Halloween Guide

It's almost time for miniature ghouls and goblins, fairy princess and firefighters to take to the sidewalks. Those kids of ours will spend the next few weeks anticipating getting all dressed up and spending one joyful evening in search of sugary sweets, scares and silliness (ok, lets be honest, that sugar high will probably last more than one day).

While they flip-flop on costume plans and trick-or-treat brigades you're likely to find yourself up to your eyeballs in fabric, costume catalogs and concern over just where to hide the candy haul this year so that the kids don't find it and neither do you.

But you can stop all that, (really, it's ok) we've done the digging for you and while we can't help you talk your tot out of fashioning a costume out of your discarded nursing bras (yes, I'm speaking from experience) we're happy to cover the costumes, candy and safety side of things to make for a Happy (and hopefully worry free) Halloween night.

Costumes

Do:

• Let them choose. I know, I know, but you found a fairy princess costume that would look picture perfect on your little girl and you just know she'll love it! (except for the fact she despises fairies and princesses) Chances are you have control over everyday dress so let your little one take the lead on this one. Reserve the right to veto the inappropriate but otherwise go with the flow.

• Make it (or Fake it). If you know how to push a pedal on the sewing machine and sew a straight line there are a slew of costumes you can construct. If you're more advanced well, you probably already have this covered. Not so thread and needle inclined? Fake it instead. Dig through the closets and dress up bins to see what fun accessories and clothing castoffs you can find. The perfect costume might not even cost you a dime.

• Light it up. It's easy to go dark on Halloween eve but it's likely the sun will set before you night does. Choose lighter colored costumes, add some reflective tape and accesorize with a flash light (hey, ready make light saber?) The H2O Dot-it [$10] from Sylvania is a compact, waterproof LED light that lasts up to 100 house so there's no need to worry about your kids not being seeing out in the dark.
   

• Be sure to check costumes and accessories for sharp edges or other hazards. Masks should have eye holes large enough that your little one can still see peripherally, fit well enough not to slide down over the eyes and be loose enough that your babe can breathe.

Our Faves:

For ready made costumes for the 5 and under set no one can beat Tom Arma. The line of mostly animal themed wear will fit perfectly and look gorgeous. It does come with a hefty price tag but the heirloom quality will mean you can pass it down or let your little one continue to use it for dress-up play beyond the big day. Come on, can you imagine your little girl tucked inside this flower [$50]? There are a TON of look-alikes out there, but nothing comes close to the real thing. See giveaway

Conventional costumes a plenty can be found at BuyCostumes. From Superhero's to Halloween classics and their share of exclusives there are seriously more costumes than you knew existed. Best of all you can outfit the entire family (and decorate your place) with just a couple of clicks. See giveaway.

We tend to go all out for Halloween, as an adult that's just fine, as costumes and props can be recycled year after year but it hurts a little more with the wee ones to know you're spending big money on something that has a life span of one day. So, why not piece together a costume with things that will celebrate the day and still work the rest of the year?

The Monster and Skelly Hoodies from Nonny & Boo [$34 each] are perfect for any chilly evening but can easily be turned into a costume. Best of all the comfy, cozy, hooded zip ups are US made and feature 100% recycled eco felt designs. Hey, even ghouls can be a little green. 15% off any purchase with code MSHG15. Expires 10.31.08

Trick or treating can be bone-chilling! BabyLegs come in several holiday patterns to cover up those arms and legs. Your mini jack o' lantern can really be one in the Punkin'  [$12]  style. From spiders crawling on the Itsy Bitsy, to purple striped Witch legs, let the little goblins be bootiful! See giveaway

Everyday dress up can easily become Halloween chic with Sarah's Silks gorgeous costume collection. You can find the noble knight, dashing dragon, unicorn and more along with some great accessories at Bella Luna Toys. See giveaway

Candy and Extras

If you're anything like us the most frightful part of Halloween is all that candy. And not just the volume of the candy itself but all of that junk lurking inside it. The food dyes and additives, the chemical crap. If you do the traditional trick-or-treat rounds, of course, you can't influence what the Joneses are passing out but you can control what's in your candy bowl. Consider holding a swap to allow the kids to trade their swag for some healthier alternatives.

Do:

• Wait until you get home to snack on anything

• Discard anything that isn't commercially wrapped or looks suspicious
   
• Inspect all packaging for signs of tampering, unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers

Our Faves:

Colored candy always scored the most points with me on Halloween but this year we'll be stocking up with lollipops from Yummy Earth instead. The traditional tasting, certified organic treats are 100% natural and free of gluten, casein, nut, soy, wheat and dairy. The littles will never know that there's fruit and veggies lurking inside their lollipops.

Chocolate. We don't even need to explain. Bypass those bulk bags of fun-size candy bars in the discount store fore a Fun Pack [$7] of Endandered Species Chocolates. The festively wrapped bite sized treats come in Organic milk and dark chocolate and 10% of net profits are donated to help support species, habitat and humanity. How's that for a treat.

Thinking slightly outside the candy box, cookies are a great shoe-in. We looked high and low for something to fit the bill and came across Snikiddy's Snack Packs. Available in Banana, Chocolate Chip and Cherry Oat, these cookies are certified organic and contain no trans fat, no hydrogenated oils, preservatives or GMO's.

If you're brave enough to go for fruit we're happy to suggested the smooshed variety. FruitaBu's Fruit Twirls [$12 for 3 boxes] contain real organic fruit and no added sugar. One snack can even count as one daily serving of the real stuff and it doesn't taste any different (ok, so it's a LOT better) than the junk stuff.

Of course you'll need somewhere for you little one to stash all the loot. A trusty pillowcase will do the job but we're fans of the simple treat bag from Yellow Label kids [$7 at Oompa Toys]. This is the perfect accessory for your candy quest and Yellow Label Kids works with the Fair Trade Federation to ensure that the artisans who produce their products are paid fair living wages.

What is Halloween without the trusty Jack o' Lantern? We're suckers for the real thing and nothing beats a day at the pumpkin patch but we have something that cuts it close to the top. Funkins are fake pumpkins but they've fooled us and many of our guests into thinking their the real thing. Not only do they look real, they're carvable too. So if you've been wanting to attempt a masterpiece but don't like the idea of it rotting away (or getting smashed in the street) put it on a Funkin.

Win it!
Still searching for a costume for your little one? We have four options for you that might make your monster mash a little simpler. We're giving away the Tom Arma Flower costume pictured above (3-4), a pair of seasonal baby legs, the Unicorn Costume from Sarah's Silks and a costume of your choice (up to $60 value) from BuyCostumes.com! To enter, email giveaways[at]mamaspeaks.com with Halloween as your subject. Let us know which would be your top two if you win. We'll choose 4 winners at random (one prize each) and get it all out in time for the big day. Giveaway ends 10.10.08