Tomorrow is National Costume Swap Day, which is a great opportunity to trade Halloween costumes with friends, family or that one neighbor who still has a full-body inflatable dinosaur outfit in the garage.
But if you're planning to swap costumes with somebody in Michigan, you might want to ask a few questions first.
A new study looked at Google Trends data from the past 12 months to determine the most popular Halloween costume in every state. And apparently, Michigan has decided to keep things very simple.
Our No. 1 costume is "Monster."
That's it. Just monster.
Not Dracula. Not Frankenstein. Not the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Just... monster.
Apparently, Michiganders don't have time to explain which monster they're dressing up as. We've got cider mills to visit and potholes to avoid.
Michigan: Home of the Generic Monster
According to the study, Michigan shares the monster crown with Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia.
Meanwhile, other states apparently put a little more thought into things.
Mermaids topped the list in seven states, including Florida, New York and Hawaii. Dinosaurs were No. 1 in six states, while bats also took the top spot in six.
Skeletons, princesses, angels and aliens each ruled three states.
But Michigan?
We typed "monster Halloween costume" into Google and called it a day.
Honestly, that tracks. We've got enough scary things around here already. Ever drive through an I-75 construction zone at rush hour?
That's a horror movie with no ending.
Oklahoma Has Entered the Candy Corn Era
Oklahoma apparently decided this study needed a little more sugar. Its most popular costume is CANDY CORN.
Imagine showing up to a Halloween party dressed as a piece of candy corn.
Everybody else is dressed as vampires, witches and superheroes, and here comes Oklahoma looking like a snack from a gas station checkout counter.
The good news? You don't need makeup, fake blood or complicated accessories.
The bad news? Everybody will want to bite your head off.
Michigan's Costume Swap Suggestions
Since tomorrow is National Costume Swap Day, here are a few Michigan-themed costumes we'd like to see making the rounds:
The Road Construction Barrel: Wear orange, stand in the middle of a hallway and refuse to let anybody pass. Extra points if you have no explanation for why you're there.
The Michigan Winter Driver: Shorts, sunglasses, a hoodie and a windshield scraper. Tell everybody you're perfectly comfortable driving in a blizzard because you've got all-season tires.
The Cider Mill Regular: Flannel shirt, boots and powdered sugar on your face. Carry a half-dozen donuts and explain that you only came for one.
The Pothole: Wear gray, crouch in a driveway and demand $600 from every vehicle that passes over you.
The Lions Fan: Wear a jersey, carry a bag of chips and explain that THIS IS OUR YEAR. This costume may require emotional support by Sunday afternoon.
The Michigan Monster: Throw on an old sheet, cut two eyeholes and call it a day. If anyone asks what kind of monster you are, just say, "Michigan."
So, What Are You Swapping?
The whole point of National Costume Swap Day is to reuse costumes instead of buying something new every year. It's cheaper, better for the environment and a good excuse to get creative.
Just remember: If somebody offers you a monster costume, ask whether it's a specific monster or just a general Michigan monster.
And if somebody from Oklahoma offers you a candy corn outfit?
Take it. You never know when you'll need to look like a traffic cone that tastes like sugar.
Happy National Costume Swap Day, Michigan. May your costumes be creative, your candy buckets be full and your monsters be slightly more specific next year.
