Like every other holiday, Halloween seems to sneak up on us. It comes the same day every year, but somehow we’re never prepared. Or is it just me? Of course it’s not just me.
Every year, on the night before Halloween I’m in the stores (usually multiple stores since the good costumes are gone by now), fighting the crowds, and crossing my fingers that I find what I need. Well this year, I don’t want to be THAT mom. And you don’t have to be her either. Here’s our plan (yes me and you) for getting Halloween right.
- Start early. That’s why I’m writing this post in the middle of September. Waiting until the last minute brings along a few gray hairs, so it’s only logical to start now. Start early, finish early…enjoy lots of candy later.
- Find out what costumes are and are NOT acceptable at your child’s school. The last thing you want is to send him to school with a costume that the school deems inappropriate. Then you’ll have to pick him up or bring more clothes. It’ll ruin your day and your child’s. Trust me.
- Find the perfect costume. If you don’t want to hear your children whine about how you brought a lame costume that’s so last year, ask them what they want ahead of time.
- Buy the candy. If you plan on being a good citizen and supplying candy to all of the trick-or-treaters, then don’t forget the candy. You probably don’t want to buy it early though. After all, the good candy is cheaper closer to Halloween. However, just don’t wait until the day before!
- Know your route. If you will be taking your children on this annual “candy quest” then you most certainly need to know where you’re headed. Don’t roam around town aimlessly trying to find the best neighborhood, which by the way is what we do every year. Pick a neighborhood and go.
Now that we’ve made a plan, let’s try to stick to it and make this the best, least stressful Halloween ever.