Halloween is just around the corner! Many of us will spend this week finishing up costumes, putting finishing touches on house decorations, or hitting the stores for some last-minute candy shopping.
A great way for the young ones to kick off the weekend’s festivities is by taking part in this year’s Halloween Colouring Contest for a chance to win a prize pack full of goodies thanks to our amazing sponsors: Reston Fine Foods, the Costume Closet, New to You, Valleyview Co-op, and Thirtythree Marie Photography & Design.
Why do we say, ‘trick or treat’?
Homeowners think nothing of having goblins, nurses, vampires, or astronauts showing up at their doors each October asking for candy. Any other time of the year and these visitors might be turned away. But Halloween is all about the magical and the macabre, and trick-or-treating is a major component of the festivities.
Kids and adults alike cry out “trick or treat” at each house they visit. Many utter this familiar phrase without a second thought and may have no idea how this familiar custom came to be.
During the Middle Ages, less fortunate individuals would go “souling,” which was a process of going door-to-door asking for food on November 1 in return for saying prayers for the deceased on All Souls Day on November 2. Many centuries later, the tradition of “guising” began in Scotland around the same time of year. People began wearing masks and costumes to disguise themselves and prevent evil spirits from harming them. Spirits were thought to cross over more readily around Halloween. The custom also was called “mumming” and was celebrated in nearby England and Ireland as well.
Costumes were eventually accompanied by high jinks. Mischief makers would sing a rhyme, do a card trick, or tell a story in exchange for a treat. If that treat wasn’t presented, a “trick” could be played. For 19th century children, tricks included jamming hot cabbage into a keyhole to stink up a house or frightening passersby.
History.com indicates that when European immigrants arrived in America, they didn’t give up their annual mischief or requests for treats, and the custom spread throughout the early 20th century in the United States.
While the practice of begging for treats in some shape or form went by many names, Merriam-Webster reports that a newspaper in Saskatchewan, Canada first mentioned the words “treat” and “trick” together in print. A 1923 article indicated, “Hallowe’en passed off very quietly here. ‘Treats’ not ‘tricks’ were the order of the evening.” By 1927, more and more children were uttering “tricks or treats” to solicit candy from their neighbours.
Trick-or-treating gained steam throughout the 1950s, with endorsements by major candy companies. The custom also was showcased in popular comic strips.
Even though there are tricks to be made on Halloween, treats are the real draw of the day.
Top tips to stay safe this Halloween season
Much like Christmas, Halloween is no longer relegated to a single day. Several Halloween enthusiasts now begin decorating at the start of October. High jinks and autumn revelry fill the air as individuals eagerly count down to the end of the month.
Though the lightheartedness of Halloween festivities, such as costumes and candy, garner the bulk of celebrants’ attention, it’s important to take safety into consideration as well. According to the Mayo Clinic, children are twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween as other nights of the year. Cuts and burns also are more common on October 31.
A good Halloween scare should come from costumes, not accidents or injuries. This Halloween, consider these safety measures, courtesy of Safe Kids Worldwide, the Mayo Clinic, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Make sure you’re visible when trick-or-treating. Reflective tape, glow sticks, flashlights, or camping lanterns can make pedestrians more visible to motorists.
- Pedestrians should walk on sidewalks if they are available. When sidewalks are not available, walk facing traffic and do so as far off to the side of the road as you can get.
- Drivers should be especially alert to pedestrians on Halloween. Drive slowly, as many kids scurry from house to house in search of Halloween candy.
- Pedestrians and drivers should follow the rules of the road, stopping at intersections and crossing crosswalks.
- Consider alternatives to carving pumpkins, since the risk of being cut while carving is high. If you want to carve, leave the carving to adults. Utilize battery-operated flameless candles or glow sticks to illuminate jack-o’-lanterns.
- All costumes, wigs and accessories should be fire-resistant. Make sure that costumes do not impede your ability to walk or see.
- Test makeup to check for skin irritation before application. Remove it promptly after returning home.
- Set up a buddy system so that no one is going it alone. Agree on specific times children should return home. Adults should chaperone young children.
- While incidences of candy tampering may be minimal, no one should snack on candy until it has been inspected. Inspections also protect against food allergies.
- The candy bounty should be rationed so no one overindulges and feels ill later.
Halloween season is a fun time of year, but safety should go hand in hand with all the celebrating on this special day.
Avoid these common Halloween costume dangers
Children and adults may spend weeks planning their Halloween costumes. Movie or television characters, political figures, horror icons, or everyday heroes are among the most popular costumes each year.
Much thought goes into Halloween costumes, and equal consideration should be given to ensuring the costume is as safe as it is fun. The following are some common costume hazards and how to avoid them.
- Flammable materials: According to the ASTM D1230-17 – Standard Test Method for Flammability of Apparel Textiles, some combustible fabrics used in the design of clothing “are potentially dangerous to the wearer because of such factors as ease of ignition, flame spread time, amount of heat released, and design of the garment.” Quite often Halloween costumes fall under these dangerous classifications because they are not considered everyday apparel. Materials may not be sturdy and federal requirements for clothing to be flame-resistant may be skirted. Some costumes can ignite in seconds. Others also may cause “flaming drip,” which describes the melting of plastic material that leads to it separating from the rest of the costume. Flaming drip can cause secondary fires or burns to the skin. Look for costumes that list flame resistance, even if they may be more expensive.
- Invisible suits: Invisible suits are stretchy body suits that cover the entire frame and head. Newer incarnations that are all black without eyeholes can be dangerous to wear because they limit wearers’ ability to see clearly and be seen by others.
- Dangerous makeup: Halloween makeup may not be created in adherence to the same standards as regular cosmetics. Check ingredients for hazards and warnings about where the makeup can be applied, as some products are not recommended for use around the mouth or eyes. Apply a small amount first to see if an allergic reaction occurs.
- Capes and flowing components: Costumes that have long, flowing parts, such as a costume for Ringwraith, a character from the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, or even caped crusaders can be fire hazards. Parts of such costumes also can get caught underfoot indoors (such as rotating entrances to stores) and even the gears on bicycles. Strangulation or falls can occur in these instances.
- Faulty footwear: Costumes that require the use of high heels, platform shoes or any other design that may impede the ability to walk safely should be discouraged. Not only can they cause foot discomfort that reduces time spent on the trick-or-treating circuit, but these costumes also increase the risk of slips and falls and twisted or broken ankles.
- Contact lenses: Coloured or patterned contact lenses are popular components of some costumes. However, decorative contact lenses should not be used without a proper fitting by an eye care professional who sells reputable decorative contact brands. Also, never share contact lenses and always wash hands before putting in contacts or removing them from the eyes.
Halloween is a festive holiday, and even more so when costumes don’t compromise celebrants’ safety.
