A Beginners Guide To Trick Or Treating On Halloween

Are you new to the trick-or-treating scene? This wildly popular part of Halloween is slowly becoming more popular in countries outside of America, and, whether you're a child, teenager or accompanying adult, trick or treating for the first time can be a little daunting! Spotlight is the home of Halloween, for everything from decorating to costumes - and we've put together this handy little guide for new trick or treaters. We've got everything you need to trick or treat successfully for great prices!

What Should You Wear?

Dressing up is what Halloween is best known for, but not every Halloween costume is suitable for trick or treating. An inflatable costume that's great for a Halloween house party may not be comfortable for walking the streets in on a balmy Halloween night!

Here are the kinds of costumes you should look for, and the kinds you should avoid, when trick or treating:

Costumes good for trick-or-treating

• Layered costumes: Costumes with multiple, removable layers give you the option to cool down quickly when needed. Accessories like capes, jackets, hats and gloves are all easy to remove on the fly but will leave your costume mostly intact and recognisable.
• Airy costumes: Light and airy costumes will be comfortable to wear all night, keeping you cool no matter how far you walk. Costumes with skirts or dresses, billowing pants and sleeves or even the classic 'sheet ghost' outfit are all great options if you're after an airy Halloween costume.

Costumes less suited for trick or treating

• Inflatable costumes: Large and a little cumbersome, inflatable costumes can be tricky to walk in for moderate distances. Because of their size, your walk may look like more of a waddle, which isn't easy to do if you've got several houses to get to! Keep your inflatable costumes for Halloween house parties only.
• Onesies: They may be comfy to walk in for a while, but some onsides, especially those with hoods and ones that cover the hands and feet, can become quite hot to walk in if you are trick or treating. Keep an eye on the temperature if you want to wear one on Halloween night.

What Should You Bring?

Trick or treating is heaps of fun, but there are a few things you should always bring with you to make the experience as fun as possible.

• Treat bucket: Where are you going to store your hard-earned treats, if not in a Halloween treat bucket? You want your treat bucket to be durable enough to carry plenty of lollies, easy to carry with a strong handle and designed to match your costume! Spotlight has a great range of treat buckets to match your costume, so make sure to find the perfect one for your outfit online or in-store.
• Water: Because you'll be doing a bit of walking, it's important to stay hydrated with water. Bring along a water bottle or two to make sure everyone stays healthy, especially people in costumes that may heat them up.
• A map: Whether you're using one made of paper or just on your phone, make sure you have a map route planned out for where you will be trick or treating. This will help you organise the best time to go and get your trick or treating done (do you want to go at dusk or wander around at night?), as well as ensure you are comfortable with the area you are trick or treating in.
• Makeup wipes: If you have costume makeup or even face paint on as part of your costume, have a few makeup wipes on hand to tidy things up if you start to sweat.

What Should You Do To Prepare?

Aside from choosing your costume, there are a few things you should organise before you head out the door on Halloween night:

• Check online for participating homes: In places outside of America, not every home will be participating in the Halloween tradition of trick or treating. Usually, a home that is decorated for Halloween will be receiving trick or treaters, but to make sure you don't miss any, check out social media pages and notice boards for your suburb. Many groups will create lists of participating houses, so you can make sure every house you go to is ready for your visit!
• Ensure everyone is supervised: If you have young children going trick or treating, make sure there are enough adults in the group to supervise. This will help keep the group on track, as well as keeping everyone together!
• Prepare to be tricked: While treats are what most people expect to get upon asking 'trick or treat?', make sure first-time trick or treaters, particularly kids, are prepared for a 'trick' before they get their treat! This may be a quick fright, a joke or even some unexpected candy that's a decoy for the real lollies.

Make Lasting Memories On Halloween With Spotlight

Now that you're prepared to trick or treat, it's time to get all your supplies from Spotlight! Browse our full Halloween range online or visit your nearest Spotlight store to shop in person.

Want more spooky Halloween goodness? Make sure to read our blogs on making a Halloween wreath (a great way to attract trick-or-treaters to your house!), using pumpkins to get into the Halloween spirit and 10 great costume ideas for your pet.