EDITORIAL
Observe the rules of trick-or-treating

Go ahead. Let loose and be silly. How often do you get to dress up as witches, devils, comic book heroes and movie-actor-turned-politicians?

Originally, All Hallow's Eve marked "Samhain," the Celtic New Year, a period in which all laws of space and time were suspended so the spirit world could intermingle with the living. To frighten away the evil spirits, people would dress up in scary costumes. It was a serious adult affair.

Today, of course, Halloween is mostly for children — well, and our "inner children." And that's why we need to keep it safe as well as fun. If parents become afraid to take their kids trick-or-treating, the world becomes a sadder place.

So to make trick-or-treating as smooth as possible this year, here are some tips from the Honolulu Fire Department:

• Select costumes that are clearly visible to motorists and short enough to prevent tripping.

• Keep candles and jack-o'lanterns away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could catch fire, and use a flashlight instead of a candle.

• Throw out any treat that appears to have been tampered with. Toss homemade or home-packaged treats unless confident of the source.

• Smaller children should always be accompanied by adults.

• Unsupervised older children should stay in a group, and at least one member should have either a cell phone or the money to make a pay phone call in case of emergency.

• Use sidewalks, cross only at corners and never dart out between parked cars.

Have a happy Halloween.