Halloween is that magical time when wizards, princesses, ghosts and goblins all band together on a quest for candy. Make sure they wear comfortable shoes.
Dressing up in a costume and getting together with friends to collect free candy from the neighbors? What’s not to love?
The tradition has been around in some form since the Middle Ages, but they had nothing on the efficient machine that is modern trick-or-treating. Thankfully more treat than trick these days, costumes range from the scary to the adorable, the candy is commercially packaged for safety and easy organization at the end of the night and kids dance like skeletons on the tightrope that is the line between over-stimulation and meltdown. A good time by all accounts.
For kids, parent and even homeowners, the Halloween tradition can’t be beat. Still, there are ways to make the most of the night that aren’t always on the radar. Costumes chosen for mobility, planning a route in advance and keeping the house well lit are just a few of the simple tips that will facilitate the free exchange of candy and the occasional toothbrush. Seriously, who does that?
For the Kids
1. Plan for a long walk. You have a lot of ground to cover, so wear comfortable shoes, skip the sweaty mask and don’t carry anything you’ll regret having to drag around.
2. Stick with your group. There’s safety in numbers and you’ll be able to hit more houses if you stay together.
3. Get a good treat bag. Oversized bags may reflect your confidence, but you’ve got to lug that thing around all night.
4. Glow sticks for everybody! They’re fun to carry and make it easy to see you and spot others in your group.
5. If you’re not sure, skip the house. Lights should be on and it should look like someone is on hand to deliver the goods.
6. Stay out of the street. Yes, we know you know, but it’s worth repeating.
For the Parents
7. Check the Schedule. Odds are your municipality has set some hours where door-to-door begging by minors is approved. Don’t go out too early or stay out too late.
8. Plan a route and stick to it. This can be a fun pre-trick-or-treat activity to do with your young ghosties and goblins. If the streets in your own neighborhood have a lot of traffic or you don’t have sidewalks, you may even consider doing your trick-or-treating in a subdivision more amenable to foot traffic.
9. Team up with another parent or two. A group of five or six kids is a manageable size when hitting the streets and having several chaperones on hand allows you to work a zone rather than going man-to-man.
10. Carry a Flashlight. You’ll use it even more than you suspect.
11. Bring water. It’s a lot of walking. Make sure everyone stays hydrated.
12. Set a time limit and give the kids a heads up when the end is near. No fights. No meltdowns. Maybe.
13. What to do with all that candy? Consider supporting the troops with a candy donation through an organization like Operation Gratitude, which assembles and ships care packages to those who serve.
For the Homeowner
14. Turn on some lights. Better still, turn on all the lights. Porch lights, entry lights, living room lights. It should be clear that you are home and open for business.
15. Turn off some lights. When you’re done giving out candy, turn off that porch light. It’s a long walk up the driveway only to be disappointed.
16. If you’re not going to be home, don’t bother leaving candy out. Some unruly teenagers are going to make off with it early and that empty bowl just bums everybody out.
17. Put the car in the garage. It’s in the way.
18. Clear off the porch. Even that Jack-O-Lantern. It’s just too tempting to “accidentally” kick it.
19. Bring in pets. If you think throngs of pint-sized zombies and vampires seem scary to you, imagine how your dog feels.
20. Get good candy. Please. Prepackaged and individually wrapped. Anything marketed as “fun-size” will be fine (code for small, but big enough). Candy bars always win.
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