Pets get frightened on Halloween. Put them up to protect them from cars or inadvertently bitting a trick-or-treater.

Battery powered jack o'lantern candles are preferable to a real flame.

If you do use candles, place the pumpkin well away from where trick-or-treaters will be walking or standing.

Make sure paper or cloth yard decorations won't be blown into a flaming candle.

Healthy food alternatives for trick-or-treaters include packages of low-fat crackers with cheese or peanut butter filling, single-serve boxes of cereal, packaged fruit rolls, mini boxes of raisins and single-serve packets of low-fat popcorn that can be microwaved later.

Non-food treats: plastic rings, pencils, stickers, erasers, coins.