Party Heart-y

cc photo: woodleywonderworks

It never ceases to amaze, the pricetag attached to a few pieces of colorful synthetic fabric once they're packaged as a Halloween costume. For middle class or more comfortable families, this price gouging is an annoyance; for lower incomes it's a real impediment. Yes, homemade costumes can save money, but they're not always feasible for busy working parents of kids too young to put together their own ensembles.

One easy way for kids to help kids this Halloween might be a costume drive -- like the urban-suburban clothing drive our local school district runs every year, but specifically focused on gently used Halloween costumes kids have already worn and are unlikely to use again. A whole school or district could undertake such a collection without too much trouble, passing on donations quickly to a higher-need school in the area. Or this could be a great charitable component for a class Halloween party. Kids would simply need to bring in their old costume(s) the day of the party.