Going all out with your Halloween decorations can add to the festive spirit of trick-or-treating. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World
Halloween do's and don'ts
Published: 10/30/2012 7:00 AM
Last Modified: 10/29/2012 3:45 PM
Halloween is a great time to be a kid. I remember looking forward to the candy and costumes every year when I was a child.
As a parent, the night takes on a whole new meaning. I want my children to have a safe, happy holiday, and I want them to be tired enough to fall asleep after trick-or-treating.
Here are some of the best and worst things I've found about Halloween night.
Things I love:
Great costumes. If you took some time and used a little creativity when deciding on your costume, then I want you to know I appreciate it. The classics are always good: witches, zombies, pirates and superheroes. And I especially like the unexpected ones -- movie or television characters, homemade robots or great makeup.
Exercise. This may be the one time the kids don't complain about walking around the neighborhood and lifting weights (otherwise known as the candy bucket). Of course they may be fueled with a little too much sugar ...
Meeting neighbors. It's not as good as selling Girl Scout cookies, but it can be fun to see the kids in the neighborhood growing up or to learn who moved into that house around the corner.
Creepy house decorations. Tombstones in the yard? Check. Scary music on the stereo? Check. Cobwebs on the porch? Check. Doing Halloween right is an art.
Free candy. People may argue about full-size vs. fun-size, but if it is made out of chocolate, my family isn't picky.
Things I can't stand:
Big kids pushing in front of little kids to get to the front door. Hey teenager -- just back off and wait a minute. This isn't a race, and it would be nice to show that you care about someone other than yourself -- even if we can't see your face.
Bad candy. My kids will eat all the Tootsie Rolls you throw in their bag -- even the flavored ones, and I have a weakness for candy corn. But those orange- and black-wrapped peanut butter things, Mary Janes, gumdrops and Super Bubble gum (were you ever fresh?) usually end up in the trash after sitting around the house for weeks.
The light is on, but nobody's home. How hard is it to turn out your porch light if you don't want kids on your doorstep or if you run out of candy?
Inappropriate costumes. Those "sexy" cop, nurse or schoolgirl costumes might be OK for an adult Halloween party, but they really have no place in trick-or-treating.
No costumes. If you are too lazy to dress up, you don't deserve any candy.
Written by
Colleen Almeida Smith
Staff Writer
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