Safety should be at the top of everyone’s priority list this Halloween.  I’ve talked about it in some of my earlier blogs, but wanted to reiterate how important safety is when out trick-or-treating; whether you’re a child or an adult.  But as adults, we have the responsibility to make sure our children are safe.

How many times have you seen on the news, stories about children being hit by a car on Halloween night?  That breaks my heart when I hear something like that.  For a child Halloween is such an exciting and fun night that sometimes they are so excited to get to the next house that they shoot across the street without thought of even looking both ways.  I’ve seen it many times in my neighborhood (thankfully no cars were coming); especially when kids are following each other and one falls behind.  They dart across the street just trying to catch up with their friends. 

There are many things we as parents can do to protect our children on Halloween night and keep them safe:

• If you’re driving, you have to be aware of the children.  Drive SLOW!  Watch for children to run out between cars or in the middle of the street.  When backing down your driveway be careful and look twice to make sure it is clear.
• Have your child wear clothing with reflective markings or tape.  There are also glow sticks (and similar items) that you can buy to have your child wear around their neck or pin to their costume.  Accompany your child around the neighborhood.  If you can’t, make sure another adult is with them.  As a parent you know if your child is “old” enough to go around the neighborhood with their friends without you, however it helps to have them wear a watch so they know when the trick-or-treat hours are over and when to head home.  Always know exactly where they will be and what route they’re taking.
• When picking out a costume, look for one made of flame-retardant material.
• Check your child’s costume and make sure it’s not dragging the ground where they could trip and hurt themselves.  Face paint is always a good substitution for a mask, however if they do wear a mask make sure they have nose and mouth openings and large enough eye holes so they can see clearly.
• Make sure they know to only go to houses that are well lit and ones that they know someone is home.  They should never enter a stranger’s home.
• Have them bring their candy home first before eating anything.  Go through it with them and throw out anything you’re not sure about.  Have them eat dinner before they go out trick-or-treating – that way they’re not as hungry and won’t be eating all their candy before they get home.  On Halloween night we always order pizza.  It’s such a hectic night with trying to get everyone situated that it just seems easier than fixing dinner – plus they kids love it.  But remember to order early because I think a lot of people do pizza night on Halloween.

I hope these safety tips help and remind you to be extra careful this year. You can find some more here on our website at HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS.   As parents, we all want our children to be safe.  Just use common sense on Halloween night.  I think it’s really important that you go out with them, especially for younger children, so that you can be their eyes and ears.  They’re so excited to be running around to all the houses getting candy that safety is not their top priority – so it has to be yours!  

We all know that Halloween is exactly one week from today, but do you know what age old tradition is “celebrated” the night before Halloween? You guessed it – Cabbage Night!  However, many of the adults that look forward to the festivities of Halloween night do not look forward to having to keep watch on Cabbage Night.  That is one night that mostly teenagers look forward to. 

In parts of the U.S. it is known as Cabbage Night, Goosey Night or Doorbell Night and is always on the evening of October 30th.  Tricks like toilet papering yards and houses, powder-bombing and egging cars, and smashing pumpkins are just a few of the tricks played by teenagers on that night.  In Northern England it is also known as Miggy Night, Goosey Night, Tick-Tack Night, Corn Night or Trick Night.  In Liverpool UK, it is known as Mizzie Night. In Ireland, it is called Mischief night and is becoming so popular that teenagers get the week around Halloween off school.  

While reading my Good Housekeeping magazine there was an article from “Ask Heloise” on how to survive the many Halloween pranks we see occur on Cabbage Night.  She suggests that if your property gets trashed try cleaning up in this order:  First, tackle your vehicles; second, your house – front door, steps, windows; third, clear trees, shrubs and lawn. 

You got egged:  If you have egg splattered on your car or house act quickly.  Both yolk and white can corrode painted surfaces.  If your car is egged, hose off the gunk.  Be careful with the shells, rubbing them can cause scratches.  Continue to spray and they’ll loosen and wash away.  If your house is egged, pressure-wash with a hose.  To remove dried egg from siding, mix a teaspoon of enzyme-based detergent in a cup of warm water and apply with a soft brush until it dissolves, then rinse it off.

Toilet-Papered:  Clean this up before it rains.  Wrap duct tape (sticky side out) around the end of a yardstick to pick up small pieces.  Knock wet toilet paper balls out of trees with a broom and sweep up the rest.

Soaped-up Car Windows:  Use lots of water and a soft scrub brush or nonabrasive pad to protect the glass.

There are ways to make your home less of a target for teens on Cabbage Night:

1. Keep exterior lights on all night
2. Bring in any pumpkins that you have on the porch
3. Put cars in the garage or cover them with a tarp
4. Put trash cans, bikes, and lawn equipment inside
5. Keep your pets indoors

To some teens Cabbage Night is like a right of passage and for the most part they’re just out goofing off, having fun and they don’t mean any real harm.  But to the children whose pumpkins they smash or the adults who have to pay to have their car cleaned it doesn’t seem that way.  So play it safe this year on Cabbage Night and be sure to bring in anything from outside that you or your children don’t want damaged.  It’s just one night a year.  We can get through it and then on to the real fun of trick-or-treating on Halloween night!

What is Halloween without all that wonderful, sugar-filled candy?  Ask just about any child what their favorite part of Halloween is and I’m sure you’ll get a hands down vote – it’s the candy!  I know it’s one of my favorites and I’m sure there are a lot of parents that dip into the trick-or-treat bags when their kids aren’t looking. 
In a national survey done by The National Confectioners Association, it shows how adults and kids alike will enjoy their treats this year.

1. Plastic pumpkins with handles remain the trick-or-treating container of choice, followed by plastic bags and pillow cases. You can check out our pumpkin trick or treat bags here: Halloween Trick or Treat Bags
2. Personal favorites will dominate candy purchases with 35% of adults planning to hand out their candy favorites; 21% planning to buy what is on sale and 16% buying their children’s favorites.

3. Almost half of those planning to hand out candy said they decide how many pieces each trick-or-treater will receive, followed by 40% who said would leave it up to trick-or-treaters to make their own selections.

After reading that, I realized that I’m usually a mix between buying what’s on sale and buying my favorite to give out on Halloween night.  I never buy my children’s favorite candy to give out because I know that it would be all gone before Halloween even got here!  If it’s candy that they think is gross, then I don’t have to worry about hiding it so that it doesn’t disappear before Halloween. 

My all time favorite Halloween candy is definitely Candy Corn.  It’s been around for more than 100 years.  The only time I crave it is around Halloween.  It’s weird because at Easter I crave Malted Milk Eggs, Christmas is Peppermint Bark Candy and Halloween is Candy Corn.  I guess you could say it’s a tradition thing with me and candy.  Anyway, did you know that October 30th is National Candy Corn Day?  Isn’t that great!   And get this – more than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces! 

Remember, whether you’re buying candy that you like or that you’re children like, it’s better to start buying now.  That way you can get a little at a time and before you know it, you’ll be all ready for those trick-or-treaters.