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Celebrate The Year of the Tiger in Costume

February 10, 2010 in Holiday Costumes by Lara Burke

February 14 is the first day of the Chinese New Year – the year of the tiger.  Asian newspapers and blogs report a sharp increase in the sale of tiger costumes.

You are a tiger if you were born in 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998 or 2010. If you were born in the year of the tiger some or your character traits may include being short-tempered, suspicious, adventurous, sensitive, emotional and being a risk taker. Tiger are most compatible with horses and dogs and least compatible with monkeys.

The Chinese New Year is the most celebrated holiday for ethnic Chinese. To the Chinese, their new year is equivalent to our Christmas. It’s a time of great celebration with food and family, gift giving and of course, firecrackers. The celebration lasts for 15 days and each day has a special tradition.  In China, most businesses close and factory workers go home to spend the holidays with their families. Part of the celebration includes a parade where people will dress as the animal of the year.

You may consider wearing a tiger costume to this year’s Chinese New Year Parade. They take place in major US cities like New York and San Francisco.  If you can’t make a parade then a tiger costume would be the perfect choice for Halloween.

Tiger costumes are for the young and old. Infants look adorable in tiger outfits. If your child was born in 2010 then it would be only fitting that their first Halloween costume be a tiger costume.  Women can wear a sexy tiger costume and men can choose from known characters like Tony the Tiger or even buy a high quality Tiger mascot costume.

Costume SuperCenter has a nice variety of tiger costumes for the entire family.  Happy New Year!


St. Patrick’s Day Costumes are for Partygoers Everywhere.

February 9, 2010 in Holiday Costumes by Lara Burke

What is more fun than drinking beer and eating a Rubin with your best friends and family? Doing it in costume – a St. Patrick’s Day costume.

St. Patrick’s Day has one purpose, to party. Most pubs are standing room only, there are parades in every major city and every Irish grandma is baking soda bread and cooking up the corned beef and cabbage. They greatest part of St. Patrick’s Day is that it doesn’t matter if you’re Irish or not. Everyone can celebrate and be a no holds barred party animal.

Ladies have the best choices for St. Patrick’s Day costumes. I especially love the corseted beer girl costumes. They are very appropriate for the day.  For men’s St. Patrick’s Day costumes the choices are not as sexy but instead, humorous. The Lucky Charms costume is a winner.

Accessories are the alternative to dressing up in full costume. St. Patrick’s Day buttons, green carnation boutonnieres, glittery green bow ties, Leprechaun hats and clover necklaces.

You can find all of your St. Patrick’s Day costumes and St. Particks Day accessories at CostumeSuperCenter.com with same day shipping on any order placed by 3PM


Purim Costumes Are an Important Part of the Purim Celebration

February 3, 2010 in Holiday Costumes, Uncategorized by Lara Burke

Purim is the most festive of Jewish holidays. Considered more of a Jewish national holiday and a strictly religious one, it is a time of great celebration. Because it is not considered a high holy day ordained by the Torah, most orthodox Jews are still permitted to transact business. As with all Jewish holidays, Purim begins at sundown the night before. This year Purim begins at Sundown on February 27.

The four main mitzvot of the day are:

  1. Listening to the public reading, usually in synagogue, of the Book of Esther in the evening and again in the following morning (k’riat megilla)
  2. Sending food gifts to friends (mishloach manot)
  3. Giving charity to the poor (matanot la’evyonim)
  4. Eating a festive meal and drinking wine (se`udah)

Jews of all ages enjoy the festivities of Purim. The tradition includes wearing Purim costumes and having parties complete with noisemakers, prizes and treats. For those who need a very secular explanation, Purim is like Halloween in reverse. Instead of going door to door receiving treats you go door to door giving treats.

Instead of wearing Halloween costumes, kids wear Purim costumes. The most common Purim costumes are the Queen Ester costume and the Mordichai costume.  You can also find funny costumes like Dreidel Maidel and Menorah Man.

Costume SuperCenter has a wide variety of Purim Costumes for children at super low prices.


Things to do With Mardi Gras Beads

February 2, 2010 in Holiday Costumes by Lara Burke

A flash here, a flash there. Mardi Gras brings out a side in us girls that we wouldn’t show anywhere else (at least most of us). If you dare to bare it during Mardi Gras we guarantee you’ll be going home with your share of beads. Being environmentally conscience I’d hate to see all these plastic beads wind up in a landfill so I have made a list of things that you can do with your Mardi Gras Beads.

