O.K., I know Halloween is over. But does that have to mean we have to give up the fun of briefly escaping the pressure of reality and becoming someone else? I love putting on a costume and fantasizing for a few hours or even a day! The release from tension I feel deserves to be more than a once- a- year event! Why end it yearning for more when we can repeat it several times during those cold winter months?

So here's my plan; I’m going to do the rest of my holidays using a clothing theme! Yes, I mean costumes! What better way to get into the holiday spirit than to “look the part”?

Maybe I’m just crazy, but I love to become a part of the holidays and kind of 'reenact' what the holiday is all about. After who hasn't dressed as Santa for Christmas eve? Just looking the part enhances the fun!

The fun can involve the whole family! Think about the fun of greeting guests as pilgrims or natives? Or you could invite the “pilgrims” to a “native” Thanksgiving dinner! There are so many possibilities! For instance, you could have the men as natives and the women as Pilgrims, or mom and dad con be the Pilgrims and the kids could be natives! Getting some ideas of your own yet?

There's still plenty of time to get some inexpensive costumes if you use an on-line site like Amazon And you'll be able to find the one you want. And when I say inexpensive, I mean as little as under $100 for the whole family! Since you only use them once a year, you won't have to buy them every year so it's cheap fun for all! Just compare that to Easter cloths!

You probably have some holiday traditions of your own so why not add 'dress for the holiday' to them? Let's take off some of that holiday stress and begin feeling the part! Think about it, you won't have to dress in your good clothes (if these get ruined they're replaceable for a few dollars). And here's a trick; have guests come as natives and bring a dish (a sort of 'pot luck' Thanksgiving)! You can be the pilgrims. Or whatever! You could even elect a “turkey” each year!

Go DAD!

You may have trouble with your teens. They aren't much into family events at this stage. You can combat their resistance by compromising or adding incentives. For instance you might let them have a supervised costume party. And when it comes to young children, you may want to put on your costume first!Just to get them started.

Even Fido can get in on the fun!

While a "costume theme" for Thanksgiving may not be everybody's cup of tea, it could be loads of fun for friends and family.

How cute is this?