Observe Halloween with safety

Sunday is Halloween, an observance that dates to the Dark Ages. But did you know that the first recorded instance of a Halloween celebration occurred, not in eighth century England, but in Anoka, Minn., in 1921.

Those are just a few of the intriguing facts released by the U.S. Census Bureau as Oct. 31 approaches.

Depending on your reputation and where you live, you may get a lot of trick-or-treaters, but it will only be a tiny fraction of the 36.8 million potential ghosts and goblins in the United States in 2003 -- and that includes only the 5- to 13-year-olds across the nation, down 274,000 in 2000.

But not to worry, the chances that your home will be deluged with costumed youngsters are slip -- there are approximately 105,999,999 other housing units, besides yours, that they can choose to visit first.

And they're not out there for nothing, according to the Census Bureau, which reports the per capita consumption of candy is 25 pounds -- and most of that, presumably by kids around Halloween. But dietitians may take slight solace in the fact that the amount is down, from 27 pounds per person in 1997.

But calories aren't the only danger to be wary of on Halloween, according to the National Safekids Campaign.

* Walk, don't run. Stay on sidewalks and walkways, and don't cut across yards or driveways.

* Homeowners should remove garden hoses, lawn ornaments and fallen leaves that can create hidden obstacles.

* Cross the street at the corner or in a crosswalk, and cover one side of the street at a time.

* Make sure costumes don't drag on the ground.

* Shoes should fit to make walking safe and easy.

* Avoid wearing masks while walking from house to house. Masks obscure vision.

* Carry flexible props that can't harm a child in case of a fall.

* Wear light-colored costumes with reflective markings or tape.

* Carry a flashlight, but don't flash at drivers.

Animal experts also suggest:

* Don't leave your pet outside on Halloween.

* Keep cats inside for several days before and after Halloween, especially black cats.

* Don't feed your pets chocolate or candy.

* Keep pets in a separate room during trick-or-treat visits. All the visitors and noise can be stressful for pets. They can also dart outside an open door.

* Be careful on what type of costume you get for your pet. If they don't like it, don't force them to dress up. If they do, be sure there is no restriction of movement, vision or hearing.

* Make sure they are wearing proper identification in case they do get lost.