My kids are going to be: A black cat, a black bat, and a train conductor. I'll probably be my go-to witch costume. DH will likely be a banana again, much to the delight of kids everywhere.
I'd rather just buy costumes. But I end up making them about half the time because so much of the ready-made stuff is really junky, and my kids like to play dress-up with their costumes after Halloween.
My favorite part of halloween is decorating! I deck out the house inside and out, and make many of the decorations myself. This year my challenge has been making decorations that are both non-gory and non-cheesy (or not too cutesy). Some of them still turned out super creepy thought! For example these "spirits" that I made...
Married07.07.07.Mom to 3:Ruby 11/08and Oliver & Austin12/11
DD1 & DD2 were witches with the tutus I made for DD1's b-day party. DS was a shark (purchased costume). I don't have a preference for purchased vs homemade, but like you I won't buy the junky costumes. I don't usually dress up, but last year I went as "The Cleaning Fairy." If only she really existed! I haven't done much decorating the past two years. When I do decorate it's more of a fall theme than Halloween.
Re: Halloween