Red Cross Halloween Safety Tips for Kids and Adults

Halloween should be filled with surprise and enjoyment, and following are some common sense practices to keep events safe and fun.

• Walk, slither, and sneak on sidewalks, not in the street.
• Look both ways before crossing the street to check for cars, trucks, and lowflying brooms.
• Cross the street only at corners.
• Don’t hide or cross the street between parked cars.
• Wear light-colored or reflective-type clothing so you are more visible. (And remember to put reflective tape on bikes, skateboards, and brooms, too!)
• Plan your route and share it with your family. If possible, have an adult go with you.
• Carry a flashlight to light your way.
• Keep away from open fires and candles. (Costumes can be extremely flammable.)
• Visit homes that have a porch light on.
• Accept your treats at the door and never go into a stranger’s house.
• Use face paint rather than masks or things that will cover your eyes.
• Be cautious of animals and strangers.
• Have a grown-up inspect your treats before eating. And don’t eat candy if the package is already opened. Small, hard pieces of candy are a choking hazard for young children.

Halloween Holiday Trivia

• Orange and black are Halloween colors because orange is associated with the Fall harvest and black is associated with darkness and death.
• Jack o’ lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowedout turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday.
• Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.
• Halloween candy sales average 2 billion dollars annually in the United States.
• Chocolate candy bars top the list as the most popular candy for trick-or-treaters with Snickers #1.