Halloween in Bozeman is awesome. There are so many community events for adults, from the Fear Mine to the Freakers Ball. With your little ghost and goblins though, I thought I’d share some tips and ideas to help you weather Halloween without ending up with teeny-tiny candy-crazed zombies.

In the beginning of October, I always start planning some costume ideas. I spoke with Kirk Miller, the Superintendent of schools here in Bozeman about costume guidelines for school kids. He said, “ When costumes are allowed in school we ask that they be age appropriate and not gory in a way that would frighten others. It can be an issue when you have kindergarten and fifth grade in the same school.” It’s a good common sense guideline for choosing what to be.

For me it is also important to keep it cheap and cheerful. Comfort is really key because small people need to be able to move. And I am a big fan of recycling pretty much anything you might have around the house. You can make costumes for ten dollars or less if you get a little crafty. Some store bought costumes are super cute and comfy, too. I just have a hard time parting with my money for something that the kids wear for one day.

Felt is your friend. October 31st can be pretty darn chilly. Before my kids were walking, I’d whip stitch a pouch that fit over them in their Baby Bjorn. The trim glues on and pop a matching colored hat on their head. Voila! You are ready to brave a possible snowstorm in search of candy. My son was a banana and my daughter has been a chili pepper. Cute, warm, easy and cheap. Done and done.

I’ve also run into the, almost predictable, fifteen minutes before you walk out the door for a costume party child’s desire for something completely different. So, what do you do? You could demand that your kid put on the costume that you have prepared. Yikes, that doesn’t sound like any fun. A better solution would be to listen to your child and use your imagination. The kid wants to be a space ship? Cut a large circle of cardboard, wrap it in aluminum foil, tape random hardware on it. Have your kid step into it and duct-tape it to his sweatshirt, paint his face green and throw on pipe cleaner antennae. Off you go, in style and with a funny story to tell at the party.

So now that you have your costumes sorted out, what can you do to increase the fun factor and minimize the sugar fueled melt-downs? In our house we have a simple rule. For holiday parties, we apply the same rule as we do for birthdays: up to five guests for five year olds, ten guests for ten year olds, etc. Kid parties with too many kids is chaotic and leaves them all feeling less than special. Also, and this is really important, kids don’t like adult parties. Imagine being three feet tall or less, out past your bedtime, stuffed with candy corn and surrounded by unrecognizable adults. Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

Here is a short list of some of our favorite Halloween activities. The Downtown Business Partnership arranges a yearly trick-or-treating event. It will be held downtown on Halloween from 3 to 6 PM. Get there early and bring a big bag for treats! Also, on Halloween, the Friends of Story Mansion put together a fantastically spooky event and it is a perfect gateway to the most decked out haunted hollow in Bozeman. On 3rd avenue south of College, the neighbors really pull out all of the stops! So get your gang of ghouls and start ringing the door bells as the sun goes down.

For smaller kids, think about arranging what we call trick-or-treating by appointment. Make it three stops at familiar homes where the kids can go in for a little while and really get the oohs and aahs that they are craving. Plus, they can have healthier homemade treats that your friends or family made instead of a gigantic bag of chocolate. Most of all, enjoy yourself. Halloween traditions can be whatever you want them to be. Have a happy Halloween!

Be sure to check out our events calendar for more spooky fun!

Sam Farmer is a mother who strives for enjoyable, less than scary, easy on the dentist bill Halloween celebrations.