It’s the spookiest time of the year! One of the most popular holidays in the U.S., Halloween lets us dress up and eat tons of candy. Who can beat that?
The biggest tradition of Halloween, aside from carving pumpkins, is going trick-or-treating. This is a fun experience with massive rewards that are oh, so tasty. But, like with any evening activity, it’s important to take precautions, too.
Following a few Halloween safety tips will not only ensure you enjoy the holiday to its fullest but keep the night going smoothly until you fill your candy basket.
1. Pick a safe costume
Walking through the halls to go trick-or-treating may mean passing by carved jack-o’-lanterns with actual candles in them. Since the hallways can get crowded and tight, you want to make sure you have a costume that is flame-resistant.
Try to avoid any open flames for sure, as well, and always watch where you’re walking.
Other ways to keep yourself safe in your costume include:
- Not letting any part drag on the ground (tripping hazard!)
- Avoiding weapons as props so no mistaken identity
- Testing out masks before Halloween to make sure you can see clearly out of them
Even the most popular costumes could have elements that aren’t that safe for your child. Make sure you try everything on well in advance in case adjustments have to get made.
2. Get a group together
There’s always safety in numbers, even when trick-or-treating in an apartment community. If you can, try to form a small group of friends or even your immediate neighbors, so that nobody has to venture out on Halloween alone.
It’s also a good idea for at least one adult to stay nearby when kids are out, no matter the age of your trick-or-treaters. For younger kids, it’s a must, but you also want to make sure older kids are staying out of trouble.
3. Look for decorated doors
Even though not all apartment communities have entryway lights at each door, most residents participating in Halloween will show they’re giving out candy in some way. You’ll see either a sign, decorations or even a portable Halloween light.
If a door is completely dark and bare, leave it alone and move on. You don’t want to risk disturbing a neighbor or putting yourself in a position where you feel uncomfortable.
4. Stay out of other apartments
If someone is hosting a “Halloween experience” where you walk through their apartment, and you don’t know them, stay on the outside of the door. This is a very important Halloween safety tip. You should never go into a stranger’s home, especially on Halloween, when it’s much easier to create a reason to enter. If you know the apartment residents, and your whole group, including adults, is OK with going in, that’s different.
5. Have a trick-or-treat plan
Apartment complexes are big and involve climbing a lot of stairs. To stay efficient and hit as many homes as possible, consider creating a trick-or-treating route to use your time wisely. If there’s an apartment you know always has excellent candy, start in that area first to ensure they don’t run out.
At the same time, if there are certain apartments or areas of your community you want to avoid, include that in your route design, too.
You also want to stay away from any areas that aren’t well-lit.
6. Add a little glow to your costume
Even if you’re not crossing any major streets while trick-or-treating in an apartment community, you may end up walking through the parking lot. To remain visible, even when it’s dark, to cars coming and going, add a little neon to your costume. You can find glow-in-the-dark necklaces, bracelets, gloves, scrunchies and more that will make it easier to see when you do have to go outside to get to the next building in your community.
No glow stick, no problem. Grab a small flashlight instead and keep it handy.
7. Stick to the curb
While we’re talking about dark parking lots, make sure your entire group knows how to safely cross them. Stay within the lit area if there is one, or walk along the curb if you can. Don’t cross the lot by walking through empty spaces, since you never know when someone is going to pull into it, and they aren’t looking for pedestrians.
As with crossing actual streets, always look both ways before walking across a parking lot and focus on the road. Don’t check your cell phone while walking (because you can also trip) and don’t dig into your candy bucket, either.
8. Set up a candy drop
Carrying around a heavy candy bag really weighs you down. It can make it harder to keep going, and a full basket can cause you to drop candy that you could accidentally trip on in the dark. Since trick-or-treating in an apartment community makes it much easier to get a large amount of candy quickly, consider a mid-way stop on your route back to your own home to drop your spoils.
9. Pick a meeting spot
Even though apartment communities aren’t always super big, there’s a chance you’ll get separated from your group. Although many Halloween safety tips will mention carrying a phone with you, it’s never a bad idea to set a specific spot within your community to meet up should anyone get lost. You can choose in front of your own apartment, or if you’re with a big group from the neighborhood, one of the common areas works great.
Make a rule that if anyone gets separated, the whole group will go to the meeting spot right away, and wait until everyone is back together again.
10. Handle candy with care
When the night is over, and you’re sitting in front of a mountain of candy you got thanks to hitting so many homes close together in your apartment community — handle it with care. First, remove anything homemade. It’s better to only eat pre-packaged items no matter how tempting a baked good looks.
If you have any food allergies, make sure you know what candy not to eat, and put it all aside. You can donate that candy to a variety of different organizations. If you have a severe allergy, like one to peanuts, make sure you look at the labels of any candy you’re unfamiliar with. During Halloween, there are a lot of candy mix packs that have uncommon brands. There is possible cross-contamination, so you’ll want to take extra care.
Staying safe on Halloween
Being safe on Halloween is very important, and if you ever feel like trick-or-treating isn’t the best option, consider throwing your own Halloween party for adults and kids alike. Otherwise, stay alert out there, practice good Halloween safety tips and enjoy those delicious candy spoils.
Source: rent.com