Whether you’re a hardcore horror fanatic, or just enjoy donning some bunny ears to accompany the kids trick-or-treating, Halloween evokes fun and festivity. Over the years, I’ve gone back and forth, coordinating costumes with my friends, husband, and now my daughters. Some years, we’ve planned out our get-ups weeks, or even months, in advance. Other Halloweens, it’s been a mad dash to put together something a few days beforehand. For both the seasoned costume coordinator and the up-to-the-last-minute costumer, here are some tips and inspirations for family costumes.

On a scale of one to ten, with one being the most hassle-free and low-commitment of costumes, animal onesie pajamas rate about a 2, with 1 being cutting holes in a sheet. From specialty sites offering everything from unicorn to shark PJs to hooded union suits from Target, the animal one-piece is a simple, fun, and warm option for the entire family this All Hallows Eve. You can all dress up as the same animal, I’m partial to pandas myself, or have everyone choose their favorite animal. You can also be a bit more thoughtful and match up characters from Winnie the Pooh or Star Wars.

Speaking of characters, there’s a huge trend to dress the family as people and creatures from films and TV. I’ve toyed with having us all dress as some of our beloved cartoons like the Tiger family from “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” or as members of the Lion Guard from the “Lion King” spinoff series, my preschooler can’t stop watching. Instead of current shows, you can also anticipate the trends based on new/upcoming releases like the “Addams Family,” “Frozen II,” or “Maleficent.”

If you choose the go the character route, and since I’ve already mentioned “Frozen,” let’s talk about Disney. There is so much to choose from if you are a Disney fan. There’s the classic Mickey and Minnie, which is great for sibling pairs, with parents making up the rest of the clubhouse gang a la Donald, Daisy, Goofy, or Pluto. There are “The Incredibles,” which we were considering since my youngest daughter is the spitting image of Jack-Jack. There’s a ton of characters from “Alice in Wonderland” — Alice, the Mad Hatter, White Rabbit, Queen of Hearts, Tweedle Dee and Dum. The toys from “Toy Story” and, of course, there’s the whole princess route. From classics like Cinderella to the modern-day Anna and Elsa, the Disney royal pantheon is deep with a variety of supporting characters to round out the familial cast.

On the flip side of princesses are superheroes and villains. For family costumes, you can go with the Avengers or Justice League depending on if you’re a Marvel or DC household. Again, you can look to your child’s favorite cartoons from “PJ Masks” to “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” for costume inspiration. Or, if you want to get creative while keeping things simple, you can go with your own hero personas like The Mighty Smiths, or Captain Mom and her Amazing Ninjas! All you need are some leggings, capes, and masks.

Beyond cutting holes in sheets or wearing masks, creating family costumes can be a challenge. With Party City, Halloween Spirit Stores, and Amazon, there are a ton of ready-to-wear options available for most group costumes, even gimmicky ones like inflatable T-Rexes, or “Deer in Headlights.” However, buying pre-packaged get-ups for the entire family can get pricey. That’s why I’m a big fan of the dress-up or costume box. This could be an actual box, or a trunk, or plastic carton that stores all of your costumes from years past — fairy wings, wigs, cowboy hats, and any kind of dramatic items like paisley fringed shawls, or old prom dresses to use to (re)create costumes and characters for the future. It’s also good to have some standard pieces, like black capes (which can work for superheroes, villains, witches, and vampires) and animal ears/horns. You can buy these types of sundries on sale the day after Halloween to stock up for next year.

If you’re crafty and prepared, you can make costumes, either from costume specific patterns or working freehand. For more sci-fi characters, you can construct pieces out of cardboard, or, if you’re talented enough, papier-mache. Another budget-friendly option for Halloween is thrift stores. Some second-hand shops carry retail costumes, or you can source pieces from their general apparel. Vintage garments, in particular, are great finds for Halloween, especially if you’re going with historical figures or time periods.

Lastly, don’t forget the power of makeup and wigs. Have everyone wear raggedy clothes, slap on some gray face paint, and the family will transform into a roaming pack of zombies. You can enhance your animal pajama costumes with some drawn-on whiskers or turn any costume into the Frankenstein version with green makeup and a few well-placed rows of stitches. Wigs in all shades can be used in a variety of costumes, and, like makeup, add something extra. I love the idea of your standard witch in a bright neon wig, or everyone dressing in team jerseys and tinsel wigs to trick-or-treat as “super fans.”

Whether you’re hosting a party, chaperoning your kids’ Halloween dance, or just walking around the block for candy, family costumes are a fun way to come together as a family and have fun even if it’s an undead, spooky family.