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Top Halloween Costumes of 2012

The Dark Knight rises, but classic Halloween costumes remain the most popular in 2012.

Americans will spend nearly $3 billion on Halloween costumes this year, and the majority of them will dress as witches, vampires, princesses and other traditional outfits.  

The National Retail Federation’s 2012 Top Halloween Costumes survey reports that 10 percent of children plan to dress as a princess, while six million adults plan to go as a witch.

Batman is the second most popular Halloween costume for kids, while the character – along with other characters from The Dark Knight Rises – is fourth for adults. 

Some people plan take their outfit cues from current events, whether it’s an athlete, political figure or something else entirely.

“With nearly one in 10 celebrants taking their costume cues from current events, we’ll see plenty of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney look-alikes out-and-about for Halloween,” said Pam Goodfellow, a director at the survey firm BIGinsight. “However, we expect these ‘rivals’ will be able to find some common ground over the punch bowl or a bag of candy.”

Last year, Patch websites throughout the country sought the most original Halloween costume for a Halloween contest, and a headless boy from New Jersey took the top prize. 

If you are looking for that perfect costume, here is a list of retailers in Smithtown.

  • Party City: Party City on Vets Highway has a huge array of costumes and Halloween decorations for your last minute party or trick-or-treating needs.
  • Cedarhurst Party: This part store on Larkfield Road in East Northport has costumes ranging from superheroes to pirates and everything in between.
  • Spirit Halloween: This national chain of Halloween costume retailers has opened a shop in Lake Grove. If you are already out shopping, it's a convenient place to grab last-minute costumes and accessories.
  • Longs Island Costumes, a family-run business sells and rents any kind of costume you can possibly imagine. The store also stocks all the accessories to complete your look, such as contact lenses, makeup, wigs, masks, boas and more. They have a huge inventory – over 4000 different costumes.
  • Rite Aid, CVS, K-Mart, Wallmart and Target also all carry a selection of costumes.

And here is the full list from the National Retail Federation

Top Adult Costumes

Top Children’s Costumes

1. Witch

1. Princess

2. Vampire

2. Batman

3. Pirate

3. Spiderman

4. Batman character

4. Witch

5. Zombie

5. Disney princess

6. Vixen

6. Action/super Hero

7. Princess

7. Pirate

8(tie). Ghost

8. Vampire

8(tie). Nurse

9. Zombie

9. Cat

10. Ghost

10. Superman

 

Patch Wants to know: What do you plan on being for Halloween? Let us know in the comment section below. 


