being frank

Well, it’s that time of year again when Halloween is upon us, and the hunt for the perfect costume has been in full swing.

Back in October 2024 on the eve of the last national election (last as in the preceding one), I wrote a public service announcement of sorts to remind people of a few common-sense tips to follow when out canvassing for tricks, treats or those last-minute votes for the party, personality or proposition of your choice. Those tips I suggested included bringing a light along, having something handy to drink, choosing an outfit that suits you, wearing sensible shoes, and bringing along a friend.

Back then, I was aiming for a few friendly reminders that often fall through the cracks as people’s minds are racing through the various responsibilities that need attention before going out to do their civic duty and vote.

I did encourage folks to wear something that would keep them comfortable while having a little fun choosing a colorful theme that would stand out and make a statement. And if there’s anything that can match the frenzied nature of colorful costumes, it’s Halloween.

Part of the tradition is dressing up as someone you’re not (or wish you could be). According to Forbes magazine, citing search data from Zero1, the following are the most popular Halloween costumes of 2026 (ranked by search volume):

• Spider-Man costume – 3.8 million
• Harley Quinn costume – 1.9 million
• Batman costume – 1.7 million
• Wednesday Addams costume – 1.6 million
• Minions costume – 1.3 million
• Super Mario costume – 1.1 million
• Catwoman costume – 838,000
• Five Nights at Freddy’s costume – 641,000
• Wonder Woman costume – 568,000
• Minecraft costume – 296,000

That’s over 13.7 million reported search volumes; quite a bit of traffic just to find a Halloween costume that will either impress, amuse, scare, befuddle, or annoy the people (or children) you plan to run into on October 31^st.

I must admit, I was impressed that Forbes took time away from their busy schedule to compile that list. I was assuming they would be tied up tracking the fiscal issues that are concerning to just about everyone these days. Like the high cost of living, housing and rent affordability, consumer debt, healthcare and medical costs, and retirement insecurity. Then there are the perennial issues lambasting the government. Like the national debt surpassing $40 trillion dollars, the official FY 2026 national defense budget request topping $1 trillion dollars, the stagnant housing market, and a labor market showing slow job growth. But hey, with all of that going on, I suppose everyone deserves a day or two to get away from it all.

So as you prepare to go out this Halloween, please understand that a lot of people are going to be pretty stressed in thinking about the upcoming elections. It won’t take much to scare anyone, so I want to suggest a few funny ideas for outfits that will make your outings with the kids (and the kid within you) more fun:

Weather or Not. Dress up like a swirling cloud and apply random “Matchbox-sized” toy items on your outfit like cars, fences, little houses and perhaps a cow or two. Have someone dress up like a rain cloud to go with you, complete with a big lightning bolt affixed to the front of their outfit. They can then point to you and warn others of the impending storm unless treats are supplied. For added fun, have someone come along dressed as a rainbow. They can be right behind you to usher in good weather before you all go off to storm the next house. And a friendly suggestion: No dressing up like ice cubes. If you want to dress up like winter, be a snowflake.

A Calculated Effort. Wear a big box decorated to look like a giant calculator with a numeric keyboard using big, stick-on plastic numbers. Get a few pieces of paper and print some simple calculations on them, then affix them to the front of the outfit like a calculator printout. Have fun and dress up your kids as various numbers using posterboard and have them milling about with you. You can then tell people that you’re a calculator having a tough time balancing the budget because the numbers keep shifting. And if you have a friend or relative that isn’t keen on dressing up, just have them wear a white shirt, a pair of black slacks and a pocket protector. When people wonder who they are, just say it’s the IRS and they’ve been following you for years.

The Missing Link. Here’s a low-tech fun idea: Get a simple placard with the word “MODEM” on it for each member of your entourage to wear around their neck. Then get one placard that has the word “SERVER” on it. Find a few pieces of string, yarn, or even long bungee cords and attach them to your respective belts as you walk around in a group – except for one of the folks wearing a modem sign. When you approach a house, have the disconnected ‘modem’ walk aimlessly around the group. When someone asks what you’re supposed to be, let the aimless modem announce that you’re a network having connection issues. The name of your server can be whatever you wish; be creative!

 

Final Thoughts

Halloween is one of those holidays that generates a fun communal adventure for children and adults alike. But like most events that involve groups of people with children, there exists a shadow of maliciousness that spoils the occasion. All it takes is one mischievous individual to create a sense of panic that can instantly envelop a community like a fog. Neighborhood friends you’ve known for years become silently suspect. Even the homemade treats or small gifts offered by people who love doing something special for the holiday are avoided. And houses that are intricately decorated to appear eerily spooky may be passed up altogether, fearing some unseen ulterior motive. Some families choose organized trick-or-treat outings at community centers or local schools, where they may feel safer.

These are all understandable scenarios that cannot and should not be discouraged. Yet for those who still remember the relative innocence of those frightfully fun and ghoulish Halloween gatherings of their youth, they’ll see that something is missing. And that is the real specter of the season; the phantom of innocence lost.

And all this with another election cycle just days away.

So while you’re going around the neighborhood with your family to enjoy the evening and have fun with the decorations, keep in mind the transitional nature of Halloween and many other community events that have lost their luster and innocence over the years. Sometimes that decline starts with a single individual or an idea born at the outer edge of civility. A need to test the endurance of a collective and the responsiveness of its outrage. One incident is either thwarted or ridiculed into submission. But as I see it, a concerted effort of fringe ideas or behaviors pushes the limits of social responsiveness. So we move the ramparts and create changes. And so it goes until one day, there is nothing left to change. Civility is turned inside-out and fringe becomes fact; the era of mistrust, falsehoods and prejudicial communities becomes the norm.

A few friendly reminders for when you go to vote; there’s nothing scary in wanting to right a wrong.