It’s Halloween Time! I’m super excited about Halloween this year and we have some really fun costumes we’ve been working on. First up is this Retro Halloween costume, complete with wood paneling and antenna hat. It even lights up! As always these costumes are probably better for adults but we like making them kid-size since they make cuter models.

This costume is pretty straight forward, you just need a cardboard box to start and then cover it with wood-patterned contact paper. We added battery operated lights and gel filters to make it so the tv actually lights up! See the full instructions below.

Materials: Cardboard box + extra scraps of cardboard, black washi tape, wood contact paper, stapler, hot glue, box cutter, black paint, silver spray paint, battery powered twinkle lights, rainbow gel filters, white foam core

Step 1: Find a rectangular box that is the right size for your child. Ideally, it should go from their shoulders to waist. Cut the bottom off the box.
Step 2: Spray paint the front of the box silver.
Step 3: Cover the top and sides of the box with wood contact paper. Outline the silver front of the TV with black washi tape or a black sharpie.
Step 4: Measure your child’s head and arms. Cut out a hole in the top of the box for your child’s head and cut out holes in the sides for your child’s arms.
Step 5: Cut a rectangular hole (with rounded edges) out of the front of the box. This will be the screen. Make sure you leave space on one side for the control panel.
Step 6: For the control panel, cut out a rectangular piece of cardboard and cover it with wood contact paper. For the buttons, layer two round pieces of cardboard (one painted silver, one painted black) on top of each other. For the speaker, use black washi tape (or a sharpie) to make a crosshatch pattern.
Step 7: For the busy-signal screen, cut strips of gel paper and line them up next to each other.Tape to the inside of the box. Place one other strip horizontally (weave in between the vertical strips) and tape to the inside of the box.
Step 8: Staple battery powered twinkle lights around the edges of the screen. Point them away from the screen so that the light is diffused. Measure a piece of white foam core and tape it into place a few inches behind the screen on the inside of the box (this will help to reflect the light and hide the person inside the box.)
Step 9: You’re done! Trick or treat!

Photography by Paul Ferney for Oh Happy Day
Art Directed by Irene Yu
Styled by Amy Moss
Produced by Alison Piepmeyer
Crafting by Mercy Favrow
Thanks to little S for modeling!