Halloween goes nice this year

By Jennifer Langston

Herald Writer

This Halloween, superheroes, peaceniks and fantasy characters are in.

But gory body parts are selling about as briskly as adventure vacations to Afghanistan.

The recent terrorist attacks and anthrax scares have forced some to rethink how they’ll observe a holiday that celebrates creepiness. Some parents are throwing parties for children and friends rather than accepting candy from people they don’t know.

Alderwood Mall has canceled its trick-or-treat events, saying it would be inappropriate to hold a celebration right now. Everett Mall is going ahead with its Halloween plans.

Many shoppers are shying away from violent costumes, which seem tasteless now.

"Gore has slowed down," said Casey Hall, store manager of Display &Costume in Everett. "But all of the gross stuff has been softening for a few years now."

Tips for keeping real-life terror away from kids

All dressed up

Create or buy a costume that is flame-resistant. Make sure the costume is short enough so children don’t trip.

Use face paint and hats rather than masks. Loose-fitting masks with small eyeholes can obstruct a child’s vision.

Children who will be trick-or-treating after dusk should have reflective tape on their costumes and carry flashlights with fresh batteries. Allow them to carry only flexible swords and other props.

Dress children in comfortable shoes. Adult-size shoes can cause blistering or make a child trip and fall.

Carving a niche

Small children should never carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers, then parents can do the cutting. Under parents’ supervision, children ages 5 to 10 can carve with pumpkin cutters equipped with safety bars.

Votive candles are safest for candle-lit pumpkins.

Lighted pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects and should never be left unattended.

Healthy Halloween

Serve kids a healthy dinner (with foods they like) before trick-or-treating so they don’t fill up on candy.

Offer trick-or-treaters something other than candy. Give them colorful pencils, stickers, large erasers or decorative shoelaces.

Set a number of days candy can remain in the house before it gets thrown out.

Children should never snack while they’re trick-or-treating. Parents should check treats at home.

Watch for signs of tampering, such as small pinholes in wrappers and torn or loose packages.

Parents of young children should get rid of choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys.

Home safe home

To keep the home safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, parents should remove anything a child could trip over, such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations.

Parents should check outdoor lights and replace burned-out bulbs.

Wet leaves should be swept from sidewalks and steps.

Source: American Academy of Pediatrics

Susie Soley, 17, was shopping last week for a costume that would promote "happiness instead of war," such as a cute rabbit or an angel.

"I’m staying away from vampires and devil outfits," said the Everett resident, who was looking for something she could wear to her job at Radio Shack. "Especially with little kids, I think that would make them even more scared."

Yet, many say they’re not planning to change their Halloween traditions and that the best way to make children feel safe in unnerving times is to keep their lives normal.

Chris Kanka said he is planning to wear the same gory skull mask he wears every year. His 6-year-old daughter Mia has her heart set on being a bat.

"I don’t think we should dwell on it and make it as big a deal as people are trying to make it out to be," he said.

Lori Anderson, shopping with her 6- and 8-year-old sons, said this is the first year her youngest is old enough to go to the serious haunted houses. They revel in gore, loving the grapes and spaghetti that their neighbor passes off as eyeballs and guts.

She doesn’t think they’ve made any connection at all between Halloween and the terrorist attacks. But some of the costumes this year have given her pause.

"Even just looking at the devil costumes — it makes you think twice," she said. "Body parts definitely don’t seem fun."

Alderwood Mall’s decision to cancel its Halloween celebration was based on both appropriateness and risk.

"Sometimes mischievous behavior is associated with Halloween, and to be prudent, we felt it was just not appropriate to hold trick-or-treating," said marketing director Beth Schooley.

She said the decision had nothing to do with a widely circulated e-mail warning that terrorists were planning to strike an American mall on Halloween. The FBI has declared the e-mail a hoax.

However, Everett Mall said it has already bought 200,000 pieces of candy to hand out at its stores. Its trick-or-treating event has drawn up to 5,000 children in past years.

"It’s such a tradition, and right now more than ever people are looking for normal routines," said general manager Linda Johannes. "We’re well lit, we’re dry, we’re warm. … It’s really a very safe place to bring your kids."

The mall will have extra security on hand Halloween night, although the guards won’t all be obvious, she said. They don’t want people to feel like they’re trick-or-treating in a war zone.

Mindy Nyblod said she’s planning to keep her 3-year-old daughter Kara — who has decided to dress as a bumblebee — away from the crowded malls anyway.

But she’s not opposed to hanging skeleton decorations around the house when they get together with friends for a Halloween party.

"We’re trying not to live in a cave," she said. "We’re not going to change too much … but better safe than sorry."

Lynnwood resident Deanna Chelton also is taking a cautious approach. Her oldest daughter is having a party with friends at her father’s house. She’s taking her 3-year-old to a few houses where she knows the candy won’t be tainted with anything dangerous.

It’s the first year her two girls are planning to trick-or-treat together, so she’s afraid they’ll be a little disappointed. But she plans to explain the anthrax mailings to them and let them know they’ll be safe this way.

And they’ll have plenty of treats to fill their bags either way. "If they get their candy, they should be fine," Chelton said.

You can call Herald Writer Jennifer Langston at 425-339-3452

or send e-mail to langston@heraldnet.com.

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