Every year we kick off the holiday season with a bang, otherwise known as Halloween. This is a great time of year to get in a festive spirit and it all starts with a dress-up party that even adults are allowed to partake in! With that being said, we wanted to encourage you to enjoy the upcoming holiday with some insight on the balance between fun and safety.
Unfortunately, we live in a day where it appears as though our kids are less safe walking the streets than we were growing up. Some might argue that it’s the same dynamic it has always been, but with the advent of the internet and its popularity, we are simply seeing more of the same stuff that’s always been happening. We are not here to take a side, but we do want to express our love for our neighbors (that’s you!) by sharing some insight on making it a safe Halloween without having to sacrifice the fun of it. It’s all about the balance!
You’ve likely heard the horror stories that circulate every year around this time. While these are true, they are not necessarily common. However, it’s not a bad idea to be prepared. These days, unless you live in a neighborhood that you know and trust, it’s not as comfortable to let your little loved ones roam around gathering goods from just anybody. This isn’t to say that people aren’t trustworthy, but that perhaps the old adage “better safe than sorry” applies in a heavier sense for this season.
There’s more to safety than just driving slow and wrapping up the festivities before midnight. In case you didn’t know you had options, we wanted to point out a few approaches to celebrating this year’s Halloween that are comfortable, safe, and just as fun as a ding-dong-ditch!
Trunk or Treat
Even if you’re not a churchgoer, it’s a pretty safe bet that you’ll find a church hosting what is called a “Trunk or Treat” in the facility parking lot. This is a great way to not only assure that what your child receives is safe, but also a potential one-stop-shop since you’ll likely leave with bags full! Public facilities have a legal obligation to assure the safety of donated items, since they are at high risk of lawsuit should anything go awry. That’s merely an extra step of safety on top of the fact that churches, in general, practice safety out of concern for the community regardless.
School Programs
Much like the church parking lot, schools are really particular about the safety of events. Many schools will hold events that are open to the public. In other words, you don’t have to attend the school to attend the event! Be sure to check with your own school for fall festivals and Halloween parties.
Shopping Centers
Another great way of hitting up that one-stop-shop are malls, shopping centers, and other similar large places of public business. Sometimes that could mean an uptown event, where the community has put together a program that any local business can participate in to generate awareness. These are often starting early in the day, so for those of you with the littles, it’s a great option to get home before bed time! Take a quick jot downtown/uptown and you will surely find advertisement for an upcoming Halloween event.
Between these three scenarios, you may not even need to roam the streets at all. As with any large public gathering, your kids will surely be ready to hit the sack after all the walking and high energy.
We hope this helps! Have a safe and happy Halloween!