Big Weekend Ahead!

Hard to believe we’re already in the 44th week of 2025. Tomorrow will be All Hallow’s Eve, followed by All Saints Day, November 1st. And then on Sunday, we turn the clocks back, ending daylight savings time. Before you know it, we’ll be sharing Thanksgiving dinner, then celebrating Christmas, our favorite holiday of the year.

Halloween

Falling on a Friday, Halloween comes with a double blessing and a double warning this year. It’s a positive for parents who don’t have to worry about kids being out past their bedtime on a school night or having to get them up for church the next day. It’s also a plus for the adults that can stay out late for parties. 

The worry comes when those two activities collide. Sunset is at 6:47pm, with full dark falling just after 7, which is when a lot of adult festivities will kick off. There’s also all the normal traffic at that time of the evening, including one of the busiest food delivery nights. 

Regardless of what costumes you or your children wear, it never hurts to add a reflective stripe or two and carry a flashlight. Glow in the dark candy bags or pumpkin pails add an extra layer of visibility for your little ones. Use sidewalks whenever possible and remember to always cross at the marked crosswalks and obey traffic signals. Don’t assume cars will stop, even if you've got the right of way. The drivers may just not see you. 

If your neighborhood doesn’t feel safe or is not well lit, drive to a different neighborhood so the kids can still enjoy their time. And of course, recognize stranger danger, and tell kids to never go into a house or car for a treat of any kind. The last time Trick or Treating happened on a Friday was back in 2014, but the next one lands in 2031.

Dressing up

Many of us grew up with plastic masks that were held on with an elastic strap and had hard-to- see-out-of eyeholes. Nowadays, kids are more inclined to use makeup (make sure it's non-toxic!), decorative hats, or cloth face coverings that provide better visibility. You’ll also want to check for costumes and wigs labelled “flame resistant.” 

A very popular costume choice this year are Ninjas and K-Pop Demon Hunters. Authenticity looks good, but consider the hazards of carrying around swords, canes or sticks. These can easily injure the wearer or other people nearby, and, when they get heavy, may cause some tripping when they get dragged underfoot. 

Here’s something you may not have thought of - make sure costume shoes are comfortable and fit well. Otherwise, the treats may not be worth the blisters and other tricks of ill-fitting shoes worn too long.

More Treats, Fewer Tricks

Anecdotes about tainted candy go all the way back to the 1960’s, but there’s very little proof any of it actually happened. Joel Best, a University of Delaware sociology and criminal justice professor did extensive research and wrote a book on tainted candy. He found only 200 cases from 1958 through 1985 of dangerous items handed out during trick or treating. Only one resulted in a death, and that one turned out to be an isolated case where a man killed his son and tried to use Halloween candy to cover it up. 

That said, it is better to be safe than sorry. Don’t eat anything while still out; check everything in good lighting. Only eat factory-wrapped treats, and never eat anything homemade from strangers. Discard anything open or unlabeled that you don’t recognize. Be mindful of CBD laced products that may look like gummies but are not for kids. Anytime you’re not sure, just throw it away. 

Eat a good dinner before you hit the sidewalks – that helps keep kids from being tempted to indulge. Before you leave, let your youngsters know not to eat anything, and that everything they get will be portioned out so they don’t get sick. Set the boundary before you have a bag overflowing with sugary goodness. 

Nobody wants to be “that house,” but consider giving away non-food treats, like coloring, activity and puzzle books, crayons, pens and pencils. It might get you an eye roll from kids, but they’ll appreciate it later. And remember - always have those treats ready for children who are not allowed candy and/or who may or may not be carrying a blue bucket.

Turn Back the Clocks

The official end of Daylight Saving Time is November 2, 2025, at 2am. Of course, most of us won’t be up till that time, so adjust your clocks just before bedtime. It’s autumn, so remember, “time falls backward,” so 2am becomes 1am, and presumably we all get a bonus hour of sleep. After this week, we can all use it. 

If you live in Arizona or Hawai’i, well, your clock won’t change, as those two states observe permanent standard time. Nineteen other states, including our own Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee, have passed laws that would allow them to switch to permanent daylight saving time, if and when the federal government ever allows it. 

Until then, we’ll all be turning the clocks back - and guaranteeing we’ll be on time for Sunday morning services. Daylight saving time will kick off again on Sunday, March 8, 2026. 

Of course, bugs don’t care what time your clock says, they just look for opportunities. As we sail into November, this is your opportunity to get your home inspected and sealed up before the Florida winter, aka, snowbirds season. With Go GreenPerimeter Plus, our highly-trained technicians recommend sealing up any openings insects might use to invade your home, even the ones you don’t think about. Then we use a family-friendly, green treatment that gets rid of spiders, roaches, ants and more without hurting your family or pets. For more information, please give us a call!