Safety-Minded Costumes
Most people have fantasies they would like to play out in a costume but when it comes to cloaking the kiddies for Halloween, make safety a priority, two writers on the subject recommend.
Meredith Brokaw and Annie Gilbar, authors of “The Penny Whistle Halloween Book” (Fireside Books, $11, soft cover), offer the following tips for choosing a child’s Halloween costume:
* If you buy the costume, make sure it is flame resistant.
* Watch out for dark costumes. If a child’s costume is black, add a white face, if it is appropriate. Carry a flashlight to help prevent accidents.
* If a sword, cane or stick is part of the costume, make sure it is not sharp or long. These accessories may injure a child if he or she stumbles or trips.
* Try to dress children in their own shoes. Wearing high heels or shoes that are too large can be dangerous and uncomfortable.
About three dozen make-your-own-costume ideas, with makeup tips, are included in the book. In addition to the traditional spider, skeleton and mummy costumes, Brokaw and Gilbar’s costume closet includes a hot-air balloon, graffiti pad costume, money tree and more. Most require little or no sewing and can be fashioned from items found around the home.
The 80-page book, whimsically illustrated by Jill Weber, also features complete instructions for Halloween parties (Barnyard Bash, Witches, Wizards and Goblins Gang, Cats, Monster Mash, Nightmare on Maple Street, House to House Happening and Carnival), with suggestions for invitations, decorations, menus and age-appropriate activities. Also included: dozens of ideas for carving jack-o’-lanterns, three dozen or so Halloween recipes, plus sources for mail-order makeup kits and scary music tapes.
