What do you do for Halloween?

I never know what to do about Halloween, whether I should encourage my children to go and knock on doors for sweets or not. Admittedly, they are both still pretty young so I guess I don't need to worry too much about that until they start asking. Actually, the longer that I can hold off taking them out in the cold and rain the better! I did once get a trick or treater knock on the door who was about twelve months old (with his parents I hasten to add)!

We make sure that we have plenty of sweets in to give to other children as they come to knock on the door. My children generally get a small pack of buttons as a treat because it only seems fair when they are offering sweets to other children!

One thing I have always done is to dress up them in an outfit and get a pumpkin cut out. Last year my daughter wore a tiny witch outfit and my son was dressed up as a pumpkin. The year before, my son was dressed as a skeleton (an outfit which my daughter will wear this year). I think it's nice that they open the door to the other children who are dressed up. It also helps to explain that the children knocking on the door are just dressed up too and not really monsters! I have yet to decide which outfit my son should wear. I was doing some online shopping yesterday and I saw these outfits from Littlewoods.

I think he would love the Dracula one because he it looks like the Count from Sesame Street and he loves that show. The monster just looks like fun and isn't too scary.

I am also sorely tempted by this ultra-cute bat outfit for my daughter! She would look utterly adorable!