Halloween is one of the best holidays of the year to me for a variety of reasons, but mainly I think because it marks the last big hurrah before the stress of the holiday season. Halloween doesn't require us to brave the chaos of the local mall, or remember to buy special cards, or cook any extravagent meals...all those things are great fun, but it's definitely nice to be able to put on a costume and enjoy some good old fashioned scary fun with family and friends! Of course, there are still a few things that you'll need to keep in mind to ensure the happiness and safety of your home, kids, and pets - read on for a few great tips!
The House
Be mindful of those decorations! Jack o'lanterns, spooky cauldrons, candles...decorating for Halloween is one of the best parts of the holiday. But beware! A lot of the best decorations are very flammable, so make sure you put distance between those creepy spiderwebs and eerie pumpkins.
You'll also want to consider what your Halloween plans are going to be when deciding where to place your spooky decor. Are you giving out candy to the local trick-or-treaters? Make sure the path to your porch is well lit and free of any trip hazards! Planning on having a more adult party? Keep those candles and fragile items up high and out of the way of traffic to avoid any accidents!
And of course, when leaving home for ANY period of time, even if it's just a 5 minute store run, make sure those candles are snuffed and lights are turned out. It only takes a minute for disaster to happen, so it's always better to be safe than sorry!
The Kids (and young at heart)
Choose those costumes wisely! Kids can be a little difficult when it comes to being rational about dress up time. It's near impossible for Johnny to understand why he can't completely wrap himself head to toe in bandages to be the coolest (blindest) mummy EVER; or for Janie to agree that her princess dress doesn't REALLY need a 3 foot long trail dangling behind. It's never fun to have to be the bad guy, but there are always ways to compromise so the kids love their costumes and the parents feel safe. Paint Johnnys face with super scary mummy paint so he's proud to keep those bandages away! Get Janie a long flowy wig so she can twirl and flip her locks around in true princess style. And ALWAYS make sure that every part of your childs costume is flame resistent!
Plan that trick-or-treating route in advance to avoid crowds, conflict, and exhaustion! If the kids are a little older and are allowed to go solo, make sure that everyone is on the same page about the direction they'll be walking and when they'll be expected home. Be positive the children know that if the lights are off on a house, they should not walk up to the door! Each area has that one special neighborhood that everyone tries to go to - if you're taking the kids to one of these hot spots, pay extra attention when they walk to the front doors - it can be hard to pick YOUR Elsa out of the 25 others that will be milling about! And it's always a great idea to plan on a rendezvous point just in case someone gets turned around.
With the crisp fall weather, laughing children, good natured scares, and tons of candy, Halloween is an excellent time for the entire family! Get out there and enjoy it - and be safe!
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