Do not fear — the end of 2020 is almost near! If the year 2020 was a costume, what would it be? A coronavirus molecule? A giant diaper to hold our shit together?! The choices are endless, but in the spirit of being hopeful and thankful, here are four costume ideas to pay tribute to some key moments of 2020 and four costumes that highlight some of our scariest realities this year.
______
1. Koala Bear & Firefighter
Climate change and deforestation are accelerating conditions that are ripe for wildfires. To honor the first responders who attended the wildfires that have been burning from Australia to California, as well as the hundreds of thousands of wild animals who have lost their lives, been hurt, or displaced, we came up with the koala bear & firefighter costume for mom/baby teams or couples. If you haven’t already, consider supporting firefighters on the front lines, their families, and communities affected by the fires.
2. Ruth Bader Ginsberg
One of the greatest losses of this decade came with the death of Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Celebrate the legendary RBG this Halloween and take a stand for women’s rights simultaneously with this costume. Simply don black robes and dress it up with a lace collar. If you don’t have any, try taking a doily and cutting a circle in the middle for your head!
3. Mail-In Ballot
Given the recent reports of mislabeled ballots and concerns about fraud, this costume can be especially fun to wear around people who know you. Simply decorate a giant piece of cardboard or poster board to hang around your neck — choose to misspell your name, perhaps paste a photo of someone else, write in a ridiculous fake address, and so on!
4. Healthcare Heroes & First Responders
The real heroes of 2020 are those who have been on the front lines of healthcare, compassionately caring for patients while putting themselves and their loved ones in danger. Ditch the cute nurse outfit and instead wear every kind of PPE you have. Make a fake hospital gown or wear scrubs, a mask, a face shield, gloves, and any other medical accessories you can get your hands on. The added bonus here is that should you choose to trick or treat, you’ll be as safe as possible.
5. Donald Trump
Don an orange wig, proceed to tan or cheese-whiz your face and presto, costume complete! Whatever your views are on our current president, Halloween offers a great opportunity to speak your mind and make a statement on his policies before the election.
6. Swarm of Locusts
Great for a group costume or for the kiddos, a swarm of locusts lends itself to the craziness and horrors of this year. Dress them in browns and stick painted legs made of paper towel tubes to their bodies for an equally chaotic costume.
7. Murder Hornets
Great for a single or group, take this aptly named creature and play with the words. Grab a pair of wings and craft a spiky stinger and antennae out of wire hangers.
8. A ‘Karen’
Use this opportunity to impersonate a Karen! Grab a short blonde wig, a couple of ‘MAGA’ bumper stickers or red trucker hat, and hit the road with sass in your minivan or giant SUV. If you need inspiration, google ‘Karen starter kit’ and let the creativity flow.