Holidays and festivals imported from our home countries are never quite as authentic in China. Most people don't have ovens for a Thanksgiving turkey and Christmas trees in the Middle Kingdom are ersatz at best, a mere shadow of their festive selves. Menorahs? Forget about it. And don’t even get me started on finding an actual Kwanzaa bush. Halloween is one of those rare holidays that is actually easier to celebrate in China then at home.

With a plethora of tailors and fabric markets around the city, all parents need is a bit of forethought and a child who will stand still long enough to be measured to create the perfect bespoke costume in just a couple weeks. Procrastinating parents need not worry. A handful of shops around town have ready-made costumes too and there’s always online shopping for the web savvy.

Holiday House

One of the city’s largest costume emporiums for Westerners, Holiday House is a one-stop shop for adults and children alike. It’s split into two sections, with one side full of kitschy costumes, funky wigs and wacky accessories from sparkling tiaras to real BB guns. Block off a good chunk of time as kids will turn this shopping excursion into a game of dress up. The other half of the store is brimming with all your party planning needs. From themed streamers and branded plates, everything is coming up jack o lanterns at Holiday House.  

1188 Panyu Lu, near Hongqiao lu.

Tel: 6447 7189

Ruby’s Party

Just off Hongmei Lu, Ruby’s Party offers a veritable menagerie of animal costumes. From infant-sized turtles to full-grown curious monkeys, Ruby’s selection is all about taking a walk on the wild side. If costumes made of fur and flippers ruffle your feathers, try one of the superhero costumes or slip on some angel wings. Ruby’s is also ready to throw your party onsite, or just help you stock up on all the Halloween goodies you could possibly need, including piñatas. Hop online before you go, and check to see what they have in stock.

3333 Hongmei Lu. Tel: 6401 6323. Web: www.rubyparty.com

Yu Garden’s Accessories’ Market

The four buildings at the southeast corner of Renmin Lu and Lishui Lu are full of cheap costume ideas that reek of glitter. It’s best to go there with an open mind and let the shops inspire you, but if you’re looking for something particular, building two is your best bet. Stick to the first floor where you can find wigs, fangs and face paint around every corner. This place typically caters to a Chinese clientele, so masks of popular Avatar characters are a sure bet here. Lazy superheroes can fly to the second floor to find body suits with hulking muscles already built in.

Renmin Lu, near Lishui Lu

Shanghai South Bund Fabric Market

This is the stuff costume dreams are made of, kid. Hundreds of tailors spread over three floors with every fabric imaginable, from turquoise sequins just begging to be made into a mermaid’s tail to pinstripes that are a sewing kit away from becoming the trousers of a swashbuckling pirate. Pictures are a must here as costumes aren’t exactly a familiar concept to these seamstresses, and it helps to speak Chinese for the nitty-gritty details. Remember to bargain hard!

2F, 399 Lujiabang Lu, near Nanpu Daqiao

 Taobao

Searching “Halloween” in English on this e-commerce behemoth yields a surprising amount of costumes, and if you can read Chinese, well, the sky’s the limit. Taobao is a bargain shopper’s heaven with most costumes clocking in at less then RMB 100. Masks can start at less than a kuai and we found a full-body Spiderman costume for RMB 13. Taobao agents are also available to lend a hand to the character illiterate. You’ll pay a small fee, but it’s worth it to track down Buzz Lightyear’s elusive spacesuit.

Web: www.taobao.com