It's time for my annual Halloween safety reminders:

• If you live in a cold weather area, make sure the costume allows for layers.  Halloween is far less fun when you spend the next week sick.
• Make sure costumes aren't too long.  If they are, you don't have to sew.  It's a Halloween costume, not a wedding gown.  Turn up the hem and use duct tape or double-sided tape to hold it in place.  It'll last one night and that's all that counts.
• Consider face paint rather than a mask.  Face paint allows for better peripheral vision. 
• All costumes are beautifully accessorized with reflective tape.  (Get it at a home improvement store.)  Put it on the back and front and down both legs.
• Everyone in the trick-or-treat group should carry a flashlight.  The adult chaperones should carry extra batteries.  If I planned the world, there would be more sidewalks and streetlights.  Since I don't, we need to carry our own light to watch out for uneven pavement, branches, and other hazards.
• Stick to neighborhoods you know and try to be off the streets before 8:30. 
• If you are handing out treats, do look outside before you open your door.  If you are uncomfortable with what you see, don't open it.  Once the older kids start showing up, consider turning your light out, signalling that candy is no longer available.  I generally turn my light out by 8:30 at the latest. 
• If you have a house, take a minute this weekend to clear the path to your door and trim shrubbery so that kids can access the house easily and so that you can see who is on your doorstep.

Let's have fun AND stay safe!