Perhaps the most important takeaway of all is that it's truly fine to get everyone gussied up solely for a photo you'll post on Instagram. Because our dog – who often plays a key role in our costumes – is skittish, we never once planned to debut our collective look at a party or while trick-or-treating. And aside from that, some years, it's been too hard to finish a workday and do the hair-and-makeup necessary to dress up alongside our kiddos, who are eager to start going door-to-door at 5 p.m. on the dot. So, yes, we usually only all don our complete looks for a camera with a self-timer running on the kitchen counter. Some might think that is utterly ridiculous. And to those people, I say, "then you don't have to do it!" I love sharing the final photos with far-off family and friends and can't tell you how much joy it brings me to look at those kooky portraits year after year. It works for us just fine, and, heck, it adds a lot less pressure.
Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Kate Schweitzer