Next Monday will be a normal day in Grenada. Children will be in school filling their heads full of knowledge, while adults are pushing through a typical 8 to 5 workday.
That night, however, is a different story. As the sun sets on Grenada, ghosts and goblins will begin roaming the streets soliciting chewy bubble gum, milk chocolate that melts in their mouths and any other type of candy to feed on. Don’t worry though, the town isn’t being invaded, it’s just Halloween. Just hand over the candy quickly and enjoy the smiles you bring to each of the small ghouls’ face.
Not only does candy accompany Halloween, but so do pranks. If you are a prankster planning a mischievous act the night Oct. 31, think again. The streets will be heavily patrolled by the Grenada Police Department during and after trick-or-treating hours, which have been set from 5 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., and officers will not tolerate any tricks.
Halloween is supposed to be a fun time for young children – a time for them to dress up and spend time with family and friends. If you are sitting at home wondering if you are too old to trick-or-treat, you probably are – unless, like I said last week, you are escorting your children. If not, stay at home, watch a scary movie and make some treats for yourself and some friends. Give the younger children their time to enjoy hunting treats throughout the downtown and from neighborhood to neighborhood.
For those of you who don’t participate in Halloween and are seeking an alternative, numerous churches in and around Grenada have already or are planning Fall Festivals and Trunk-or-Treat events on their grounds. This is a perfect alternative to Halloween because children can still dress up in non-scary costumes, entertain themselves with games, which include prizes, and fill up on yummy goodies.
So whatever your plans are Halloween night, be safe. Below are a few Halloween safety tips:
• Wear costumes made of fire-retardant materials; look for “flame resistant” on the label. If you make your costume, use flame-resistant fabrics such as polyester or nylon.
• Wear bright, reflective costumes or add strips of reflective tape so you’ll be more visible; make sure the costumes aren’t so long that you’re in danger of tripping.
• Wear makeup and hats rather than masks that can obscure your vision.
• Don’t wear decorative contact lenses unless you have seen an eye care professional and gotten a proper lens fitting and instructions for using the lenses.
• Don’t eat candy until it has been inspected at home.
• Tell children not to accept or eat anything that isn’t commercially wrapped.
• Parents of very young children should remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys.
• Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes or tears in wrappers.
Additional tips sponsored by businesses throughout the city are also included in this edition of The Star on Page 14A.
These tips could be the difference between a happy and unhappy night. Happy Halloween!
Adam Prestridge is publisher of The Grenada Star. He can be reached at (662) 226-4321 or by email at aprestridge@grenadastar.com
