Be safe

I hope everyone, especially the children, have a safe and happy Samhain tonight!!

-Remember to wear something bright and/or reflective and carry flashlights so the cars can see you. (This applies tot he parents as well, since you are old enough to know better but tend to forget that.)

-Remember that is not required that every household should participate in this holiday. If the lights are off or there is a "No Candy Here" sign on the door, leave them alone.

-Remember to tell your offspring to say "thank you," since the people who do hand out candy spent their hard earned cash on sweets for your crotch-fruit instead of getting the new shoes or glasses they need for work. Or worse, put it on their credit cards just so they could have the illusion that nothing is that bad yet in this economic downturn. Besides, saying "thank you" is polite and should be a requirement to get anything from anybody that is handing out free stuff.

-Remember that some folks in this country consider this night a special night. An actual holiday and not some excuse to get free candy. Be respectful.

-Try not to let your kids knock on doors after 9pm. People are tired and wanting to go to bed by then. In fact some folks have to work the next day.

-Keep your teenagers engaged with a night of horror movies, pizza, soda, and candy. I don't care if they trick-or-treat earlier in the night with younger sibs or even in small groups. But it's safer for them if they don't end up implicated in criminal mischief, vandalism, or worse. Even if you know they wouldn't do something like that the hassle of proving they didn't could be costly and annoying. Face it. Adults don't care for teenagers. You might as well lure them into staying in and having a movie night with friends. It certainly kept my friends and I out of trouble all those years ago.

-For the love of all that is holy, check the candy before the kids start chowing down. Urban legends aside, my older sister did check our candy one Halloween and tossed some out before my nephew and I could eat it. The objects in question were apples with small pinpricks. I'm just saying use the thing in between your ears tonight...