Things I'll Do Differently Next Year - Trunk-or-Treat

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As I mentioned on Monday, I've been thinking a lot about how I want to do a few things differently in the future regarding a few annual activities with my family. Monday I shared things I want to do differently for our annual Hawaii trip. Today I'm sharing my quick list for all I want to remember and change for future Trunk-or-Treat adventures.

1) Get costumes and candy organized well in advance. I was a kid who went to our dress up box and whipped something up a couple of hours before the party growing up. That doesn't work when you have little ones with very specific costume requests. Coming home from Hawaii & trying to pull everything together the same day was a little too much to handle.

2) Don't start costume shopping at a party store. You will spend five times more than you will if you start at a discount store. I ended up getting our entire pirate costume for $30 with a little creativity. One hat at the party store started at $20. I could've easily spent $100 for and all the accessories needed.

3) Mandatory two hour, day of naps for everyone - kids and grown ups.

4) Feed kids before going to the Trunk-or-Treat, even if dinner is served there. I learned our little one had no patience or interest in real food with all the sweets and promise of large sums of candy everywhere. Nightmare. If I'd fed her before we left and said we don't go until you eat dinner, I would've had much more success.

5) Kids like glow-in-the-dark bracelets & necklaces more than the candy. I had a few glow-in-the-dark items in our trunk just for light and all the kids wanted those for their treat rather than candy. - And they don't  take no for an answer.

6) Do not make any plans the day after the Trunk-or-Treat and keep meals super simple. Assume the kids will be tired all day and asleep early. Parents will be slightly more exhausted. Everyone will be suffering from a sugar slump.

Hopefully with Daddy with us and these few tips for doing it differently next year we'll have an even better time with a little less crying and tiredness on everyone's part. Yes we both cried at the Trunk-or-Treat although no one knew I cried. I had to just shed a few tears watching The Bug run around having such a great time and wishing so much her Dad had been with us, watching her joyful glee with me. Next year it sounds like we are going to be The Pirate Family. I may try to buy costume parts this week on clearance. Seems like a good idea. Hope you survive your Halloween night and day after.