Spooktacular Evenings Done Right

The big day is almost here. You’ve been hoarding your Costco sized bag of candy away from your own children for weeks, you’ve been sewing, hot gluing, duct taping together costumes for yourself and your children, and ABC Family has been playing Hocus Pocus and The Addams Family on repeat. Visions and memories of knocking on doors and shrieking “Trick or Treat” reverberate inside your head, and you can’t wait to make the same memories from the other side, watching your children experience the bliss of receiving candy and dressing up. But unfortunately, our world is not a safe place and certain precautions must be taken.

Costumes:

With the upcoming Starwars film there are sure to be a plethora Jedi Knights and Sith Lords roaming the streets, disintegrating everything in their path with plasma guns and lightsabers. However, when choosing a costume or making a costume one should remember these tips.

• Make sure any toy weapons or costume accessories (wands, swords, whips, etc.) are short, soft, and flexible.
• Make sure the costume fits the one who is wearing it. The wand may choose the wizard, but if the robes are too large, children can trip and hurt themselves.
• Be VERY careful about costume contacts. Many people like to put in cat eyes or make their eyes look different colors from decorative contacts, but be very careful. Do not buy contacts from street vendors, do not wear them longer than 4 hours, and if they begin to sting or burn remove them.
• Instead of masks try to use face paint as much as possible. Masks can become dislodged and impair someone’s vision, causing them to stumble or fall. Before applying the make up test it on a smaller area to check for any allergic reactions.

 

Trick or Treat! (For Walkers)

It’s so much fun to see the mini parade of children around the neighborhood ringing doorbells and singing “Trick or Treat!” However, children are twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween as they are any other time of the year. While menacing, it can be prevented by following these guidelines below.

• Make sure your children have flashlights with them or are wearing reflective tape or glowsticks.
• Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
• Look left, right, and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.
• Put electronic devices down (phones, cameras, etc.), keep heads up, and walk, don’t run, across the street.
• Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
• Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Children should walk on direct routes with the fewest street crossings.
• Watch for cars that are turning or backing up. Teach children to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
• Never enter homes unless with a trusted adult.
• If children are under 12, they must be supervised by a responsible adult.

Trick or Treat! (For Drivers)

It’s Halloween and without children for you to worry about, you’re more concerned with getting your immaculate Maleficent costume intact to your friend’s Halloween bash. But as you’re pulling out of your driveway and onto the road you see the onslaught of children heading your way. Below are some practices to follow when driving on all hallows eve!

• Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians, and on curbs.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
• Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
• Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.
• Please do not drink and drive.

Candytime!

You’re back with all of your children, the door is locked, and a half-filled bowl of candy on the stoop for those pesky teenagers that insist on going out after 10 pm. “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” is playing on the television and your children have begun to sort their candy into piles, “tradeable”, “chocolate”, and “gross”. While the prevalence of tampered candy has decreased there is always a danger from accepting candy from strangers.

• Examine all treats before allowing them to be consumed. If the wrapper has been opened, throw it out.
• Try to avoid eating homemade treats and stick with factory made treats that have not been tampered with.
• Read all ingredients before eating to double check for peanut or other food allergies.
• Limit the amount of candy you consume to combat stomach aches!

Halloween is a wonderful holiday steeped in Pagan and Christian ritual, and is an American tradition. However, with all big celebrations comes a heightened possibility for danger. Be wary of strangers, drunk driving, and anything suspicious. Call the authorities if you feel unsafe, even if it just turns out to be a talking cat named Binx. While partying with all the Elsas and Annas, Jedis, Batmans, Witches, and Wizards remember to be safe. Last, never light the Black Flame Candle, lest you want to meet up with a trio of witches so evil, they’ll put a spell on you.