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How Old is Too Old for Trick-or-Treating?

Trick-or-treating is a big part of Halloween. It is pretty obvious that this tradition was designed for children to participate in (often accompanied by their parents). Is there an “age limit” for trick-or-treating? At what age does a child become too old to go trick-or-treating? Ultimately, a parent needs to make that decision for themselves. Here are some things to consider when wondering if your child is too old to trick-or-treat this year. Check the local rules. Many cities or towns will issue specific rules regarding trick-or-treating. These rules usually consist of things like the hour that trick-or-treating can begin … Continue reading →

MyHeritage is Having a Halloween Family Photo Contest

Families that love to dress up for Halloween will want to enter this competition. MyHeritage is holding their second annual Halloween Family Photo competition. Take a photo of your family, all dressed up in costume. You could win a one year MyHeritage annual data subscription. Does your family dress up for Halloween? In some families, only the children and teens dress up. Other families will have adults joining in on the fun and dressing in costume as well. It’s always adorable to see a young child in a costume accompanied by a parent who is also dressed in a costume … Continue reading →

Last-Minute Halloween Reminders

Halloween is still a few days away, but trick-or-treating has already started in my neck of the woods. In Wisconsin, individual municipalities are given the power to determine their own trick-or-treat times. In recent years, many communities have designated the weekend prior to October 31st as the official period where kids can “legally” go door-to-door collecting free candy. Safety is the main motivator behind the move. Law makers believe it’s safer for children to trick-or-treat on a weekend when the traffic is lighter. In addition, having kids hit the streets in costume on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon increases the … Continue reading →

High-Tech Tool to Keep Trick-or-Treaters Safe

Long before Colorado authorities discovered the mutilated remains of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway in an open field, and New Jersey investigators found 12-year-old Autumn Pasquale’s body dumped in a recycling container, I never considered allowing my 8-year-old daughter to trick-or-treat alone… or even with a group of friends. In Jessica’s case, she was snatched earlier this month while making the 1,000-foot walk to her school. Late Tuesday, 17-year-old Austin Reed Sigg was arrested and charged with her horrific death. Meanwhile, in New Jersey, police recently arrested 15-year-old Justin Robinson and his 17-year-old brother for allegedly murdering Autumn in order to obtain … Continue reading →

Halloween for the In-Betweens

My 8-year-old is crazy excited for Halloween. She’s got her costume picked out, her plastic pumpkin’s ready to be filled, heck, she’s even created a list of “Most Wanted Candy,” with estimations on how long her stash of free sweets will last if she devours four/five/six pieces per day. Like mother, like daughter. Meanwhile, my neighbor’s two children are at that “in-between” stage in regards to All Hallows’ Eve. They love the idea of getting mountains of candy, but are not as enthused about going door-to-door to gather it. They’d much prefer having it delivered to them a la the … Continue reading →

Halloween Thrills for Older Kids

I’ve always been a bit wary of teenage trick-or-treaters. Then again, Halloween is a time when older kids should have fun too. So what do you do if your older children want to have a ball on All Hallows’ Eve, but you want to keep an eye on them while they do so? The answer: Host a Halloween party with age appropriate activities, such as: Costume Contest: This easy event is great fun for kids of all ages. Let your teenage guests select winners in a variety of categories, from scariest costume to cutest and most creative. Then, hand prizes … Continue reading →

Avoiding the Sugar Crash

I’m over Halloween candy. If I had my way I would pitch every last fun-size Snickers bar and gummy worm in the trash. Of course, doing so would likely send my kid into cardiac arrest, but the health issues associated with eating the six pounds of loot she gathered during her four-hour trick-or-treat marathon can’t be much better, so I am seriously considering trashing her treat-filled pillow case. Regardless of gender, race or creed, most parents agree that too much Halloween candy is never a good thing. Okay, perhaps this issue does not cross gender lines, as I know way … Continue reading →

Pre-Halloween Safety Reminders

Can your child see clearly through his ninja mask? Is the hem on your daughter’s princess costume short enough for her to run from house to house without tripping? These are just some of the questions parents should be asking themselves in the days before Halloween. After all, the last place you want to go trick-or-treating on October 31st is the hospital emergency room. Safety should be the number one priority for parents as their kids make a mad dash for free chocolate and other sugary treats. If you are looking to protect your little ghosts and goblins from potential … Continue reading →

Making Creepy Look Cute

My daughter is the antithesis of a girly girl. Forget about dressing up like a shimmery snow queen or glittery glam, perfectly Pinkalicious princess for Halloween. No way! Rather, my girl craves flesh and willingly dresses the part to satiate her carnivorous desires. This year she has moved on from being a bone-gnashing lizard king and morphed into a man-eating shark. Her Halloween getup is designed to make it look as though she is being devoured by a ravenous shark. No gender stereotyping going on in my house. Not surprisingly it is easier than ever to find disgustingly gross costumes … Continue reading →

Teen Candy Beggars: Trick or Treat?

A couple of years ago I blogged the question: How old is too old to trick-or-treat? If you are not fond of handing out treats to six-foot-tall kids dressed as killer tomatoes on Halloween, then you might consider moving to the St. Louis suburb of Belleville, Illinois, or any of other town in this candy-laden country of ours where teen trick-or-treaters have been officially banned from the streets on October 31st. Belleville Mayor Mark Eckert is a straight shooter, who doesn’t mince words when it comes to explaining why his community put the kibosh on teen trick-or-treaters: “When I was … Continue reading →