As my Global Traveler colleague Angelique Platas wrote in her blog yesterday, wearing costumes on Halloween dates back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. One theory suggests costumes were worn to disguise people against the spirits, while another proposes costumes aided in communicating with the spirit world.

The practice of “guising” eventually evolved to the trick-or-treating we see today. It is also big business, with children’s costumes bringing in $1.2 billion in yearly revenue. Adult costumes, at $1.5 billion, actually bring in more revenue.

A bit of an unusual child, I didn’t really enjoy trick-or-treating, and as an adult, I usually don’t like Halloween costume parties. There were a couple big exceptions, and both involved television shows.

Billy Corgan and Tommy Else

Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan started a production company in hopes of landing a television deal, which he eventually did with AMC. The reality show revolved around a Chicago wrestling company. For the Halloween shows, everyone came in costume.

Svengoolie Rich Koz

A special guest star for the first Halloween show was legendary Chicago horror host Svengoolie Rich Koz. I donned a kilt and went as Rowdy Roddy Piper, one of my childhood favorites who eventually became a good friend. I always wanted to wear a kilt, and this was the perfect opportunity. Other costumes included He-Man, a Rockford Peach baseball player and an elf. The next year, I dyed my hair blue and went as the Blue Meanie. Unfortunately, the television deal was eventually canceled, but it was fun while it lasted.

The other show was Psycho Babble TV, a monthly hilarious talk show hosted by Chicago comic Mike Preston. For his Halloween episode, we all dressed as zombies and had a wild evening of undead fun as we wandered around the set while Mike tried to keep the show on track.

I had one other adult costume event, but it didn’t go as well. For a costume contest at a newspaper where I worked, I went as a marathon runner, complete with an official number and finisher medal. While I won the vote, the judges disqualified me for not wearing a costume. I maintain the 26.2 miles I ran to earn that medal was more work than anyone put in their costume. I lost the debate.

This Halloween my costume will be a couch potato, with a remote control and large pizza as my chief accessories. It’s going to be a great Halloween.

— John Wroblewski, online writer