other guardians of the galaxy for the family. Our first idea was an attack on titan titan for the kid (watch out, here comes a 1 meter class titan!) and scout regiment uniforms for the rest of us. But we have had trouble fininding those. 17 Reply Share Atiqua 1 yr. ago If I saw a tiny child as a titan I would dump all the candy I had into his treat bucket
    via u/majestros, u/Atiqua
  • 34
    Font - fshfsh000 1 yr. ago My now 5yo chooses her costumes so I try to dress up my toddler to match her. We've had a butterfly and the very hungry caterpillar, Carmen San Diego and Where's Waldo, and this year will be Ana and Olaf. This might be the last year I get to choose the toddler's costume
    via u/fshfsh000
  • 35
    Font - Ebar16 1 yr. ago I sewed my daughter a Princess Peach dress last year (sized up so she could grow into it and still use it) and made her the accessories. My son I made him a Mario hat, got him a red shit and overalls. His was WAY easier haha 15 Reply Share Japedo0 1 yr. ago Last year my 3 year old was Luigi (by request), 1 year old was Mario, I was Princess Peach and hubs was Bowser
    via u/Mandze
  • 36
    Font - ernichern 1 yr. ago edited 1 yr. ago . Last year we were a family of cows, I got his cow suit from Target and ours came from Amazon. Honestly his was the best quality, but mine had an udder pocket which I loved This year we are going as M&Ms as he is finally old enough to wear the costume my Aunt made me when I was his age. So I'm going to be the Yellow one, he will be Blue, Dad will be Red, and our newborn (who is due 10/18) will be Green
    via u/ernichern
  • 37
    Font - kls987 - 1 yr. ago Evie + 2019 My toddler's favorite thing is dinosaurs, so she got to be a dinosaur last year. Bonus for me: I made it too big so she gets to be a dinosaur again this year. Bright orange with yellow accents, if you were wondering. :)
    via u/kls987
  • 38
    Font - sailor-jupiters 1 yr. ago Last year my daughter was 2.5 and wanted to be a unicorn princess. Then she wanted me to be a princess. Then daddy had to be a square princess and her newborn brother was a shark princess. This year she wants to be a butterfly, she wants me to be a tree, daddy to be a house and baby brother to be a whale
    via u/sailor-jupiters
  • 39
    Font - Bo-Po-Mo-Fo 1 yr. ago . Last year I dressed my son up as a squirrel. This year he is obsessed with all things related to cats ("kitty kitty meow kitty meow kitty kitty!!") so I'll probably dress him as a cat. Reply Share 8 caleal71 1 yr. ago Ahhh I too have a cat-obsessed toddler. He crawls everywhere meowing.
    via u/Bo-Po-Mo-Fo, u/caleal71
  • 40
    Font - asquared3 1 yr. ago We love family costumes! We did Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, and Tigger when our son was 6 months old. Then a cow and farmers when he was 1.5. Last year (2.5) he was Sully from Monster's Inc and we were Mike Wazowski and Boo. We're still trying to decide this year's costume
    via u/asquared3
  • 41
    Font - SpottieOttieDoppie · 1 yr. ago We LOVE Halloween and already have a few years of costumes planned out as a family. Last year we did "Into the Spiderverse" with all the different versions of Spider-Man. This year we are doing Toy Story since the kids are obsessed. TMNT is in the pipeline for when the baby is a little older (I have 4 boys and am absolutely super excited for this one!) and we are also doing Mariokart and different Michael Jackson looks.
    via u/SpottieOttieDoppie
  • 42
    Font - Admirable-Storage631 1 yr. ago We were pokemon last year for her first halloween. I was snorlax (because sleep deprivation lol), husband was charmander, babygirl was pikachu, and I made our dog an ash Ketchum costume. Family also bought different pokemon onesies too! This year we're doing a stranger things theme. She'll be a tiny Eleven, I'm going to be Joyce, and hubs is going to be Hopper. We're also inviting family and friends to join on the 80s theme or be a character. 1
    via u/Admirable-Storage631
  • 43
    Font - firskey 1 yr. ago We were a whole family of bunnies last year and according to my almost-4-year- old daughter, we're going to be a family of bunnies again this year
    via u/firskey
  • 44
    Font - rampaging_beardie · 1 yr. ago Last year we went as DC Comics characters - daughter was Wonder Woman (red shirt with a Wonder Woman logo ironed on, navy blue skirt with white paper stars pinned on), our dog was Superman, my husband was the Riddler, and I was Poison Ivy. This year, she is going to be Rapunzel from Tangled, my husband is going to be Flynn Rider, and I'm going to be the lizard Pascal. I completely refuse to dress up as the evil fake mom
    via u/rampaging_beardie
  • 45
    Font - LPJCB 1 yr. ago Last Halloween I was pregnant. Toddler was an astronaut, husband was the solar system (black outfit with painted halves of styrofoam balls glued to his short), and my belly was the moon. This year toddler wants to be a snail. She wants us to us crabs. Better get my DIY going.
    via u/LPJCB

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costume halloween costumes halloween memes funny parenting memes parenting memes hilarious memes wholesome memes
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