Halloween Safety Tips – San Diego North County

Halloween – Sunday, October 31st

Halloween Trivia

Halloween is one of the oldest holidays celebrated in the world.

It dates back more than 2000 years ago.

The largest pumpkin on record weighed over 1,500 pounds.

Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.

Orange and Black are the traditional colors of Halloween.

Halloween History

On Halloween,  Irish peasants would beg the rich for food.  For those that refused, they would play a practical joke.  Thus “trick or treat.”  To avoid being tricked, the rich would hand out fruit, candy, and cookies.  This practice morphed into todays Halloween tradition.  With such a large number taking part in Halloween festivities every year, it is important to remember some safety tips.

Halloween Safety Tips

• Help your young child pick out or make a costume that will be safe.  Be sure to purchase or make costumes out of flame-resistant materials such as nylon or polyester as these specially marked fabrics will resist burning and extinguish quickly.   Also, children should wear something reflective on their clothing and carry a flashlight or glow stick.  
•  In most San Diego North County communities it’s not safe to let kids walk the streets by themselves. Your best bet is to make sure that an adult is going with them.  Small children should always be accompanied by adults (hopefully parents).  And children always make sure that your mom or dad is within sight while you go out trick-or-treating. 
• Older children should travel in groups.  Always make sure that your parents know where you are going and who you are going with.
•  If you parents give you a curfew, be home when they say. If you are going to be late, call them and let them know.
•  Be careful when you cross a street. Make sure to look in both directions and make sure that there are no cars coming.
•  If a street has a stop light, wait until the cross walk light tells you that it’s okay to cross, but still look both ways.
• Never go into a stranger’s house or even ring their door for treats unless your parents are with you and say that it’s okay.
• Don’t consume homemade treats or treats that are unwrapped, have torn wrappers, or appear old or tampered with.
• Do not approach homes that are not well lite.
• If you can tell that someone does not want to participate in Halloween, honor that and leave them alone.
• Do not pet strange dogs or cats.  Your costume may scare them and they may become aggressive.
• Vandalism is never cool! Throwing eggs at cars and houses is not cool. If you get caught. You can also be arrested and punished.

Adults need to be aware of things they can do to make their San Diego homes safer at Halloween.

• If you are doing Halloween lights, do not connect more than three miniature light strings together.  Also, be sure to check the rating on your extension cords and do not plug in more than the recommended wattage. Cords should not be run under carpets or tacked-up with metal nails or staples.
• Inspect all of your electric lights and decorations for damage or wear. Cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires and loose connections may pose a fire or shock hazard. Look for a red UL mark to indicate that lights are certified for both indoor and outdoor use. A green UL mark indicates certification for indoor use only
• Beware of Candles!  Candles, especially in a Jack O’Lantern, should be off the ground and out of children’s reach.  Try battery-operated LED candles for an even safer option. 
• Halloween costumes should allow full movement for your kids. Costumes that drag, constrict or drape pose a dangerous hazard, especially at night. Check to ensure that costumes don’t restrict your children’s vision, and instruct them to watch out for tripping hazards, such as cords.
• Be Safe and Bright.  Choose costumes that are lighter in color and attach reflective materials to costumes. Make sure each child has a flashlight to help them see and be seen.
• Keep Hungry Monsters from Feeding.  Never let your kids eat Halloween candy before you inspect it in the light at home. Even if you know your neighbors, you should always check to be safe and throw away open candy or anything that looks at all suspicious.
• Talk to your Little Ghouls About Safety  Here’s a fun way to go over basic safety rules with your kids before the evening arrives. Give them this Halloween family safety quiz, and when they’re done, award them with a UL safety certificate that they can post on the front door!
• As bad as it sounds, this is just a fact of life now. Get on the internet and check your California local website for sex offenders.  Look up your zip code and it should have a list of registered offenders in your area that includes street addresses. Make sure that your kids stay away from these houses!
• Know what other activities a child may be attending, such as parties, school or mall functions. If they are going to be at a friends home, get the phone number and make sure that you’ve met the parents.
• Make sure you set a time that your kids should be home by. Make sure they know how important it is for them to be home on time or to call immediately if something happens and they are going to be delayed.
•  Serve your kids a filling meal before trick or treating and they won’t be as tempted to eat any candy before they bring it home for you to check. Check your local grocery store or craft store for Halloween cook books full of tasty treats on a horror theme for both kids and adults.

For planned things to do this Halloween, see my blog: “Halloween Activities in San Diego 2011.”

Need to be safe doing a San Diego North County real estate transaction, contact Gary Harmon, your North County Realtor.  Gary’s 21 years of experience with Prudential California Realty can help protect your most important investment, your home.