Say hello to Halloween parents and caregivers, trick-or-treat night is upon us and whether you plan to be holed up inside or walking the streets with the kids, police and nutritionist Claire Turnbull have their best tricks for a safe, fun evening.
Police have reminded parents to be on alert tonight ahead of Halloween celebrations and door-to-door trick-or treating, recommending children be accompanied by an adult, only visit areas that are well-lit and keep their visits to houses where they know the residents.
"Always go with an adult or if you're a teen - stay together with your friends," a police spokesperson told 1News.
For those staying indoors, police say householders don't have to open the door or respond to knocks from Halloween visitors.
"If you see a sign on the door that says 'no trick-or-treat here' or similar then respect their wishes."
How to manage the night-time sugar haul
New Zealand Registered Nutritionist Claire Turnbull says parents and caregivers can prepare for tonight's sugar event by "opting for a healthy meal before you head out on a lolly collecting mission".
"If your kids have full tummies, it can make it very slightly easier sometimes to manage the amount of treats they will want to eat!"
Turnbull says it's challenging to manage Halloween if your kids are surrounded by other kids chowing down on handfuls of lollies, but it can be helpful to set some boundaries upfront.
"With my boys who are four and eight, firstly, they are only allowed to have one lolly only per house we visit to ensure that they are leaving some for others. Secondly, we agree on a number of lollies they are able to have tonight, and the rest is saved and they can have them over the coming weeks.
"Kids love dressing up, dancing and being with their friends as much as eating treats, so focusing on the non-food side of Halloween is a good way to go."
Only a few weather gremlins about
1News meteorologist Dan Corbett says the weekend rainmaker is clearing away but there will still be a few wet-weather gremlins around.
"It's a bit damp on the East Coast but bar the odd shower across parts of the South Island and Northland it's otherwise dry.
"Auckland, Wellington, Dunedin and Taranaki are looking to be dry but Christchurch could see a small shower.
"Overall it should be okay for the trick-or-treaters," Corbett said.
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