How to Organize a Halloween Costume Swap

Halloween is exciting time for your children. But like any holiday, the associated costs can do a number on your bank account. There are, however, fun ways to save on Halloween expenses. One creative way is to organize a Halloween costume swap. Gather up the people in your community and swap costumes. Get your children Halloween costumes they'll love and pay nothing at all.

Instructions

1. Set the date. Plan to have your Halloween costume swap in late September or early October. Use your Halloween costume swap party to kick off the Halloween season. When your child finds the "perfect" Halloween costume, she'll get really excited about the upcoming holiday.

2. Find a location. The number of people involved in the swap will determine the size of the space you need. If you organize a community wide swap, check local churches, schools, community buildings and neighborhood clubhouses for availability. Many of these places will let you use facilities free of charge or for a small fee. Remember, the more people you invite to the swap, the more costume choices there will be.

3. Plan for refreshments. No Halloween costume swap is complete without a few tasty Halloween treats. Ask each person that attends to bring a dozen cookies, cupcakes or juice boxes. The children will enjoy these special treats as they browse for a new costumes.

4. Send invitations. Get the word out about the Halloween costume swap. Use phone calls, email and electronic invitations to invite people in the community. Contact local schools, clubs, churches, playgroups and community organizations to spread the word. Make sure to include information about how the swap works. Each participant should bring last year's Halloween costume so that he can trade it for a new one.

5. Organize the costumes the day of the swap. Set up clearly marked tables or racks. Each table or rack should be labeled with a specific size. Include "infant," "toddler," "child small," "child medium," and "child large." As people arrive at the swap, show them where to place their donated costumes according to the sizes. When attendees shop for this year's Halloween costume, it will be much easier to locate the correct size.

6. Consider providing each guest with a ticket that indicates the number of Halloween costumes that they brought to trade. For example, if one guest brought two costumes to trade, then the same guest can show a marked ticket and leave with two different costumes.

Tips & Warnings

• Get creative when it comes to planning your Halloween costume swap. Many costumes swaps include fun games and activities for the kids. Make your costume swap as simple or elaborate as you choose.