Our Ultimate 2021 Halloween Safety Guide!

It’s safe to say that Halloween is one of the more magical holidays – from costumes to candy, parties, and games, there are a plethora of things for everyone to enjoy.

With that said, it is important to remember that being safe and taking the time out beforehand to put proper safety protocols in place can really help ensure that the holiday doesn’t go from trick-or-treat to not-so-sweet.

Check out our Halloween Safety Guide below!

Is It Safe to Trick-or-Treat This Year?

We’ve heard this a lot lately, and it’s a good question as our country is on the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On September 26th, 2021, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Rochelle Walensky said yes – it’s perfectly okay for families to go door-to-door this Halloween, but stressed that it’s important to use good judgment and caution.

If you’d like to review the guidelines the CDC recommends for not only Halloween but all U.S. holidays – click here.

Here’s one example of a Halloween costume that incorporates a mask – if you or your family feel unsafe due to COVID-19, consider an option like this.

Practice Costume Safety!

One of the best parts of Halloween is seeing the incredibly crazy costumes that people put together.

However, it is important to make sure adults and children alike pick out and tailor their costumes appropriately to avoid any types of potential safety hazards. Here are some tips on how to make sure your costume will keep you safe and also make you the life of the party!

• Flame Resistant: When going out to purchase a costume or to purchase the materials needed to make your costume at home, take an extra second to check the label or packaging for the words ‘flame resistant’.
  • A great rule of thumb is to look for costumes that are polyester or nylon.
• Stay Lit: Not that type of ‘lit’ – but rather well lit – so that motorists and other pedestrians can see you while you’re out and about. Try to find or create a costume with vibrant, reflective colors to maximize your level of visibility.
  • Another great idea is to make sure you tailor your costume just above your ankles to avoid any tripping or slipping while you’re going door-to-door. There’s nothing worse than getting hurt and missing out on some delicious candy!
• Avoid Masks: While masks can really make a costume stand out – they’re not that practical for trick-or-treating. They can be quite hot, restrictive, and they can greatly reduce your field of vision. Try using face makeup and a hat instead to give off a similar vibe but keep yourself and others safe.
• Always Test Your Makeup: If you plan on applying face makeup on Halloween as a part of your costume, make sure that you test it out first. Everyone’s skin is different, and just because a particular makeup works well for someone else, does not guarantee that it will be the same for you. Instead, try testing out a bit of the makeup on your arm first and see if a rash, redness, or swelling develops. If it does, consider an alternative strategy as that could be a sign of a possible allergy.
• Say No to Contacts: Resist the temptation to wear colored contact lenses on Halloween unless you have previously visited your eye care professional for a proper fitting. We’ve seen way too many horror stories about these lenses! Steer clear, friends.

Keep It Safe In The Street

When you think of Halloween, you think of a day that everyone enjoys – but here’s one harsh reality that we tend to gloss over: children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a motor vehicle and killed on Halloween than any other day of the year.

With that said, here are some tips on how to stay safe when you or your children are out at night on Halloween:

• Make sure to have a responsible adult chaperone young children when making the rounds in your local neighborhood(s).
• If you have teenagers who are going out alone, make sure to plan and review an acceptable route beforehand.
• Speak to older children about a specific time that they should return home – sometimes Halloween can get crazy.
• Teach younger children to never enter a stranger’s home or car and to leave any situation that makes them feel unsafe.
• Talk to your children about only walking in well-lit areas and on sidewalks if possible, this will help increase visibility.
• Tell your children to refrain from eating any candy until you arrive home – that way the contents of their bucket or bag can be dumped out and checked.
• And most important, when you’re out and about, put your cell phone away! Keep your head up, don’t run, and stay safe.

With that said, we hope that everyone has a wonderful Halloween!

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