Halloween is coming Saturday, Oct. 31, and for many it’s the best holiday of the year.
Thanksgiving and the gift-giving of December may mean family drama or pressure to find the right presents, but Halloween is all about fun. For those of us who wanted to be Jedis, Starfleet officers, Gotham villains or simply live inside the cartoons we loved as children, Halloween gives us the opportunity to so, even if it’s just pretend.
Of course, for kids, Halloween is awesome. There’s candy at every door and cool costumes to wear. Pretending to be someone or something else for a day and having the whole world believe you — because that’s the unspoken caveat we adults agree to for Halloween — makes the holiday the favorite for any kid. It’s also the reason many adults still love Halloween, too. After all, it’s the only time of the year I can wear my longsword, lightsaber or Starfleet uniform or fix wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey problems with my sonic screwdriver — without getting weird looks.
While the Sedona Main Street Program hosts the annual Safe and Fun Trick or Treat in Uptown, and many other communities in the Verde Valley also host safe trick-or-treating events, some families still enjoy walking around their neighborhoods collecting candy or don’t know about these one-stop shopping candy extravaganzas.
Not all children want to walk door-to-door with their parents, so older children may split off on their own. Drivers should be aware that children may dart across residential streets unexpectedly or even across well-lighted State Route 89A in Uptown. Not every family heads to Uptown either, so even in your home neighborhood, drive slower and keep your eyes on the road, especially after dusk.
Parents should also include reflective material on their children’s costumes or their candy bags so drivers can see them easier.
If you attend an adult costume party at a home or bar and drink, have a designated driver or call a cab or a friend to take you home. If you’re hosting a party at your home or business and plan to serve alcohol, have a few cab numbers written down in case someone asks for a ride home.
Consider carpooling to a costume party. You can make a grand entrance with a group of costumed friends and be sure that at least one of you will be safe to drive so the rest can enjoy a drink or two without running the risk of a DUI or worse.
Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, which means many adults may stay out longer than if the holiday was on a Tuesday, so be extra careful before heading out.
If you go to all-ages party, head to Uptown or attend one of the Verde Valley’s community events to see all the costumes, remember that Halloween is for our children, first and foremost.
Stay safe and enjoy being a kid again.
Christopher Fox Graham
Managing Editor