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Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Retired May 22, 2013 at 01:17 pm
Congrats to Jim and Steve, but most off all congrats to the Commack Community for having the wisdomRead More to elect them.
MJS May 22, 2013 at 10:10 am
Get ready Mary Jo, Dr. James, CTA, and PTA.. Change is Coming!
GM May 21, 2013 at 11:29 pm
Well run Gentlemen! Get some sleep now.... you guys have a lot of work to do.
Laja May 21, 2013 at 09:03 pm
They change the name occasionally but they are and will always be TaxPac
Laja May 21, 2013 at 09:02 pm
Simply stating that you are not aware of who you are supporting is ecactly why the rest of us areRead More relentless in our efforts to keep them out of our community. For the sake of your kids, your property value and future (both near and distant) research this Group. You will be shocked to read the Exact words used by the group you support in TaxPac literature. Then read about the effects of their policies on the communities the infiltrate. And how long it takes these communities to recover once they are all voted out of office.
Dawn-Marie Bailey May 21, 2013 at 04:45 pm
LaJa. First, I don't hide behind initials or some fake name. I can't take you seriously when youRead More won't reveal who you really are. Secondly, I am not part of any group whatsoever. I do not need others telling me how to think. There ARE citizens in this town who are not happy with the current board and their ways, who do not need to be part of an organization of some sort to try and initiate change. Finally, it's funny you accuse me of being a part of something that I don't even know what it is. I've never heard of TaxPac in my life.
Dawn-Marie Bailey May 21, 2013 at 08:18 am
Last night, I had quite the email exchange with members of the PTA Executive Committee. Not onlyRead More could they NOT provide me with an answer as to why they've chosen not to support Proposition 2, all I received was snide remarks and avoidance. Not smart or professional at all. In fact, they seem like quite the joke. I guess they are more of a social club who makes decisions about an important vote without doing their homework and then pushes that decision on the community (via street signs and phone calls to parents). I believe the public deserves a valid answer as to why they've taken their position. Unfortunately, they can't provide one. It makes me ponder if I should even bother to support the PTA in the future (as I have in the past with both my time and money). They certainly don't seem to be making decisions in the best interest of our children. It is all quite sad.
Dawn-Marie Bailey May 21, 2013 at 10:53 am
Last night, I had quite the email exchange with members of the PTA Executive Committee. Not onlyRead More could they NOT provide me with an answer as to why they've chosen not to support Proposition 2, all I received was snide remarks and avoidance. Not smart or professional at all. In fact, they seem like quite the joke. I guess they are more of a social club who makes decisions about an important vote without doing their homework and then pushes that decision on the community (via street signs and phone calls to parents). I believe the public deserves a valid answer as to why they've taken their position. Unfortunately, they can't provide one. It makes me ponder if I should even bother to support the PTA in the future (as I have in the past with both my time and money). They certainly don't seem to be making decisions in the best interest of our children. Now, this morning, I hear that the PTA is telling people that they are opposed to Proposition 2 in order to keep "special interest groups" from taking over. How can parents in this community, whose children are in the system, who want to make positive change for those children, be a "special interest group"? It blows my mind, how in politics, people can twist things so badly to meet their own agendas. It is all quite sad.
Laja May 21, 2013 at 11:12 am
By the way, I am not in any way associated or affiliated with any union... If you and your groupRead More are not affiliated with TaxPac then you should know that the platform Tampellini and Hartman support, along with the sudden urgent need for 2 more board seats, is taken straight from the TaxPac play book. You can agree with them, as that is your right BUT you must also know where their rhetoric originates and educate yourselves as to what TaxPac as a group wants here on Long Island. If the TaxPac agenda was above board and positive for LI communities there would be no need for them to sneak around and attempt to gain entry into communities through back-door maneuvers like the sudden need for 2 more seats...when Fusco couldn't get in last year either..... At least know that you are being played.
Devil's Advocate May 21, 2013 at 10:21 am
No agenda? That's a joke, right? Vote for Behar and Egan. Keep TAXPAC out of Commack.
Concerned Commackian May 21, 2013 at 07:42 am
Steve Hartman is the clear choice over Jarrett Behar. Behar is just another "insider"Read More enamored with that status quo. His wife is a guidance counselor in another district, so it should come as no surprise that he sees nothing broken. Elect a fresh face with valuable community leadeship experience and no agenda. Vote Hartman
Dawn-Marie Bailey May 21, 2013 at 08:19 am
Last night, I had quite the email exchange with members of the PTA Executive Committee. Not onlyRead More could they NOT provide me with an answer as to why they've chosen not to support Proposition 2, all I received was snide remarks and avoidance. Not smart or professional at all. In fact, they seem like quite the joke. I guess they are more of a social club who makes decisions about an important vote without doing their homework and then pushes that decision on the community (via street signs and phone calls to parents). I believe the public deserves a valid answer as to why they've taken their position. Unfortunately, they can't provide one. It makes me ponder if I should even bother to support the PTA in the future (as I have in the past with both my time and money). They certainly don't seem to be making decisions in the best interest of our children. It is all quite sad.
Commackvoter May 20, 2013 at 10:24 pm
I know what the word increase means! You mentioned it above about insurance rates going up. You seeRead More when a member of the BOE gives his kid a job in the district, then that adult child (24 yrs) takes a 15 yr old student to a hotel for sex and gets arrested, then our insurance company has to pay to settle the lawsuit, dont you think our insurance rates go up John. Sure you dont believe it - Read all about it http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/cops-commack-hs-coach-faces-sex-abuse-charges-1.1711455 Time to break up this 5 member coffee clotch and their you scratch my back I will scratch yours.
John Smith May 20, 2013 at 10:12 pm
Can I ask you an honest question? I hope this doesn't sound to condescending because I really amRead More curious. Do you understand what the word "increase" means?
Judge for your yourself whether these signatures were written by the same person
COM-MOM May 22, 2013 at 10:02 pm
Just asking. Coincidence that your Commack Patch Penn name is LaJa short for Laura James? Anyway,Read More in your infinite wisdom can you please explain why we needed to hire a $106,000 admin. from Center Moriches? Do we not have admins within the Commack School District who are qualified for the position? No one was eligible for a promotion?
Laja May 22, 2013 at 09:51 pm
Well yesterday I was Peter Wunsch so today I guess I can be Dr. James's wife. Any choices forRead More tomorrow?
COM-MOM May 22, 2013 at 09:39 pm
P.S. LaJa. Is LaJa short for Laura James?? Are you Dr. James' wife??
Concerned Commackian May 20, 2013 at 03:45 pm
Im concerned with the rate of spending increases. You cant talk your way around them no matter howRead More hard you try. And as to this "district has no control" argument, thats a cop out and you know it. While the state tells the district what percentage of salary it must pay into the retirement system, if the district had done a more effective job of limiting the growth in compensation, not only would salary expense been lower, but the amount paid into the retirement system would have been lower as well. And John, care to calculate how much the additional state aid to the district this year lowered the levy? Im sure you dont.
John Smith May 20, 2013 at 02:19 pm
Or you could think about how spending is going up over 4% (the majority of which is fueled by costsRead More that are mandated by law -- Teachers' and Employee's Retirement and Insurance contributions -- over which the School District has no control), but the tax levy is only going up 2.91%, which means the School District -- gasp -- might be doing a good job finding alternative sources of funding other than the taxpayers. Again, look at the info for yourself, not through the eyes of a biased Tampellini/Hartman/Tax Pac supporter.
Laja May 21, 2013 at 10:41 am
Perhaps you can double down your efforts in Lisa Levine's current town of residence. See how thingsRead More work out there for about 5-7 years. Send us a report and we will take it under advisement. Communities working together!
Laja May 21, 2013 at 10:38 am
As usual the TaxPac group resorts to name-calling and bullying. Much like the school yard loud mouthRead More who simply could not get the other kids to agree with him. Must be getting increasingly frustrating to all of you. Year after year you try to break onto our community intent on doing damage and year after year you are turned away at the gates. Perhaps it's time to pack up and retreat.
TheRube43 May 21, 2013 at 08:53 am
Something jumps out at me. "We don't want to spend down our unrestricted reserves or we willRead More be like Sachem. But if the district doesn't over budget line items then they have no choice but to spend those reserves. Things happen during a school year - whether it is a special ed student moving in or a superstorm causing all sort of havoc. So the district has to overbudget so they have enough for those contingincies.". We have a contingency fund for emergencies. Things DO happen. We spend from the contingency fund. Next budget, we replenish the fund. We never let the fund diminish past the year it was tapped. Overbudgeting for "more emergencies" seems wasteful. People would understand if there was a budget increase due to a catastrophic emergency - enough to cover the dip into the contingency fund. And where is it spelled out what's "budget" and what's "overbudget" for each line item?? I'm not trying to be snarky - I'm just trying to get a handle on things.