Hairy, Scary, and Larry--5 Halloween costumes you can make from stuff you probably already own

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It's that dreaded time of year again. No, not tax time. Nope, not time for New Year's resolutions, either. It's Halloween costume time. As in, the time of year where you wonder if you should just turn down the invitation to your friend's party because you have no idea what to wear or how much you'll have to spend for something you'll never use again. But never fear. You can accept the invitation with pleasure, because there are many easy, inexpensive, fun costumes out there.

1. Go as a bunch of grapes. Find some bright purple balloons, attach them to a cheap black or purple T-shirt, find some black or purple shorts, and you're ready to go.

Bonus #1: Find a little green beanie and you've got a stem.

Bonus #2: Use dark baloons and make yourself a blackberry, red ones to make yourself a raspberry.

2. Go as a person from another country...where they wear robes. Pick your country. Many places in Africa, India, and the Middle East could be included here. Use old (or even current, if you're careful) bedsheets and wrap them around you until it looks right. Pin any areas you don't want to fly open. Voila...your'e a farmer/peasant/refugee from somewhere else.

Bonus #1: If helping out refugees is your kind of thing, this can give you a chance to connect for your cause at the party.

Bonus #2: Add some beaded jewelry or some extravagant earrings to make yourself even more exotic.

3. Make up a superhero. All you really need is a cape to be convincing, and that's easy to make from an old bedsheet or just about any piece of material you have lying around. After that, you can go as low maintence ("Hi there, littile girl, I'm Regular Guy!") or as high maintenance as you want.

Bonus #1: Do something funky with your hair. That will stand out at the party, as most of the people will know you with it in a particular way, and will go far to create a persona for your character.

Bonus #2: Wear bright colors and/or tights. This will distract people from the fact that they've never heard of your hero before.

4. Be a serial killer or a psycho stalker. Wear your normal clothes (after all, these people are virtually indistinguishable from everyone else on the outside). Act slightly strange all night: stare at people, refuse to answer when they ask you what you are, laugh at things that aren't funny.

Bonus #1: Carry a box of breakfast cereal and tell people it's a clue to what you are. Offer a prize to whoever guesses correctly. Give the winner the box of cereal.

Bonus #2: Pick a person and follow them around for the duration of the party. Hide behind corners, furniture, potted plants when they look your way. Be obvious...be very obvious.

5. Go as a failed gymnast. Wear clothes that are identifiably sporty--sweats, track pants, yoga pants, etc.--and spend the night trying to touch your toes or other stretches. Turn somersaults and look like you expect applause. Limp. Lament loudly the loss of your career, the win that got away, how "if only" that 15-year old from China had eaten the day before, you would have your medal.

Bonus #1: If you have a swim cap and goggles, add them to the outfit and be a failed swimmer.

Bonus #2: Get someone to come as your coach. Dress them coachishly (sweats are great!) and give them a whistle. Have them come up to you repeatedly yelling coachish things. Ignore them unless they have food.

Clearly, a Halloween costume can be more about personality and less about what you wear. So think up a character, dress appropriately, then act your way through the night. More than anything, though, have a blast! And if any of these costumes win a prize, I want to know!!