Best Holiday of the Year!

Halloween brings out the inner child buried under layers of adult responsibility and obligation, and many people find the release of wearing costumes cathartic and empowering. Adults forget their cares, and children rev up for the holidays, when autumn offers the taste of frost’s tentative kiss. Some adults avoid costumes, afraid of looking silly or childish, but Halloween offers adults carte blanche to let go of their inhibitions, assume different identities, and enjoy themselves, making Halloween the best holiday of the year for many people.

Halloween offers creative people chances to express themselves with costumes, and people can make their own outfits from scratch, buy costumes from retail outlets or online, or rent them. Possibilities include television or movie characters, celebrities, inanimate objects, or characters from children’s books or cartoons. Simple classics include ghost costumes made from sheets, retro clothing, or fanciful headgear like Viking horns to put people in festive moods. Many people take their costumes seriously, so the following suggestions might inspire creativity.

1. DIY Costume

Create a ghostly bride costume and get the chance to show off design and makeup skills with this haunting creation. Buy a pair of gray, lacy tights and 8.5 yards of gray tulle fabric. Use the fabric to create a diaphanous gown and matching veil. Choose white silk flowers to create a pale bouquet and tie a large bow around it with wide gray ribbon. Choose between two approaches for makeup — use clown-white theatrical makeup for a ghostly pallor or practice advanced makeup skills to create a pale complexion with grey or blackened eye makeup.

2. Go Zany

The best zany costumes often come built for two. Enjoy a close relationship with a friend by sandwiching with him or her in a peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwich costume sure to delight friends and party goers. This outfit sports a giant slice of bread on the back of each person. One half of the duo wears a brown top, and the other half wears deep purple. Remember to practice moving in tandem to make this costume pop.

3. Choose a Character from the Latest Movie

This year, consider the benefits of playing a comedic giant from the 2012 movie season. Popular funny adult costumes feature Admiral General Aladeen from the Sacha Baron Cohen film, “The Dictator.” The costume includes an unnatural-looking beard and wig to match the genuine movie look, military-style jacket with gold buttons, medals, epaulets, ribbons, and a big sash.

4. The Mad Hatter

This colorful costume creates instant recognition, and it could stand alone or work as part of a Wonderland theme for larger groups. The costume includes colorful top hat in shades of yellow, purple, blue and red. The top of the ensemble consists of orange jacket and purple vest. A baggy green pair of pants pulls the look together for perfect mad-color coördination.

5. How the Grinch Stole Halloween

Steal the spotlight and holiday by wearing the popular Grinch costume. “You’re a Halloween one, Mr. Grinch.” The outfit includes a red-and-white Santa jacket, hat, Grinch face mask, and furry gloves.

Online costume outlets offer funny adult costumes to wow friends, families and associates for Halloween, parties, and special promotional events. People can shop 24 hours a day and continue a tradition that began over 2,000 years ago with the ancient Celts who wore animal heads and skins to celebrate Samhain.