If You Scare the Trick-or-Treaters

I think most adults enjoy the superficial thrill of a good scary Halloween. But that is certainly not the case for most small children. And if some of your younger trick-or-treaters find your Halloween haunted house a little too frightening for their tastes, follow the directions below to turn their terrified screams into joyful laughter.

First, avoid the temptation to throw candy at the child. Sure, candy does have the power to make screaming children happy, but not when it is hurled at them by a six-foot Frankenstein's monster.

Second, remove as much of your costume as possible before approaching the small child. Granted you can't exactly wipe off all the costume makeup each time a kid gets scared. But you can take off that witch's hat, strap-on nose, and frizzy wig. (Just be sure not to take off too much of your costume. Taking off too much will just scare the child more - not to mention terrify most of your other party guests...)

Third, don't try to hug the child immediately. Sure, the kid probably does need a hug, but he/she just saw you transform from an Oompa Loompa back into their neighbor, Mr. Kraus. The child is going to need a minute to adjust before being hugged.

And finally fourth, if all else fails – grease up a little piglet, strap a pair of fake devil horns on its head, and then allow the frightened children to playfully chase the little piggy imp all the way home.