Preparing For Halloween

Halloween is a pretty unique holiday in the United States. Many people in other countries seem to find the whole idea of going door to door while dressed up to ask for candy pretty fascinating. If you stop to think about it for a few minutes, it really is a bit wacky. Dressing up is one thing, but collecting candy from random houses is certainly an odd thing to do. Halloween really is a lot of fun though.

Regardless, it’s something that has been done in the United States for generations, and I don’t expect that will change drastically any time soon (in spite of the virus concerns last year). There are always ebbs and flows in neighborhoods with how may kids trick-or-treat as kids grow older or new ones move into the neighborhood. We currently live in an area that doesn't get a lot of trick or treaters, but I expect that to change over the next few years.

If you haven’t already figured out Halloween costumes for your kids, then you’re actually a bit late to the party. Fortunately, you still have a few weeks left to do it. If you’re planning to make your own costume, then you need to figure out quickly what your child is going to be, figure out the materials, and get everything made for them. 

If you’re going with a pre-made costume, then your job is a bit easier as you simply have to find and buy the costume. There are people on both sides of the argument here - some who think you have to make your own, and others who just buy pre-made. I’m of the opinion that you do what works for you. Some parents have more time and energy than others, and if you want to make your own, then great. There’s no reason you have to make your own though.

Beyond costumes, you need to figure out what your child is putting their candy in. There is the boring grocery store bag that you can use, and what I often used when I was younger. The great thing about a grocery store bag is that the candy isn’t easily falling out of there. If you have a kid who is trying to move quickly from door to door, it can actually be an advantage. Most people prefer a bucket or Halloween bag. These are just a bit more festive, and kids are generally more excited about carrying them around to the different homes.

Finally, make sure you’ve got some treats to hand out to kids at your home. There are a lot of choices for what snacks to hand out, and you generally can’t go wrong. You also don’t have to hand out actual snacks. People hand out toys or even toothbrushes sometimes (thank you dentists). Whatever you choose, you don’t have to spend a fortune on it. Of course, every kid wants full size or king size candy bars, but there’s absolutely no reason you need to spend that much money on candy - kids are going to get enough candy from multiple houses as is.

Get moving on your Halloween preparation now if you haven’t. You’ve got a few weeks until the fun day, and you don’t want to scramble last minute.