We finally won the contest!

My wife and I were tired of not placing in the Halloween costume contest at our church. The ideas we had in the past were just not working. Two years ago, we had gone as the Tin Man and Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, and dressed our son up as Toto. The year before that – before the birth of our son – we had gone as Batman and Robin. We would spend hours each year brainstorming and then shopping for supplies and accessories. Then we had to put the costumes together. My wife would spend several hours at the sewing machine and applying makeup on us both. Then, this past year, my wife had had it. She said she was not going to make costumes this year. What with the baby, I could completely understand her position. We searched online and went to a number of costume stores, but just did not find what we were looking for. Finally, at the suggestion of a co-worker, we looked at allcostumes.com and found great costumes for our whole family.

When we showed up at the Halloween party dressed as characters from the Star Wars movies, we were a big hit. Our pastor and his wife could not stop laughing. I was Anakin Skywalker and my wife was Padmé. We even went as far as to dress our two-year-old son in a Chewbacca costume. Of course, Alex’s cute factor went a long way toward getting us that first-place prize. We also bought all the accessories and makeup we needed at allcostumes.com. We each received a ribbon and as a family we received a $25 gift certificate at a local toy store, as well as a $25 gift certificate to a local barbecue restaurant and a statue, which we placed on our fireplace mantel. We used the toy store gift certificate for birthday presents for Alex, and the BBQ gift certificate for a much-needed date night.

Not only were the prices more than reasonable, but the selection was the best we had ever seen. I think we spent more time in front of the computer laughing at what we could be than doing anything else. It was an excellent source of entertainment in our home. Allcostumes.com is the first place we will go this year without a doubt. And several couples from our church plan to go there, too. It should be another very fun Halloween costume contest this year.

Spice Up Your Anniversary

As your anniversary approaches, you’re likely experiencing the rush of excitement -- and a struggle to find something truly unique to make it a special occasion. If you're interested in spicing up your anniversary, but you are also hoping for something truly unique; well then, it's time to think outside the box and instead of giving a tangible gift, give the gift of yourself.

One of the best ways to add a bit of excitement and spice to your anniversary, and to give your all in the process, is to utilize a loved one’s fantasy to put a positive and creative spin on this special day. Playing dress-up is not just for little kids, and it's certainly not just for Halloween. You can use creative costumes for a variety of situations and can add a bit of spice and excitement to every day.

With your anniversary right around the corner, you can turn up the heat with a costume that is sure to get the attention of your significant other. There’s nothing more romantic that a gift that’s both thoughtful and creative…and if you play your cards right, your gift can be considered spicy as well. All you need is a little imagination and a desire to have fun!

Whether you're into dressing up as a sexy nurse or you prefer his-and-her combos, ordering costumes online is the perfect way to incorporate your wishes and save some money. Some people enjoy the Tarzan and Jane approach, while others prefer to surprise their significant other when he or she arrives home from work. Either way, no one wants to spend a fortune on romance (not with this economy anyway).

Ordering your costumes online can help save money in a variety of ways. Online costume dealers can avoid the markups of the tangible storefront nor do they have to worry about tangible marketing. For this reason, you will find that the selection of costumes found online are quite a bit less expensive than you would find at your local costume shop.

If your anniversary is very soon, placing your order immediately should be a priority. Don't worry -- you can put priority shipping on any online order and habit just in time for the special day. Have fun and happy anniversary.