Basic Halloween Etiquette So Everyone Has The Best Night

Halloween is the best, but Halloween is also chaos. As much as I love thinking of it as a great holiday equalizer, I find myself more and more frustrated every year with people who don’t understand the basic etiquette of the holiday.

Some things are highly variable — maybe your neighborhood has a traditional costume parade at 4 p.m. every Halloween, and then trick-or-treating starts. Maybe your street waits for full darkness before heading out to get candy. Maybe everybody sits at the end of the driveway to visit with trick-or-treaters.

But in general, these Halloween etiquette rules apply to everyone. And underneath all of them is the most basic Halloween rule of all: This is supposed to be fun. Don’t be a dick to a kid, don’t steal someone’s candy bowl, don’t get frustrated when someone rings your doorbell at 10 p.m. because you forgot to turn off your porch light. It’s Halloween. It’s chaos. And if you hold onto these rules — as both a trick-or-treater and as a candy-passer-outer — then you can help ensure everyone has a happy (and safe!) Halloween.

Turn off your light if you’re not participating.

Yes, even if you don’t have any Halloween decorations out, a porch light on Halloween night means there is candy available. Just shut it off if you don’t want people ringing your doorbell.

And turn off your porch light if you run out of candy.

I see it every year. “I had kids ringing my doorbell at 10 p.m.” Well, was your light on? I agree that 10 is late to still be trick-or-treating, but this is also a fun holiday for big kids who might be out on their own. If you’re all out of candy or if you’re done for the night, turn. off. your. light.

Only take a couple of pieces from an unattended bowl.

Sometimes there’s a sign that says, “Please just one piece!” or sometimes there are goody bags made with candy inside, but listen — don’t let your trick-or-treater be greedy. If a candy bowl is left unattended, it’s probably because whoever lives there wants to take their own kids trick-or-treating, or they had plans but wanted to be nice and still hand out candy. Don’t take their kindness and effort for granted. Just take one goody bag or one or two pieces of candy and move on.

Don’t force kids to perform, say “trick or treat” or speak to you for candy.

Listen, I know you want to hear the tiny 2-year-old dressed as the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man say, “Trick or treat!” before you give them a Reese’s cup, but please — kids are shy. Some are nonverbal, some aren’t super social, some just don’t want to perform for a stranger when they’re already dressed like a dinosaur and getting a lot of attention. If a kid says it, yay! But if a kid doesn’t or doesn’t tell you what they’re dressed up as or interact with you in the way you want, please don’t think that means you get to withhold a mini Twix bar from them.

But do prompt your kids to say, “Thank you!”

Again, nobody should be taking candy away from a kid who doesn’t say this, but it’s nice to hear a parent prompt their child to say, “Trick or treat!” or “Happy Halloween” or, at the very least, “Thank you!” when they’re given their goodies. It’s a parenting rite of passage to stand at the end of the driveway of a stranger’s house and yell, “Say ‘thank you!’” to your tiny Spiderman.

The parents of newborn babies get candy, always.

I can’t even believe this is a debate, but you are getting the absolute unhinged joy of seeing a newborn baby dressed as a pumpkin. Their parents deserve more than the world can offer in terms of mini candy bars. Just drop it in the bag, even though you know that baby is exclusively on a formula diet. You’re part of the village now, buddy. Time to show up with sugar.

Use people’s driveways and sidewalks instead of running through yards.

This one is really a safety issue. Inflatable Halloween decorations are all the rage, and that means there are often ropes and things stretched across the hard holding them in place. Sometimes there are extension cords, fake gravestones, skeletons in the grass with spotlights — you don’t want to trip over something in the dark and get hurt or destroy someone’s Halloween display. Try and use sidewalks and driveways when possible to approach a door.

Don’t be rude to teenagers trick-or-treating.

Again, can’t believe we have to say this, but like — there is no age limit on trick-or-treating. Don’t be rude to teenagers. Give them their candy and tell them to stay safe and have fun.

Expect lots of pedestrian traffic if you’re driving, and GO SLOW.

Our neighborhood is often used as a cut-through by people in the area to get to main roads, and that doesn’t stop on Halloween. But there is nothing that infuriates me more than someone speeding by when it’s clearly Halloween and the streets are full of little kids, parents with strollers, wagons full of toddlers, and more. If you have to drive through your neighborhood on Halloween night, just be patient. Watch out for kids, don’t be in a rush, and just slow the hell down.

Carry a flashlight or wear something that glows/is reflective.

Another safety etiquette, but I’m begging you — cars won’t always look for you. Make it easy for them to see you walking on the side of the road or crossing the street with flashlights, reflective gear, head lamps, whatever works. Do your part to stay safe, and use the lights to help kids stay safe and smart while going from door to door.

No matter what, remember the cardinal Halloween rule: This is supposed to be fun. Just enjoy the day for what it is and don’t lose your mind over some tiresome rant about teenagers in costumes or expecting more from a 7-year-old dressed as Princess Peach than allowed. Pass out the candy, say “thank you” to your neighbors, and soak in the fun and chaos of the night.

(Because sometimes karma is the teenager you refused to give an Almond Joy to throwing your jack-o-lantern into the street.)

source https://www.scarymommy.com/lifestyle/basic-halloween-etiquette-so-everyone-has-the-best-night