To a lot of people, Halloween is synonymous with two things- ´pumpkins head´ and ´death costume´. The grim reaper costume or the death costume as it is more commonly known is a very simple design and yet it draws a great deal of attention. The grim reaper is supposed to be a skeletal figure clothed in a black, hooded cloak, carrying a scythe, or a sickle in some cases. It is supposed to be a personification of ´death´. The element of eeriness that this concept and likewise the costume carries, is what makes it so interesting and fun. The idea of a personified ´death´ is not new- it has existed in societies for centuries and more recently, the grim reaper has been making appearances on television and in popular culture regularly, in shows like ´family guy´, known by his more commonly recognized name ´death´.

The origin of the name ´grim reaper´, by most accounts is a result of the agricultural importance way back in history. The harvest signaled an end of the growing season and was a precursor to winter; and this harvest had to be done with a sickle. This whole process was metaphorical to ´life´ and ´death´ and thus got incorporated into the concept of death, personified.

The best thing about the grim reaper costume is that despite being so creepily elegant, it is very simple to make and can be designed at home by following a few simple steps. Also, the grim reaper being genderless, the costume can be used by males and females alike.

Any long, black robe can make your basic costume- try getting one with a hood, else add a hood yourself. A bedsheet, painted black, makes for the perfect input; with a few adjustments, you will have a hooded black robe, with even the dangling sleeves. As for footwear, you don´t need any, because the grim reaper is supposed to float along and not walk in steps. If you absolutely need footwear, go for a longer cloak so that it conceals your footwear. It is also necessary to get a skeleton mask that that is to be worn inside the cloak. But if you want no shopping, you can simply paint a skeleton onto your face. Of course, don´t forget your skeleton gloves. The next part of the costume is the sickle or the scythe. The scythe is easier to make, though both the sickle and scythe are easily available in any store as a part of the grim reaper accessories. The scythe can be made by taking a stick of the right size, and cutting the blade part out of cardboard and fixing it suitably. Since the whole setup must be painted black anyway, details don´t matter so much, as long as the basic shape is maintained.

Some people might have a negative association with the grim reaper costume but that can change- it must be borne in mind that in most cultures, death is seen as an inevitable outcome and therefore the personified version is looked upon as god.