Americans love Halloween and have made this late fall holiday second only to Christmas in popularity. As I watch the leaves turn red and gold outside my study window in early October, it seems like a good time to review some basic Halloween safety. I've put together a few tips about costume and candy safety that I hope will make Halloween both safe and fun for you and your family.

Costumes

While I actually wore a bed sheet on a "ghostly" Halloween evening many years past, today's Halloween costumes are much more elaborate. Many costumes take their cue from popular films. This year at least, expect to see kids dressed as the Silver Surfer of Fantastic Four lore or Elizabeth Swann of the popular Pirates of the Caribbean movie series. Whatever the outfit, there are several safety features you'll want to consider.

First, make sure you child's costume is made of fire retardant material. Candles are common at Halloween and fire retardant material makes it much more difficult for a costume to catch fire should your child accidentally brush against a candle or other open flame.

Next, every Halloween costume should have some kind of reflective tape. This makes it much easier for motorists to see a child in the headlights of a car. If your child's costume doesn't have strips of reflective tape, buy some at the local hardware store and attach the tape yourself.

Finally, don't forget to attach a name tag or other label to the inside of your child's costume. Include your child's name, address and a telephone number where you or another family member can be reached in the event your child becomes lost or separated from you.

Candy

It's both a sad and disturbing comment about the society we live in that many hospitals will now X-ray Halloween candy for free on Halloween night. While incidents of poisoned candy or candy laced with dangerous objects are rare, your child's health and safety are too important to leave to chance.

The first rule of candy safety is to teach your child not to eat any candy until you personally inspect it. Most of today's Halloween candy is individually wrapped and checking that these wrappers are intact is the first thing a parent should do. In the event that a wrapper is torn, or if there is any evidence that candy has been unwrapped and then closed again, don't hesitate to throw the candy away.

Getting more personally involved in your child's Halloween experience is one of the best ways to ensure little Johnny's or Sally's safety. One hands-on approach is to drive your children to the homes of people you know and trust, where they can collect candy from relatives and friends instead of strangers. Consider taking your child to the Halloween party of a friend or neighbor. Better yet, why not throw a Halloween party for your kids in the safety of your very own home?

Conclusion

Halloween wouldn't be Halloween without costumes and candy, but it's important to make sure Halloween is safe for our kids. Following the tips above and researching additional topics on your own - traffic safety is one of several good examples - will help ensure many years of happy Halloweens for you and your children.