Ok folks, back away from that costume rack at the big box store. This halloween you can do so much better! Halloween can be so much more fun than the 5 mass produced action heros that are chosen by retailers this season. I love nothing more than a good home made halloween costume. Yes, it takes a little more time an effort than buying something off a hanger, but its so worth it! Let your kid use his or her imagination and come up with any costume under the sun. Most of the time, you can use items around the house and even save money too. This year, my 3 year old wanted to be prince charming. The result was cute and guess what? No sewing was involved!

Supplies: 

White button up shirt

Red pants

1 yard gold rope

1 foot fringe

1/4 yard red fabric

6 gold buttons

3 yards gold ribbon 

1 yard red ribon

Hot glue gun

Directions: Cut the top of the collar off, just leaving a mandarin looking collar. Glue red ribbon around the mandarin collar, then some gold ribbon on top of that. Replace the buttons on the shirt with gold buttons. Glue a red ribbon around the the waist and gold ribbon on top of that. Glue the rope in swirls out from the buttons. Glue the fringe around a peice of cardboard that you cover in red fabric for shoulder pads. Glue red fabric around the sleeve openings and add a gold button to each sleeve. Glue gold ribbon stripes down the pants. Add a cape if desired. 

This whole look took me about 2 hours and the only supplies I had to buy was the fringe, buttons, and rope. So inexpensive for such a fun and memorable costume. If you decide to tackle this costume this halloween, feel free to comment with questions. 

Good luck and Happy Halloween!

HOW TO MAKE CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS THAT STICK

1. Have an Advent Calendar

• Little kids get excited for Christmas. Having a visual for them of how many days there are left until Christmas helps add to the excitment and anticipation. We love doing a Christmas Book Advent Calendar where we unwrap a new Christmas book to read each day in December until Christmas arrives. There are tons of beautiful ideas for creative advents on Pinterest. We are also doing a very easy one where we add a cottonball to santa's beard each day, and when his beard is full - it's Christmas! 

2. Ornaments

•       When we got married, my husband and I started a tradition that we would have an ornament making competition each year. These handmade ornaments are beautiful and meaningful, and besides being a treasure, they are very fun to make! This year we are also doing the 25 Days of Christ Centered Crafts. Its such a fun thing for the kids to look forward to each day, and they also get to learn about Christ while getting hands on. Our final tradition with ornaments is buying each kid one special ornament that symbolizes something about them that year. We label them and when they move away at 18, they will have a box of personalized ornaments just for them that they can take with them!

3. Live Nativity
Wherever you are, search out a live nativity. They are a great way to remember the true reason for the season. Outdoor ones are particularly moving because they usually have live animals and you can bundle up and snuggle with your loved ones while sipping hot cocoa and learning about the Lord. 

4. See The Lights

• There are so many ways to go see Christmas lights. Grab some hot cocoa and get out there! Your city probably has a fun tree lighting event (guaranteed that Santa will be there too!), google where the good Christmas light neighborhoods are and sing Christmas carols as you go. There are even all these new drive up light shows popping up all over the country so you can just park, turn on your radio, and watch lights dance to the music. So fun.

5. Give Service

• There are so many ways to give service at this time of year. Nothing really can teach your kids more about Jesus than giving. Easy ways to serve with kids include going caroling or handing out Christmas cards nursing homes, going to sort food at a food banks, or if you have the funds available you can adopt an angel family from the Salvation Army. Serving is such a good lesson and actually so much fun!

6. Christmas Events

•       There are so many fun events this time of year! They can feel very magical and become yearly traditions. We love German Christnkindlmarkts, The Festival of Trees, Lantern Events, Christmas Trains, Zoo Lights, Mall Santa Wonderlands, and don't forget Christmas Library Story Times!

7. Home centered traditions

•       Make your home a magical place! Place a tree in your kids rooms, have christmas movie nights, open a gift on christmas eve, hang mistletoe, special menus, bake sugar cookies, have a back to bethlehem dinner on the floor, bake a birthday cake for jesus, hang cards from friends, have a gift wrapping party. The options are endless here! 

8. Throw a party

•  Nothing says Christmas like a big old festive party. Attend your church's Christmas Party. Go to extended family parties. We always host a raclette party with our friends every year. Make them fun by having a white elephant gift exchange, an ugly sweater theme, or anything fun and festive. Getting together with loved ones always feels magical this time of year.