They may have been “creepy, kooky, mysterious, and spooky”, but the Addams family was also courteous. The following tips can be used to teach children that when fairies, freaks, princesses and creeps share the sidewalk with courtesy, everyone can have a frightfully polite Halloween:
- When you see other wizards, gremlins, and goblins smile and say, “Hi”. Step aside and let them pass if there is not enough room for everyone on the sidewalk.
- Do not approach a house that is dark. The ghouls and ghosts have, undoubtedly, already eaten all the goodies!
- Ring the doorbell once; then wait quietly. The people inside are expecting masked visitors and will come to the door as soon possible.
- When someone opens the door, look at him, smile, and say, “Trick or Treat”!. When you leave with your “loot” look at him, smile, and say, “Thank you”.
- If you are offered a bowl of candy, take a few pieces (not a handful) off the top. Rifling through the bowl can cause candy to fall out; it will also hold up the trick or treaters behind you.
- If you approach a house and other trick or treaters are filling their bags, wait patiently at the edge of the yard. When they pass you, walk up to the door.
- If you accidentally bump into a ballerina or lion say, “Excuse me”. She will understand.
- When trick or treating by car, open the door carefully; you wouldn’t want to whack a witch!
- Leave a sweet impression by putting candy wrappers in your bag; do not scatter them across the neighborhood lawns.
Finally, as monsters, scarecrows, and kitty cats can certainly be generous, children may want to fill, not only a bag for themselves, but also a bucket for UNICEF!
Printed in the MetroWest Daily News October 31, 2007
Cozy Coffin Motel photo courtesy of Creative Commons https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode Photographer Kevin Dooley