Costumes! Costumes! Costumes!

Genealogy and Halloween Costumes

A few months ago, as I was watching the PBS special “Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.” on the genealogy of several famous personalities, I began pondering my own lineage going back several generations.  As it was noted on the special, that I am (we are) a direct descendant of hundreds of thousands; nay, millions of ancestors.

NBC will host a series along the same lines commencing this week called “Who Do You Think You Are?“.

How does this relate to Halloween?

Halloween is only 245 days away and it’s time to start thinking about what you are going to wear to your annual Halloween party this season.  Where will your ideas come from this year?  Or will you be content to wear the same old Sexy Witch  or  Gorilla costume as you did last year?

As I costumer, and to somewhat prepare for the next Halloween season,  I always looked at new (in the year) TV shows, movies, politics  and other lifestyle trends to see what might be popular later in the year. This year the above mentioned shows might be the stimulus for new Hall

oween costume ideas.

We ar

e but composites of hundreds of t

housands; nay, millions of ancestors.  As we go back many generations, each one had a tale to tell.  Wow!  That certainly opens up the possibilities for Halloween costumes for this October.

Hmmm….where did I come from…..who were my ancestors?  Can I dress like one of my ancestors this Halloween.  Am I from European ancestry, or African or Asian?  Or a blend? 

A native of Germany, my great  grandfather was a bootlegger during Prohibition selling an illegal potent potable (bathtub gin, I would assume)  to local hotels.  He was also in the military in the post Civil War era.  For Halloween, I could dress in a gangster suit, or an Army uniform of the period?  Maybe lederhosen to reflect his country of origin ?   And he is just one person in my upline (that sounds like a multi level marketing term, doesn’t it?).  The possibilities are nearly endless. 

A little research (which will be informative, if not rewarding) is the starting point on this.  So talk to a parent or an older relative and see where it goes from there.

It’ll be Christmas 2011 before you know it! 

Your plan is to pack away your Santa outfit for another year, if you haven’t already done it.  The Santa wig and beard is a little tired or a little shabby, and one of Santa’s gloves is missing, but not to worry.  You’ll order a new set of each before Christmas next season (2011). 

But you’ll open your Santa suit four days before Christmas in 2011, and find that you still have a shabby wig and beard and are still missing a glove; but not enough time to order replacements. 

Why not do it now? 

Not only is it fresh in your mind, a few costumers might be having sales on your needed items.  So is it better to buy now when the prices might be a little better, than to find out next year it’s to late to order and have Santa still wearing that same old tired wig and beard? 

Where to look?  Your local phone book will list all of the all-year-round costume shops in your area.  They will be listed under “Costumes” in your yellow pages.

If you don’t have a shop near you, there are numerous online shops that can accommodate your needs to include Santasuits.com.