I used to get dressed up in costume to take my kids trick or treating, but haven’t done that in many many years. And back then I didn’t have a lot of money to spend on taking pictures. You know, back in the olden days when we still had to buy film, and then take it to the store to get it developed. Because of that, I don’t have many photos of my kids, and fewer still of them at Halloween. They had home made costumes most of the time, and I think they were always cuter than the bought kind. But here is a collection of pics I was able to find, of me, my kids and my grandchildren dressed up for Halloween over the years:
This is the earliest one I could find–it was about 1976 or 1977. That’s me, the clown, Becca the Witch, Emily the Raggedy Ann, and Seth the Pirate.

A few years later, they were a Vampire, a Rock Star, and a Fat Old Lady. I don’t remember who that is in between Becca and Emily, but it wasn’t me. I am not that short.

In 1984, Seth dressed wacky in this costume for a school dance. Don’t know what he was supposed to be, but still, a home made costume.

I think this was 1989–a Girl Scout Father Daughter Dance in a 60’s theme, and Becca, Emily, and their cousin Bonna dressed like hippies. Ok, so not Halloween, but I found it when I was looking for costume photos:

Even though I think the home made halloween costumes are the best, I still love seeing the pics of my grandkids dressed up in their bought costumes. Yes, I am a little tiny bit disappointed that they don’t get the fun of making their costumes, but cute enough for me! This is Michael, my oldest grandson, I think in 1999.

Michael and his sister, Sarah. I have no clue as to the year.

Spencer in 2003? I think that is what the date on the photo says. A cute green dragon!

Spencer in 2008? He was a really scarey, hairy werewolf!

Sarah dressed as a fairy last year. So cute!

Owen is going to be dressing in this Spongebob Squarepants costume this year:

And Amelia is a cutie cute Butterfly. How cute is this?

So, what was your favorite costume for you, or one of your children or grandchildren? Do you miss making your own costumes out of what you had on hand? I do, I always loved making home made costumes!
Love the pictures! I think one of my fav costumes when I was a little girl was when my mom made me into a jelly bean jar! lol I also usually had homemade costumes. I think the only one that may have been store bought was a clown when I was about 4 or 5. I also remember my mom crocheting me a red cape to go as little red riding hood one year and a devil the next! lol I think my fav costume of my kids had to be the year Atley was a baby. They were Dorothy, the Wicked Witch, and the Cowardly Lion! :0) I almost always make all their costumes. 2 years ago I found a screamin’ good deal at a yard sale that the girls wanted, but other than that…homemade all they way! :0)
Seems as a kid I was almost always dressed as a bum in some of Dad’s old clothes.
My favorite costume was Elvira at a bar where I fooled friends and won a contest.
Haven’t dressed up in years and don’t see it happening this year in Kanab.
Adorable!
Those are some great costumes. My favorite was the time my Mom made me a joy lemon costume from paper mache.
Haha LOVE those! I had to double take to make sure the little witch in the first pic wasn’t me! I had a costume and looked EXACTLY like that!!!
I love them all!!!! Great pictures.
My sister and I always dressed as gypsies–maybe not politically correct, but fun and cheap! We just dressed in colorful skirts and blouses, added a scarf around our heads and piled on Mom’s makeup and costume jewelry!
Oh how neat to look through all the costume pictures!! So cute (and some of those are hilarious!!). 🙂
I love those! I always had homemade costumes and I usually dressed up as celebs. I was Madonna in 7th grade – bare midriff and all. I’m not sure how my mom let me get away with that but she did!
I love that you found the older ones! I still think the home made ones are the best 🙂 I was room mother one year & dressed up as a witch and didn’t tell my son. it took him a long time before he finally says… “oh that is just my mom!” other wise the kids thought I was a real witch, LOL!