Costumes to take Candy from a Granny

By Evil Genius Mum on October 6, 2012 • ( Leave a comment )

October is pretty much known as “dress-up-and-eat-lots-of-sugar” month. Sure, it’s supposed to be on one day – 31st October. But the other 30 days are for building up your tolerance. And strategising new ways of stealing from the kids.

Of course, October then becomes “pin-this-picture-of-my-kids-cool-costume” month, and even “look-at-my-cool-costume-that-I-have-worked-on-for-the-last-six-months” month.

Sorry – I’ve been too busy working on my freeze ray and studying space communication network management. However, I have learnt a couple of things about costumes and Halloween.

People on the interwebs love the intricate costumes. Thor Junior; Mini-Chewbacca; There’s even a parent who built this kid a Mech-Warrior. Awesome.

But seriously, who has the time to build this type of thing? And I can guarantee you that the ‘lolly supply’ in our neighbourhood is not equal to the energy output my spawnlings are already calculating for that costume. Yep – Sinister just advised me that he would need twice as much chocolate to provide the energy to carry that thing next door. Damn kid.

So what is the best costume to gain maximum sugar? Keep it simple, stupid.

Take this ‘extra’ we built for a previous birthday party – A Space Rocket Jet-pack.

Straight-forward Space Rocket Jet Packs. Easy to make, instant storage space, and simply cute enough to still get the granny next door to “awwwwww” all over the door-step.

For the record, I came up with the idea and Evil Genius Dad followed through with the execution. He calls it “work”; I call it Managing my Chief Minion.

Postpak tube cut to size (make sure it has the red lids included);
Can of silver spray paint to coat (make sure your space is ventilated);
Puncture holes in the tube for strong pins;
Attach some “seatbelt” like straps with the strong pins;
Sticky tape red, orange, and yellow cellophane at the bottom.

Instant rocket packs. Nefarious is currently wearing his rocket pack with a pair of goggles (like a snorkel mask). I can’t wait to show him The Rocketeer. Just need to add a helmet and he is set. Mind you, we’re having trouble getting him to take it off (there’s another blog post in this: How to Use Your Spawnling’s Obsession to Motivate Appropriate Behaviour).

The beauty of this – it’s simplicity. It is not doused in complexity to scare off wannabe-evil-genius-parents. It is also not too obtuse so as to scare off candy-minions, afraid to part with lollies because they don’t understand Chewbacca’s growl.

In fact, the simplicity will entice the greatest return from the little old lady down the street. Simple will bring out the adorable in the age -group 0 to 10.

And with all that spare time you have from making a simple costume, you can get back to designing your own freeze ray. To shoot at the dumb-arse kids in ghost/sheet costumes knocking on your door.

Got a better costume idea? Share it below in the comments. You might even make it on the short list Evil Genius Parent Awards.