Chances are you received beads in a rainbow of colors with the predominant theme being purple green and gold. You can sort them by color or create combinations to suit your holiday, theme, décor or whatever.

Make a decorative beaded doorway curtain. Cut them open to form long strands. Tie those strands together and time them to a strand that you string across the top or the doorway. This is a retro look that is great for dorm rooms and kid’s rooms.

Use them as curtain tie backs – metallic, faceted beads

Lace them through the holes of your shower while wrapping them around the curtain rod. They add color to a blah bathroom and they won’t get rust stains on your shower curtains like cheap metal hooks.

Give them to your kids, nieces, etc to use as dress-up jewelry. Little girls can’t get enough of this stuff.

Decorate a lampshade – cut the necklace to make one long strand. Hot glue several strands to an inexpensive white lampshade. This is a great idea for play rooms, kid’s rooms and dorm rooms.

Sew them in a circular pattern onto an old bathing suit top for a risqué and sexy Mardi Gras costume for next year.

Put a large pillar candle in a hurricane lamp. Fill the lamp with beads half way up the candle. Make sure you use an evaporating candle so wax won’t melt all over the beads. This is perfect for Christmas, Halloween, Valentines, St. Pats and 4th of July depending on the colors you use. Stick to a white candle and all you need to do is change the beads.

Hang a few them from your rear view mirror as a keepsake of your good time at Mardi Gras.

Decorate your Christmas tree. The beads sparkle so nicely in the Christmas Tree lights.

If you still have beads left over, offer them to a school or post an ad for free beads on Craigslist.


Christ in Christmas – It’s About More Than Santa

in Holiday Costumes, Uncategorized by Lara Burke

This is becoming an increasing secular world in which we live. I’m not here to debate religion because the holiday season means many things to many different people. But Christmas is named after Christ so, if not for him (or the story of him), we would have no season of giving or gestures of peace on earth and good will toward men.

For the 2.1 billion Christians out there who acknowledge this holiday and the sacred event of Christ’s birth, it is a time of great joy. For them, celebrating the birth of the Son of God is the priority of Christmas. Santa Claus, presents, Christmas trees and all that other fun stuff is secondary to the real meaning of Christmas, the birth of a savior.

Christian children learn the story of the birth of Jesus from the youngest age at home then in church or Sunday school. An important tradition in many churches and religious schools is the annual performance of a Christmas Pageant. In a Christmas pageant, children, and sometimes adults too, dress up in costume as Mary, Joseph and the three wise men as well as angels, shepherds and other spectators. The more special pageants even incorporate real animals into a living Nativity.


Pictures with Santa

in Holiday Costumes by Lara Burke

Malls, lines, looking for that perfect parking spot in order to buy that perfect gift, the holidays can be nothing but aggravation.  I’m sure almost no sane parent who could otherwise shop exclusively online would venture within 100 yards of a mall with kids in tow if not for that all important picture with Santa Claus. It’s worth the waiting and the whining to get that perfect picture that lasts a lifetime. But what happen when you wait and you wait only to find your child gets last minute stage fright and refuses to sit on Santa’s lap, or worse yet, flat out panics and pees their pants?

Fortunately, I have a friend in Hollywood who has worn almost every hat in the industry including the all important Santa hat.  As a former Santa, Jason Lassen offers some tips for getting the perfect picture with Santa Claus. They are paraphrased here:

One: Test the waters. What do you do before you go into a pool? You cautiously put a toe into the water to see if it’s to your liking. Think of visiting Santa the same way. From a safe distance, see if your child is curious about Santa. If he seems to be then…

Two: Move closer to Santa – and it’s better if you don’t acknowledge him unless the child acknowledges him first. Now the best thing is if the Santa knows well enough to also follow a scared child’s lead. If the child says nothing, Santa should also say nothing. I’ve seen many a Santa scare a nervous child from a distance just by saying, “Hello.”

Getting close to Santa is one thing, sitting on his lap is a whole different ball game.

Three: With your child in hand, stand next to Santa.  Good? Then…

Four: Kneel down next to Santa. Kid still not screaming? Moving on…

BONUS TIP – One parent should ALWAYS be at the ready. When I say at the ready, I mean that you have the camera framed up and finger on the button.

