What are Hilary Erickson's top tips for creating family-themed Halloween costumes?

Here are my top tips for family theme costumes (pulled from years of trial and error):

1. Start with media you all love: favorite movies, shows, or books (Star Wars, Peter Pan, Flintstones, etc.).
2. Think about your skills: you absolutely don’t have to sew; use separates, thrift finds, and hot glue.
3. Plan for the weather so kids can layer or not overheat.
4. Make sure there are enough characters so everyone is happy (or at least mostly happy).
5. Browse thrift stores early; they’re gold mines for costume pieces.
6. Consider a time period (20’s flapper and gangster was a favorite).
7. Think about what events you’ll attend and how the costumes will function.
8. Use fleece when you can; it doesn’t fray, so no hemming.
9. Let kids help decide colors, characters, and details.
10. Most important: have fun with it—play theme music, be silly, make it a family memory, not a chore.

Do you already have a movie or book your family loves that we could build a theme around?