Checklist · Holidays · October

Halloween, done early: costumes, porch and candy

Eight steps so Halloween night is just the fun part: costumes by mid-October, the porch lit and safe, pumpkins carved, candy bought on sale.

Updated Oct 8, 2026About 5 hours of workBudget $40–150

0 of 8 doneStart with step 1

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Part 1

Two weeks out

Costume stock thins out after the 20th, and kids change their minds twice. Decide now, order now, try it on with a coat underneath.

Plan on about 100 pieces for a busy street, 40 for a quiet one. Buy it now and hide it, or it won't be there on the 31st.

Steps and the path are where people trip in the dark. A strand of lights on a timer fixes both and looks better than a floodlight.

Part 2

Carve no more than four days before Halloween or it collapses. Cut the lid at an angle so it doesn't fall in.

Dry leaves and costumes near an open flame is the classic Halloween fire. LED tea lights look the same from the street.

Hoses, rakes, decorations with cords. Walk it at night with the porch light on and move anything you'd trip on.

Part 3

Drivers see reflective tape at 500 feet and a black costume at 50. A strip on the bag and the back is enough.

Pick a loop of well-lit streets, share it with whoever walks with the kids, and agree on a time. Then enjoy it.

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