It’s October, and I personally believe that that means it’s costume season. Don’t make your kids wait until October 31st. Don’t listen to the naysayers who’ll tell you we’ve taken Halloween too far, that the whole month has exploded into one giant holiday.

I live in a town over from America’s Halloween capital of Salem, Massachusetts. Hocus Pocus and Hubie Halloween were both filmed here. And the whole area goes big. Honestly, I think we start preparing around August. There are pumpkins everywhere. The streets are jammed with seasonal tourists. Adults and kids that visit are dressed festively in witch and pirate costumes. Even in August. And I get a kick out of it, even if I am stuck in traffic just trying to get to the grocery store.

My kids love costumes; we have a big bucket we’ve always used for dress-up since they were toddlers. Two years ago, my then 6-year-old son took it up a notch. We ordered a hot dog costume online, and he patiently waited for it. When that package hit our doorstep, he dashed to the front door to grab it. Of course, he wanted to try it on. What kid wouldn’t? But then he wanted to wear it out for a test run. I thought it was a bit too early to be sporting a costume on the streets. It was barely October! But what harm could be to take it out for a spin around the block?

We were less than two doors down our street, and people started honking and waving from their cars. I’m not even joking — people rolled down the windows and yelled, “Hot Dog Boy!” My son’s reaction was total excitement. He loved the attention. We kept walking and entered a coffee shop where everyone greeted him with high fives and smiles. Seeing Hot Dog Boy made everyone smile, even if it was only the first week of October.

And it didn’t stop after that day. It became a thing that went out for walks after school dressed as a hot dog. He loved people’s reactions.

Last year, he found an inflatable balloon dog costume à la Jeff Koons. It was adorable but bulky, so I figured he wouldn’t wear it til Halloween. I was wrong. As soon as we got home, he wanted to take the new costume out for a spin. If we thought the Hot Dog Boy was a crowd-pleaser, the Balloon Dog became a local celebrity.

Friends requested visits so they could take selfies with him. We live in a walkable neighborhood, and everyone started to recognize him. My slightly shy kid loved the attention. Little kids would hug him. You could tell he felt good, making everyone so happy. It made me understand why people are attracted to working at Disney World.

The whole experience has really made me wonder why we would ever tell kids they can’t wear a costume even outside of Halloween. Kids don’t see a costume as anything other than clothing. And sure, there are some scenarios where the costume might seem inappropriate. My kids don’t wear costumes to school except for designated days, but outside that, why not? Let them wear the costume to the playground, the grocery store and even out to dinner. Snap a zillion photos and have a good time and be joyful with your children. Sometimes, I break out a banana costume and get in on the fun, too.

Katy Elliott is the Personal Stories Editor at Scary Mommy. She loves to cook, garden, and chat with people about anything from how much you love your kids to how much your kids drive you up the wall. She’s a mom to two kids and lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts.