Over a month ago, we asked you to send us a picture of a memorable Halloween costume from your past to share with everyone on the Halloween blog. Quite a few Neatoramanauts did just that, and we got some great pictures, and some great stories about them!
We also awarded t-shirts from the NeatoShop to five of these folks. In case you missed the costume parade on the Halloween blog, here they are all together! They are presented here in no particular order, except that the five winners are first. Clicking on the name will take you to the original post with the story behind the costume.
Jen Cornwell led her class back in elementary school dressed as an order of McDonalds french fries! Her mother always made great costumes. Now she can dress in a t-shirt from the NeatoShop. See her California Raisin costume, too!
Mindy sent in pictures of costumes she made for her children -and they are awesome! When her daughter wanted to be a house, they made her Alice in Wonderland, in the scene where she grows as big as a house! The Link and robot costumes are great, too.
Another year, Mindy's son asked to be a squid. That had to have been a lot of work! For being such a creative Mom, Mindy gets a new t-shirt.
Jamie C and her husband Lucas made this couple's costume on a tiny budget, but it turned out to be a real hoot -they are contestants on the TV game show The Price is Right! Note that she outbid him by a dollar. This costume won Jamie a shirt; be sure to check out their Lego costumes as well.
Everyone recognized Woody from the movie Toy Story -that's Glen underneath, dressed for Halloween 2010. Strangers stopped him on the street to get their picture made with him! There's another picture of this t-shirt-winning costume in his featured post.
Deirdre Wingell sent a picture of her son's costume from about ten years ago -he was a fan for Halloween! The whole family got together to make the costume happen, and it was the hit of the neighborhood when he went trick-or-treating! It also won Deidre a t-shirt from the NeatoShop.
Aaron Rosen sent a picture of the whole family in costume to support a bedridden patient with an alien bursting out of his chest! The alien is his little brother. Note the handy shopping cart underneath.
Jamie C, who also sent in the Price Is Right costumes, made another couple's costume for a different year. She and her husband were Lego bricks -because they go together, see?
T.J. Griffin went for the pun in 2005. The movie The Legend of Zorro was in theaters, so he added some Canadian flags to his neckerchief and armband and was "Zorro, featuring Ontario Bandanas." Ha!
Artist Nalini Asha (who also carves great pumpkins) fashioned a Medusa head out of plastic tubing and handmade snake heads. But she neglected to make herself ugly!
Nocole was about eight when this picture was taken. She thinks she may have been a vampire that Halloween, but what she remembers is how disappointed she was with the makeup job. Those childhood emotions make for a good story years later.
Emily Towers sent in the very first featured costume, from her 4th grade Halloween. Her grandmother researched what a taco looked like to fulfil her costume wish and it turned out just perfect!
Jennifer LeBaron participated in the local Halloween Fun Run dressed appropriately as Forrest Gump in his distance-running phase. Run, Forrest, Run!
Possibly the oldest picture was from Neatoramanaut Peter Walker. He was a pirate in 1953, and loved every minute of it.
Steffan Gilbert and his wife attended a costume ball in Nashville that required fancy dress. She fixed up an old suit covered in leaves so he could go as AutumnMan. They won the best costume prize at the event!
Adam Galloway wanted to trick-or-treat as a Butterfinger candy bar in 1991. All I can say is: Sweet!
John Scallorn grew his beard all summer so he could be be Mr. T by Halloween a few years back. That mohawk? It's Velcro!
And last, but certainly not least, is Billy P. who recalls that Halloween back in the '80s in which he was the sound man for a party featuring live music. He made a real splash as a unicorn! Look closely and you can see the "mane" that fell to his knees in back. See more pictures at his featured post.
Thanks to everyone who sent in pictures and memories. This was a lot of fun!