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Costume contest implies there is a winner. I think two winners in each category is great!

I'm of the mindset that kids need to know they won't always win. They need to develop the skills to get through it if they aren't the winner. I really dislike the "everyone gets a trophy" mentality.

My son plays little league. The lower levels all get medals with their team name and year because they don't actually keep score of the games, it is just a learning division. That I don't mind. Once he gets to the upper division, only teams that actually win their division get a trophy.

@cat620: in my mind a contest needs a winner. I dont like the "prize for all" way of thinking.

If its a contest or a competition, there should be a winner who gets recognized. I think this whole "participation" award thing is overblown on the internet. When I was a kid, yes the entire soccer team got a little trophy at the end of a season -- did it make me soft or think I should always win? No.

@kiddosc: I always think that's so funny--older generations like to joke about the alleged issues caused by "participation trophies." Not only do I think it's not really that supported by evidence but, like....who gave us the trophies, PARENTS? It's not like they just appeared out of thin air.

ETA: Or what @Corduroy said lol.

My neighborhood had a similar costume- one kid and adult winners. I definitely don’t see a problem with a costume contest or situations when score keeping determines who’s best that day and this a winner.

I would be 100% okay with this setup. If it's known that it's a contest ahead of time then it's up to the parents to prep the kids about what a contest means, that they may or may not win, that it's more important to love their costume and have fun, etc. etc.

However I am more of a fan of raffles. We used to have a costume contest at work and I hated it - I don't want to judge and no one really does. Plus how much effort/money is spent on a costume depends on too many factors.
We changed it to a raffle - anyone who participated is entered in the raffle and then there are 3 winners drawn who pick from prizes. So - you still don't get something just for showing up, but the subjectivity is removed. Might not work for every situation but it's removed some emotion and skepticism of bias.

Lol. Minority here. Everyone gets a prize. My daughter won a courage medal in soccer. Every week a different kid won a different medal until they all won one. Loved it. Everyone has a strength to be noted for. In my class we compete hard in the school and I offer a prize. If they come in second or third, I come up with a consolation prize for everyone who showed a good effort. I like admiring and posting the best costumes on social media or what not but I don’t think people have to have costumes appointed superior than others to have fun and celebrate. I have always been more of a recreational sports or individual sports kind of person so I just like outdoing myself or having the most fun.