Trick or Treat at Charles Street

Tuesday, October 31st from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm 

Stay safe and happy this Halloween by following these guidelines: 

Handing out treats?  

1. Pick up a Trick-or-Treat door tag at the Halloween display table in the lobby of 35 Charles St. starting Thursday, October 26th.  
2. Hang the door tag on your front door handle to indicate you are giving out treats.  
3. Secure pets before answering the door.  
4. Edible treats must be commercially wrapped. Homemade treats are not permitted. Avoid allergens and choking hazards, including nuts, hard candy, and chewing gum. 
5. Consider giving treats other than candy, like stickers, or school or art supplies. 

Parents of trick-or-treaters: 

1. Only go to apartments that have Treat-or-Treat door tags on their front door handles. Please be mindful that not everyone celebrates Halloween for religious, cultural, or other reasons.  
2. Do not enter apartments. Collect treats at the door.  
3. Children should be accompanied by an adult. 

Cultural Appropriation & Halloween Costumes

Cultural Appropriation: when someone in a position of power takes the parts of a marginalized culture they don’t belong to and uses them for entertainment without:

1. Considering their original context;
2. Facing the same marginalization.

Costume Dos and Don’ts

Do

• Be creative and think outside the box.
• Get others involved. Consider a group costume.
• Make your own costume.

Don’t

• Wear a costume that represents a culture that is not your own.
• Wear a costume that makes fun of real people, human traits, or cultures.
• Wear a costume that perpetuates stereotypes, misinformation, or historical and cultural inaccuracies.

Not sure your costume is the right choice? Choose another one.

Additional Resources

Cultural Appropriation vs. Appreciation (CBC Radio)

What is Cultural Appropriation? (Black History, PBS Originals)

Cultural Appropriation Is, In fact, Indefensible (Code Switch, NPR)

Halloween Costume Safety

From the Government of Canada Guidelines

Ensure that kids are dressed appropriately for Halloween. Here are some key safety tips:

Visibility, Mobility, and Warmth

• Pick brightly coloured costumes that can be clearly seen by motorists. Add reflective tape to the costume to increase visibility.
• Avoid costumes that are too big or have long dangling pieces that children can trip over.
• Choose costumes that fit well and can be worn over warm clothing to protect your child against cold and wet weather.

Face Paint and Masks

• Use make-up or face paint instead of masks – improperly fitted masks can interfere with your child’s vision or breathing.
• Before using face paint or make-up, do a patch test to see if your child is sensitive or allergic to something in the cosmetic. Even products labelled as “hypoallergenic” can still cause allergic reactions.
• If you do choose a mask, make sure it fits properly and allows them to see and breathe easily.

Halloween Food Safety

From the Government of Canada Guidelines

All kids should be careful before eating trick-or-treat goodies at Halloween — especially those with allergies and sensitivities. Here are some key safety tips:

Before:

• Tell your children not to accept — and especially not to eat — anything that isn’t commercially wrapped.
• Have dinner with your kids before they go out so they aren’t tempted to munch while trick-or-treating.

After:

• Don’t let kids eat any candy or other treats until you or another adult has checked it.
• Check all commercially wrapped treats for small holes in the wrappers.
• Throw away anything homemade, torn, unwrapped, or in loose packaging.
• Be cautious before giving treats that could be potential choking hazards (e.g., chewy candies, gum, hard candies, lollipops, peanuts).

Children with allergies and sensitivities:

Some Halloween treats may contain allergens such as peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, milk, and eggs.

• Read all labels carefully.
• Only give your child treats that list the ingredients.
• Don’t give your child products with warning labels such as “may contain” statements, if they have an allergy to something listed in the statement.

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