Five: Slowly – and I can’t stress this enough – slowly try placing your child on Santa’s lap and walk around in front of him. Hopefully your child will watch the parent who set them down and you’ll have a nanosecond where the child is on Santa’s lap, looking ahead for photos, and most importantly, not screaming. Don’t waste time, snap away. God love digital cameras!

There you have it. Easy. Take it slow and follow your child’s cues. You’ll get that perfect picture that will line the refrigerators of friends and family for years to come.

To read the Jason’s full blog on tips for the perfect picture with Santa as well as his other brilliant blogs on life in LA, visit Hollywood Clown.

 


Santa is Real to Those Who Believe

in Holiday Costumes by Lara Burke

Santa Claus is so much more than the man in the red Santa suit. He is a beautiful symbol of giving and spirit during the holidays.  Believe in his kindness and his joy. Believe in his optimism and his determination. By doing so, Santa will be alive and well in all of us. This Christmas let’s “keep it real” and ask, “What would Santa do?”

Santa would:

  • Do an anonymous good deed
  • Give to someone less fortunate
  • Let friends and family know they are loved and appreciated
  • Smile at everyone he sees
  • Make the most of each day
  • Try to see the nice in everyone and forgive some of the naughty
  • Lend a helping hand (and his tools) even if he didn’t feel like it
  • Go without something so a child could have more
  • Bring a meal to an elderly neighbor or sick friend
  • Spend more quality time with the kids
  • Invite the neighbors over even if it’s just this one time each year
  • Appreciate the riches in life that have nothing to do with money.

 

Santa Claus gives selflessly and expects nothing in return. His gift is the happiness his deeds bring to others. This season, consider being Santa Claus to friends, relatives, neighbors and strangers. A random act of kindness could make a world of difference to someone even if do doesn’t cost a cent. So this Christmas season do what Santa would do.


Let the Children Beleive for as Long As They Can

in Holiday Costumes by Lara Burke

There are many different views on the issue of Santa Claus. I have a friend that explained to her child since the age of 2 that Santa is a mythical character and a symbol of love and generosity during the holidays. But clearly explained that Santa Claus, the reindeer and the North Pole were nothing more than a make believe story.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, I know someone whose daughter believed in Santa Claus until she was in seventh grade and her parent did nothing to spoil the fantasy. They figured that you’re only a kid once and you need to hold on to the fantasy as long as possible. You have your whole adult life to deal with reality.

Keep the dream alive, even when they begin to question Santa’s existence. Here’s how:

  1. Make sure Santa personally answers their letter. Try to put something in the letter that your child thinks no one knows about them.
  2. At bed time, have your child put a special toy request in a note on the mantle. Tell them that if Santa has an extra one in his sack he’ll give it to you.  This works if you have access to a 24 hour store like a Wal-Mart and you don’t mind running out late at night (and spending some extra cash). If you are unable to find the exact item then get something similar and leave a note from Santa explaining why.
  3. Wrap presents from Santa in their own unique wrapping paper so they stand out from the other presents under the tree.
  4. Always eat the cookies and milk.
  5. Always leave carrots for the reindeer and make sure they are gone in the morning.
  6. I remember the sounds of reindeer landing on the roof and hiding under the covers so Santa would think I was sleeping. The reindeer sounds were my mom and dad tossing stones on the roof.
  7. Leave boot prints leading from the fireplace to the carpet. Before bed, vacuum the area from the fireplace to the tree, then put on snow boots and walk the area back and forth the boot prints will be visible. If you have hardwood or tile, a dirty boot print or two will do.
  8. Have Santa call the house. Recruit a friend or relative to call the house as Santa. Before they call, let them know what’s on your child’s Christmas list and let them know a naughty and nice thing your child has done recently.  Put their telephone number in your phone’s address book as Santa Claus so it will appear on your caller ID. Have Santa mention the naughty and nice stuff (he’s been watching) and that he has seen your child’s letter/list and is calling to double check it.
  9. Wear a Santa suit and get caught. Have mom wake the kids saying, “Santa’s here, come look, but don’t let him see you.” Lead them to safe distance and have Santa be lit by only the light of the tree. Some kids can easily spot dad in a Santa Suit so be careful that Santa is well covered with a Santa wig and beard. Quickly usher the kids back to their room so Santa can go back up the chimney or out the door.
  10. If you are confident they your child no longer believes then tell them that Santa’s spirit lives in all of us during the holidays. It reminds us to be kind, generous and joyful. Even though Santa is not a living person, he is very much alive in our hearts and our actions.

