It began in 1998. My then boyfriend and I decided to make ourselves KISS costumes and wander around the East Village for Halloween. We thought it would be fun if I Photoshopped ourselves into the actual KISS Destroyer album and send out “KISS-mas cards” that holiday. It ended up becoming an annual tradition for 20 years, eventually incorporating our daughter and then our son. Each year, we thrift, sew, glue and paint our own Halloween costumes (with the occasional bought pieces) and then incorporate ourselves into an album cover, movie scene or poster from that year’s theme.
1998: Kiss Destroyer album
(Steven: Ace Frehley / Me: Peter Criss)
1999: Chanukah Night Fever
(Steven: Tony / Me: Stephanie)
2000: Gilligan’s Island
(Steven: Gilligan / Me: MaryAnn)
2001: Popeye
(Steven: Olive Oyl / Me: Popeye)
2002: The Wedding Album
(Steven: John Lennon / Me: Yoko Ono)
2003: Peter Pan
(Steven: Tinkerbelle / Me: Peter Pan)
2004: Hall & Oates
(Steven: Daryl Hall / Me: John Oates)
2005: The Three Stooges
(Steven: Larry / Me: Mo / Sadie: Curly)
2006: The Wonder Twins
(Steven: Zan / Me: Jayna / Sadie: Gleek)
2007: The Battle of the Holidays
(Steven: Bobby Riggs / Me: Billie Jean King / Sadie: tennis ball)
2008: Sesame Street
(Steven: Burt / Me: Ernie / Sadie: Abby Cadabby)
2009: Super Family
(Steven: Clark Kent / Me: Superwoman / Sadie: Supergirl)
2010: The Jetsons
(Steven: George / Me: Jane / Sadie: Judy / Henry: Elroy)
2011: The Warhol Factory
(Steven: Andy Warhol / Me: Edie Sedgwick / Sadie: Marilyn Monroe painting / Henry: Campbell’s soup can)
2012: Country Music Holiday Hits
(Steven: Johnny Cash / Me: Dolly Parton / Sadie: Crystal Gayle / Henry: Willie Nelson)
2013: Wreck-It Ralph
(Steven: Fix-It Felix / Me: Sergeant Calhoun / Sadie: Vanellope von Schweetz / Henry: Wreck-It Ralph)
2014: Star Wars
(Steven: Chewbacca / Me: Han Solo / Sadie: Princess Leia / Henry: Luke Skywalker)
2015: Willy Wonka
(Steven: Willy Wonka / Me: Oompa Loompas / Sadie: Varuca Salt / Henry: Charlie)
2016: The Princess Bride
(Steven: Fezzick / Me: Inigo Montoya / Sadie: Buttercup / Henry: Wesley)
2017: Mary Poppins
(Steven: Burt / Me: Mary Poppins / Sadie: Mary from Jolly Holiday scene / Henry: Burt from Jolly Holiday scene)