Halloween is one of the few nights the whole neighborhood comes to you. Kids in capes and dinosaur suits climb your steps, parents wave from the sidewalk, and the doorbell stays busy until the little ones head home. If you love that, you don't have to give it up. A little setup in the afternoon makes the evening easier on your knees and your nerves.

Use what fits and skip what doesn't. Nothing here is medical advice.

Light the way before dark

Do the lighting while it's still daylight, so you're not on a step stool at dusk.

  • Check the porch bulb today. If it's out, ask a neighbor or someone in the family to change it. The 31st is not the night for a ladder.
  • Light the path from the sidewalk to your door, too. Solar stake lights from the hardware store, or a battery lantern by the bottom step, help the kids and help you.
  • Turn on the entryway light inside so you aren't stepping from a bright porch into a dark hall.
  • Keep a small flashlight in your pocket.

A well-lit porch is the best decoration you can put out.

An older man checks his clear porch steps in daylight, hand on the handrail, near a non-slip mat and a bright porch light. A tote bag with the Sovereign Serenity Care logo sits on a porch bench.

Steps, rails, and a clear path

Walk from your chair to the door and out onto the porch once, slowly, in the shoes you'll wear that night.

  • Move doormats, pumpkins, and decorations off the steps and out of the door's swing. Pumpkins on the steps look nice in pictures and catch feet in the dark.
  • Grab the handrail and give it a firm tug. If it wobbles, stay at the top of the steps and let the kids come up to you.
  • Wear shoes with a back and a grippy sole. Slippers can wait until the porch light is off.

Set up a sitting spot by the door

You don't have to stand at the door all evening.

  • Put a sturdy chair with arms just inside the door, or on the porch out of the walking path. The arms help you up each time the bell rings.
  • Set the candy bowl on a small table or stool next to the chair, about as high as your hand rests. You should never have to bend to the floor or lean out to reach it.
  • Pick a bowl light enough to lift with one hand, or a basket with a handle.
  • Hang a sweater on the back of the chair in case the evening cools off.
  • Keep your phone in your pocket, not on the kitchen counter, and a glass of water within reach.

Pets and the doorbell

A doorbell every few minutes is a lot for a dog or a cat. Before the first knock, settle them in a back room with water, a bed, and the radio on. That keeps them from darting out the open door, and it keeps an excited dog from bumping you off balance. If your cat already slips out on ordinary days, this is the night to keep the bedroom door shut.

Knowing who's knocking

Most of your visitors will be kids with a grown-up close behind. Still, it's your door, and you set the rules.

  • If you have a storm door or screen door, hand candy through it.
  • Use the peephole or doorbell camera if you have one.
  • You don't have to invite anyone in or open up for adults you don't know. "Happy Halloween" through the screen is plenty.
  • Keep the back door locked while you're busy out front.

When to turn the light off

A dark porch is the usual sign that you're done for the night. Decide your stopping point ahead of time: when the candy runs out, when the little kids are finished, or when you're tired. Then turn off the porch light, bring the bowl in, and lock up. Leave a hallway light on for yourself.

You don't owe anyone a full bowl at nine o'clock.

An older man and a companion wave from rocking chairs to children in costumes at dusk. A mug of cider with the Sovereign Serenity Care logo sits between them.

Have company at the door

Handing out candy is more fun with someone beside you, and it's easier. A second person can get the door while you stay seated, run to the kitchen for more candy, and walk the dog after the last knock. Ask a friend from church, a neighbor, a grandchild, or your son or daughter to come over.

If evenings in general have started to feel long, an evening helper can be that company on other nights too. Sovereign Serenity Care offers evening visits in and around Austin. A caregiver can help with supper, sit with you, and lock up with you at the end of the night. We vet our caregivers and match them to the person and the house.

We start with a free in-home consultation at your kitchen table, and you decide what you want help with. Book a Free Consultation when you're ready, or call (512) 888-9105.