 

Help keep the dream alive. Some of these tips seem like a bit of effort but it’s worth it to see the wonder and amazement on your children’s faces. When their time comes to no longer believe they will have cherished memories of how their parents loved them so much that they went to such lengths to make them happy.


5 Unconventional Reasons to Wear Your Santa Suit

November 27, 2009 in Holiday Costumes by Lara Burke

23360A good Santa Suit can be expensive but it is a worthwhile investment. It can be cleaned, stored and reused year after year. So for many Christmases to come you can spread joy and hope to children by letting them sit on your lap while you shout a jolly, “Ho ho ho,” and hand out presents.  But did you know there are other reasons to wear your Santa Suit?  After the gifts are handed out don’t be so fast to pack away that Santa Suit.  Here are 5 more reasons to wear your Santa Suit this holiday season.

 

Super warm pajamas – If they’re good enough to keep Santa warm on his speedy delivery around the world then they are good enough to keep you extra warm on a cold winter night.

 

Santa Pub Crawl – Almost every major city has an annual Santa Bar/Pub Crawl, just Google Santa Bar Crawl. The great thing about pub crawls are that you can dress up like Santa, drink and be merry and a portion of the money you spend living it up will go to charity.

 

Santa Run – Get your money’s worth out of your Santa Suit as you run to raise money for charity and keep fit. Look for a Santa Run near you.

 

SantaCon – Wikipedia describes SantaCon as “a mass gathering of people dressed in their various interpretations of Santa Claus costumes and performing publicly on streets and in bars in cities around the world. The focus is on spontaneity, creativity, and the improvisational nature of human interaction while having a good time and spreading cheer and goodwill to all they come across.” SantaCon is very much like a pub crawl but it’s for fun, not charity.

 

Naughty Santa – You and your Mrs. Claus costumes can stir up some Christmas spirit all winter long. Let Mrs. Claus sit on your lap and tell you what she wants.  Remember, Santa is all about giving, especially if Mrs. Claus does something nice.

 

So you see, a Santa Suit is a very wise investment. It will make the children happy, it will be good for charity, it will make you happy and it will make Mrs. Claus happy. It truly is a magical suit.


10 Tips to Get Your Hubby into the Holiday Spirit

November 25, 2009 in Holiday Costumes by Lara Burke

scroogeIs your husband a big old Scrooge when it comes to the Holidays? If you’re wondering how to bring out the jolly old Santa in him just try these 10 tips for getting your hubby into the holiday spirit.

 

  1. If you go Christmas shopping together, spring for the valet parking at the mall. Nothing makes a man more Scrooge-like than fighting for a parking spot. Valet park and waltz into the mall warm, dry and free from aggravation.
  2. Even better than #1, above, excuse him from Christmas shopping all together. Give him the website addresses of your favorite stores to make his shopping experience as painless as possible.
  3. Make his favorite drinks and snacks while he watches football. There’s nothing like booze, junk food and sports to make your man feel festive, especially if his team is winning.
  4. Wear some sexy Christmas Lingerie. If this doesn’t put some Christmas spirit in him, check his pulse.
  5. Rent A Christmas Story and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. These two movies really appeal to the guys in our lives. Nostalgia and humor are two sure fire ways to fill him with holiday spirit.
  6. Have a romantic evening in front of the fire, adults only. Get your parents or in-laws to watch the kids and enjoy the warmth of the glowing fire and each other’s company on a cold wintry night. To enhance this tip, also, see #4.
  7. For his Christmas present send him away with his friends. I’m sure he’s just dying to go to his favorite college’s bowl game or some hunting trip or other crazy guy thing with his friends but is afraid to ask. Think of how happy he’ll be doing guy stuff with your blessing. Plus think how nice it would be a have the girls over for a spa evening while he’s away.
  8. Decorate the house for him or at least, untangle the lights for him.
  9. Buy toys for the kids that are already assembled. Save him from the late nights in the basement or garage trying to put things together with cryptic instructions and missing parts.
  10. When all else fails, a little extra loving will do the trick, if you know what I mean.

 

 

Following these tips will help your man be a bit less grumpy and get a bit more into the Christmas spirit this year. Who knows, you may even find him on Christmas day in a Santa suit, standing under the mistletoe with a very expensive and special gift just for you. Well…its fun to believe in Christmas miracles.


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