Treats or tricks, good times or goblins, tonight area youth will don their best Halloween garb and head out to seek a little sweet-toothed goodness.

But before the first speck of make-up is applied, before the first superhero cape gets tied into place, this morning is probably a good time to remember a few of the Halloween &8220;basics.&8221;

First, parents, if your children plan to go trick-or-treating, please accompany them.

Having an adult nearby is the best way for children to avoid getting into trouble.

Use common sense and a little courtesy. Both will go a long way toward making the holiday a safe one for everyone.

Make sure costumes have some bright, reflective colors to aid in visibility to passing motorists.

Carry a flashlight to avoid stumbling into a ditch or tripping over an unseen hazard. Better yet, carry two.

Some of your neighbors may not believe in celebrating Halloween, perhaps for religious reasons. If a house doesn&8217;t have its front porch light on, they&8217;re probably trying to send a message.

Do them a favor and don&8217;t go knocking anyway. It&8217;ll just cause some uncomfortable feeling.

Cut the door knocking off at a decent hour. With the changing time this past week, it gets dark early, so knocking past 8:30 p.m. or so is probably a bit unnecessary.

If you&8217;re old enough to drive yourself from house to house, realize how silly it must seem for a stranger to hand over candy to a near-adult dressed up like a Dracula. Leave it to the children from now on out.

There, we&8217;ve said our peace. No go out and have a safe, happy, sensible Halloween.