Safety Tips for a Happy Halloween!

Oct 27

Halloween is this Friday! I personally have always had a love/hate relationship with the Halloween season. I hate scary movies and ghost stories freak me out. I also fail to understand why anyone enjoys having strangers jump out at you in haunted houses. I do, however, love dressing up! Growing up, I loved trick-or-treating almost as much as I loved putting up the Christmas tree.

Now that it’s socially frowned upon for me to go trick-or-treating, I get excited about being the candy giver and seeing the kids in my neighborhood all dressed up (Plus, the candy sales right after Halloween are great!)

20110228_124_edited That’s what makes Halloween such a great holiday; people of all ages can participate and enjoy it!

The school aged children, young adults, and older adults who live in our intergenerational houses will be celebrating Halloween together on Thursday with a costume contest and treats.

It is important to stay safe while you enjoy this great holiday. Here are some safety tips for everyone this Halloween.

For those of you trick-or-treating (or if you’re a trick-or-treating companion to a youngster):

Safety in numbers: Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Not only is it safer, it’s more fun that way!
Look before you eat: Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers; eat only factory-wrapped treats.
Light up the night: Use a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.
Look both ways: Be careful crossing the street when going from one house to another, use crosswalks wherever possible. Stay on the sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
Be cautious with strangers: Enter homes only if you're with a trusted adult. Only visit well-lit houses. Never accept rides from strangers.

Here are some extra tips for the generous Candy Givers out there:

Do not let an unknown trick-or-treater into your home to use the bathroom or make a phone call.
Leave your lights on during trick-or-treating hours (a dark home usually signals "no candy")
Stay warm and stay inside while handing out treats
If you can’t give out candy yourself, give your neighbor a bag of candy to pass out on your behalf and leave a note at your door that says, "Candy for this house is being passed out next door."

Whether or not you’re trick-or-treating, it is always fun to dress up! To avoid accidents and wardrobe malfunctions, here are some costume safety tips for everyone:

For would be dangerous costume accessories like swords and knives, look for options that are short, soft, and flexible
Apply reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you, especially if your costume is dark/ all black
Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before you go to sleep to prevent possible skin and eye irritation.
Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.

Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

In case you’re still unsure what you want to be this Halloween, Let Willow, an adorab le two year old with the best (and cutest) costumes, help inspire you! Here is our personal favorite!

Cute Halloween Costumes