Parents have feared trick-or-treating since it began, and they have reasons to be scared. The list seems endless: tripping, costumes catching fire, poisoned candy, getting abducted, and getting run over. According to the “Children Safety Network”, child pedestrian death rates are twice as likely on Halloween. Many people are considering canceling trick-or-treating, such as Bobtown PA. According to “Free Range Kids.” Bobtown PA had attempted to cancel Halloween because of these fears.
Always check your candy! Rumors of candy being poisoned and having razor blades have been passed around for a while. “The most persistent Halloween bogeyman is tainted candy from strangers. The parental panic may stem from around 1964” says Laura Fitzpatrick in her article “Is trick or treating dangerous?” In that same article, the author explains ways to avoid tainted candy, such as having your doctor check your candy. Even the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned about this by stating “Tell children not to accept — and especially not to eat — anything that isn’t commercially wrapped.”
Costumes can be dangerous! Long capes and cloaks, or even large shoes can cause accidents. Extravagant costumes can cause tripping, which doesn’t sound bad but enough to ruin a kid’s night. And if they will be anywhere near Jack O lanterns, their costumes can light on fire. “To reduce the risk of contact with candles and other fire sources, avoid costumes made with flimsy materials and outfits with big, baggy sleeves, large capes, or billowing skirts.” (Kids in Danger.) You may want to consider more self-contained costumes that don’t protrude. Also always check for ‘flame retardant’ on your costume.
But, there are many other safer ways to enjoy the holiday. Such as Trunk-Or-Treat (Trick or treating but in a parking lot and with cars instead of houses), Halloween Movie night (Watch scary movies, pretty self-explanatory), Halloween scavenger hunt (Make a list of decorations throughout your neighborhood and then have someone try and find them), and the zoo (Many zoos have Halloween themes and bring out trick-or-treating stations.) It’s a shame how all these things aren’t more embraced as ways to enjoy the holidays.
Gladly, many of the harms of Halloween are just simple rumors and hoaxes. Professor Joel Best, who is a professor of sociology and criminal justice at the University of Delaware, stated: “I have data going back to 1958, and I have yet to find a report of a child that’s been killed or seriously hurt by a contaminated treat picked up in the course of trick-or-treating.” Candy being poisoned is not true and never has been. That doesn’t mean all the dangers were myths. Pedestrian accidents are still a very serious problem, a way to make that less of a problem is by making costumes more visible.
Halloween is a beautiful holiday. The leaves falling off the trees, the cold finally arriving, scary movies, hours making or finding a costume, and free candy! But there is a certain paranoia around this holiday. Halloween can be dangerous, but you’ll be fine using proper safety precautions. So go out, trick-or-treat! Halloween is such a unique holiday and deserves to be appreciated.