Summerween is a mash up of summer and Halloween. You celebrate a little bit of Halloween while it's still warm out, and the best part is that it can cost almost nothing if you plan it right.
Start with a movie night. You don't need a fancy setup. A sheet on the garage door and a borrowed projector work just fine. Pick a Halloween movie the little ones can handle, pull the chairs out, make popcorn, and that's the whole event.
A trunk or treat is just as easy, and it's better when the whole street does it together. Everybody decorates the back of their car, the kids walk the loop, and nobody has to drive anywhere. If you've got neighbors with kids, ask around. People say yes to this more than you'd think.
For decorations, look at what you already have. Old sheets turn into ghosts. A watermelon carves just like a pumpkin, and it's cheaper this time of year anyway. Orange and black paper, a roll of tape, and you're set.
Now the costumes, because that's usually where the money goes. Those seasonal costume shops charge a lot for something you'll wear one night. And if you've got two or three kids, it adds up fast.
So here's what we'd tell a friend. Come shop resale. Our prices run about 70% off retail, so a real dress, a jacket, and a pair of boots can come in under what one costume kit would run you. And because it's real clothing, it goes right back in the closet after. Nothing gets thrown out.
New arrivals come in every single day, because we buy from people right here in the community every day we're open. Everything is one of a kind. When it sells, it's gone.
And if money is tight, remember this goes both ways. Bring us the clothes your family has outgrown. We buy gently used, freshly laundered, current style pieces, and we pay cash on the spot. No consignment, no waiting to see if something sells. You bring a bag in, we go through it, and you walk out with money in your hand. Or take 20% more in store credit and put it right back toward what you came in for.
That's how a lot of our families do it. Sell a little, shop a little, and the whole party pays for itself.