• Safety Tips:
• Community Safety:Halloween Safety
• Kid's Safety:Halloween Safety
• Statistics:Here are Some Scary Numbers!

Community Safety:

As we prepare for the transition to cooler weather and fewer hours of daylight that come with every October, our children will be busy preparing for one of the most exciting events of the kid-year: Halloween.

And, as has been the tradition for years, we will buy treats to hand out to the miniature ghosts and goblins who will be visiting our homes. But with increasing concerns over the possibility of tampering, much of the candy that is handed out to children will be thrown out as soon as it is brought home.

When you consider how much waste is associated with Halloween, it makes sense that more and more people are turning to candy-free alternatives for their Halloween treats. And, with the increased emphasis on introducing healthy eating habits at a young age, many parents appreciate the fact that their children will not be bringing home a bag full of candy on Halloween night.

Here are some candy-free treat ideas for your neighborhood’s trick-or-treaters:

• Nickels or Dimes. Think about it: the large (100 piece) bags of candy that you can buy in the big-box retailers such as Costco or Sam’s Club cost an average of $8.00 each. By handing out nickels, it will cost you $5 per 100 trick-or-treaters or $10 if you choose to hand out dimes.
• Stickers and Temporary Tattoos. There are a number of companies such as Oriental Trading and Current that sell holiday-themed stickers and temporary tattoos relatively inexpensively. For example, at Oriental Trading, you can get 6 dozen (72 pieces) "monster" temporary tattoos for $3.95.
• Small Toys. Here’s where the novelty companies can really help. At Oriental Trading, you can pick from small pumpkin-shaped magnets ($4.95 for 6 dozen), Halloween-themed spin tops ($3.49 for 144), or 50-piece assortment of stickers, pencils, toy jewelry and other items for $6.95.
• If you think the older kids who some to your door won’t appreciate stickers and tattoos, you might consider stationary items such as Halloween-themed pencil-top erasers ($3.95 for 144), jack-o-lantern paper clips ($3.95 for 48) and candy corn bookmarks ($3.95 for 48).

Kids Safety:

For many kids, Halloween night is one of the most anticipated events of the year. The opportunity to dress up and travel through the neighborhood with friends to collect a bag full of candy is something few kids can resist.

As parents, we need to take extra precautions to ensure our children remain safe while on their Halloween rounds. Whether we accompany our children door to door or send them out with friends, we should all take a few moments to prepare them for the evening’s fun. Here are a few safety guidelines:

First, while dark and spooky is the theme for the night, it is important that your child can be seen by oncoming drivers. One way to increase visibility is to have your child carry a flashlight. There are many cute, inexpensive Halloween themed flashlights that you can purchase for them to carry. Another step you should take is to purchase a roll of reflective tape to place on the back of your child’s costume.

As you prepare your children for their evening of fun, be sure to inspect their costumes to ensure they can move freely and are not in danger of tripping or becoming entangled.

Before setting out for the evening, be sure to review the rules for safe trick-or-treating including: cross only at intersections, never enter the home of someone you don’t know, and remain with your group.

If you child is a little older and would prefer to make their rounds without parental supervision, be sure to set certain ground rules. First, you and your child should agree on the route they will take and your child should give their word that they will not deviate from this route.

Next, stress the importance of remaining with the group. If you think that it is likely that your child will become separated from the group they are traveling with, give them your cell phone so that they can call home if they find themselves alone.

Finally, your kids are bound to work up an appetite as they make their rounds. Make sure they resist the urge to dip into their candy bag by giving them some candy or other treats from home to carry in their pockets. And, make sure they remember that under no circumstances should any of the candy they receive be eaten until you have had the chance to inspect it.

Statistics:

Believe it or not, the U.S. Census Bureau issues an annual Halloween fact sheet. Here are some of the statistics it contains:

• The first recorded Halloween celebration took place in Anoka, Minnesota in 1921.
• On Halloween 2003, there were an estimated 36.8 million potential (children age 5 - 13) trick-or-treaters in the United States.
• Fortunately, there were 106 million potential "stops" (defined as year-round residences) for the 36.8 million trick-or-treaters. 
• 805.3 million pounds of pumpkins were produced in 2003. Illinois is the biggest pumpkin producing state, with 326 million pounds. With an annual yield of over 70 million pounds, California, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York are also big pumpkin producers.
• In 2003, the per capita consumption of candy by Americans was 23 pounds. The good news is that this number is down over 4 pounds from 1997’s levels.
• Trick-or-treaters in search of the perfect costume can choose from among 2,715 costume rental establishments.

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