As the spooky season environs the South Dakota landscape, it’s hard not to imagine the picturesque fall couple, wrapped in warm layers, pumpkin-spiced lattes in hand, taking a leisurely stroll through the falling autumn leaves. But this is South Dakota, the Halloween capital of the world (or at least in our minds), and we do things a little differently around here. Our romantic strolls involve corn mazes, haunted hayrides, and the quintessential tradition of coming up with the wittiest, weirdest, or most inappropriate couples Halloween costumes.
Now, take a moment to picture this: A man and a woman standing somewhere between a toolshed and a haunted house – ahem – a festively lit garage. The man, a living embodiment of a bag of ice, clinks and clanks when he moves, although it’s a mystery where the noise comes from. He holds a drink, presumably to chill it with his icy aura. The woman, on the other hand, holds a giant key, hefty enough to fit a lock in a fairytale giant’s castle. What’s the story here, you ask?
Well, welcome to the South Dakota edition of the ‘Icelandic ice giant locked out of his own castle by his mischievous fairy girlfriend’ tale. It’s a hit during Halloween and it surely qualifies as relationship goals, at least in some alternate universe.
But don’t worry; if ‘frozen-out ice giant and key-wielding fairy’ doesn’t scream soulmate to you, there are plenty more where that came from. Remember, in South Dakota, our Halloween costumes can range from bizarrely delightful, like the ‘tornadoes and mobile home’ duo, to the pun-intended ones such as ‘a formal apology’ pair, where one dresses in tuxedo and the other is literally a written apology.
Now, you may be wondering, why these oddball costume choices? Because in South Dakota, we believe that laughter, much like a good scare, is an essential part of love. From the silly to the sweet, the hilarious to the hair-raising, the power of these couples costumes lies not in their cleverness or craftiness; it’s in their simplicity, their charm, and the shared laughter they inspire.
So, as the festive lights twinkle in our garages and the pumpkin spice lattes trickle down our chins (they’re tricky to sip with those fake vampire teeth in), let’s raise a toast to Halloween, to love, and to the joy of shared quirkiness. Because if a man who dresses as a bag of ice and a woman who wields a giant key can call themselves a couple, well, the possibilities for the rest of us are simply endless.
What will it be this Halloween, South Dakota? A pair of competitive cacti? A duo of donuts chased by a cop? A couple of cross-dressing ghosts? Whatever it may be, just remember – in the world of couples costumes, the weirder, the better.