Ok confession time. I might be a little too excited about Halloween. It almost scares me how much I love seeing ghosts and fake guts on everyone's porches this time of year. Almost. Needless to say, Halloween is my favorite holiday! Lucky for me, my neighbors in Elizabeth seem to really like it too.
That’s just one of the many ways I know we live in the right neighborhood for us. There are actually many ways to know you’ve found the right neighborhood but that’s another blog for a different day.
Anyway, I hit the streets for a little walking tour of my neighborhood to see the ghoulish sights and I am happy to report I’ve got more than a few neighbors who really got into it.
Now personally, I'm old school when it comes to Halloween. I like the paranormal, ya know, just a good ole ghost. However, I'm very impressed with this year's evil baby line and dinosaur skeleton. They get points for creativity.
A lot of communities around Charlotte organize official Halloween related events. The
Elizabeth Community Trunk or Treat Halloween Potluck Diner, the Plaza Midwood Fall Crawl or the annual Fourth Ward Halloween Parade are just a few of the many options you can find.
While every neighborhood celebrates the scariest day of the year with its own traditions,
one thing is true for EVERY neighborhood. It won’t be long before real life mini ghosts and goblins hit the streets in search of mounds of candy.
Walking from door to door with a gaggle of ghouls and a posse of princesses is a lot easier if your neighborhood has wide sidewalks and well-lit streets.
Let’s make sure we all do our part to make it a safe and fun night for everyone. Most
neighborhood’s have official trick or treat times. In general, I recommend keeping an eye
out for kids from about 5:30pm to 9:30pm (you know those tweens will push the time limit!).
Remind your kids to:
1. Cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks when possible.
2. Put electronic devices down and keep heads up.
3. Walk, don’t run, across the street. And be careful not to dart out from behind parked
cars.
4. Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them.
5. Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
6. Watch for cars that are turning or backing up.
7. If you are driving, slow down and stay alert. That means you shut off your electronic
devices too so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
8. Turn on your headlights earlier in the day to help you spot kids.
Go ahead, let your kids stay out late. Show them their neighborhood from the front lines
instead of a back seat, and enjoy the kindness of neighbors. Oh yeah, and don’t forget the
candy! Happy Halloween!
