Halloween | Tiffany Nielsen

Halloween marks the beginning of America’s holiday season, and the weeks and months to come give all sorts of opportunities to improve social civility. What better time than Halloween to reignite consideration for others? After all, good manners are most welcome from those on both sides of the doorsteps in our neighborhoods on Halloween.

Start out your Halloween festivities with a few tips that encourage community, hospitality and a fun night of sugary, spooky good times!

Get Creative with Costumes
Reach into your closets and get creative with building a costume, especially if you want to save money. Consider mixing and matching pieces to come up with a close second to a store-bought costume.

An old military uniform is always debonair! A poodle skirt, sweater set and costume jewelry make a time-tested 50’s sock hop look.

Reaffirm that while some costumes are eye-catching and star-studded, they should always be age appropriate.

Sweet Treats
One bad apple made the pleasure of giving away homemade popcorn balls with gum drops a thing of the past (shucks!). Therefore, for the consideration of everyone, remember to stock up before October 31 on prepackaged candies sure to delight trick-or-treaters. However, if giving candy isn’t to your liking, what about a few coins? Kids need to save up for holiday shopping too.

If you sense the kids standing at your doorstep are too old to be trick-or-treating, forget reprimanding them and hope there is a good reason for their being at your doorstep. They may be college students having fun and looking for their next meal!

Manners for Kids Manners start at home and are, hopefully, reinforced by peers in a community. Spend a few minutes discussing good manners with the kids you know by reminding them to practice the following:

Smile and say “trick or treat” when the front door opens.
Say “thank you” for whatever treat is offered and mean it.
Stay on walk ways. Avoid stepping on flowerbeds and lawns.

Good spirits win on Halloween as well as every other day of the year. Happy Trick-or-Treating! And parents, if you are throwing your own Halloween party, have an excellent time! Etiquette note to remember: eating your kid’s candy is a big “no-no” without asking permission first.

Halloween marks the beginning of America’s holiday season, and the weeks and months to come give all sorts of opportunities to improve social thoughtfulness. What better time than Halloween to reignite consideration for others? After all, good manners are most welcome from those on both sides of the doorsteps in our neighborhoods on Halloween.

Start out your Halloween festivities with a few tips that encourage community, hospitality and a fun night of sugary, spooky good times!

Get Creative with Costumes

Reach into your closets and get creative with building a costume, especially if you want to save money. Consider mixing and matching pieces to come up with a close second to a store-bought costume. This age-old cost saving tradition applies to both adults and youth.