h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I chose the best costume for a party; I was a refrigerator. It consisted of a very large box painted and decorated to look exactly like a fridge. It opened and had shelves cut out around my body and everything. I towed it to the party and everyone was suitably impressed and awed. It was terrific until I got situated and found that I could move MAYBE two inches an hour in it. Someone found a hand truck and toted me around the entire night and I have been teased about it ever since. Moral of the story: choose and design your costume so that you have relative ease of movement.

That is utter genius!

Did your little light stay on when you closed the door?

I think that was the second fault in the costume. I couldn't find any lights with a sensor on them to make them turn completely off, so I had to use one that flashed when its button was depressed. The door would be closed and the thing would be flashing away inside. Small sacrifices, I suppose.

Interesting that you mention this because, in fact, when I was 8 or 9 years old, I had the exact same idea. I created a brilliant refrigerator out of a cardboard box and I must say that I looked excellent in it, but there was no way for me to move my arms because the arm holes were far too far apart. I ended up tripping on the pavement and lay there, helpless, until my brother (then about 5) and my mom (probably weighed about as much as my brother) could right me. In my experience, the size of the costume is not so much of an issue as its rigidity. Cloth and foam are key.

That's utterly inspiring - a fridge! You must have been the life and soul of the party if you were hoarding all the drinks and snacks

I'm glad there's another in the world who is willing to admit to have done the same thing. I take off my hat to you.

Actually, some people started to play mancala in the egg tray part on my door. It was definitely fun, but, Miss Caroline said, you have to be able to move.