Trick or Treating and SNOW! Any tips or tricks?

[delightedbutterfly]

We recently moved to a snowy and cold climate. There's already a couple feet of snow on the ground and our forecast only has MORE coming. 

Anyone have any tips or tricks for ToTing with kids and snow/cold weather?

[4evermom]

I think the main trick is to design warm costumes or be able to wear layers underneath. It's disappointing to kids to have to cover up a cute costume with their everyday coat.  Hopefully people are good about clearing sidewalks in your area. Some places have ToTing at indoor places like shopping malls. We're expecting rain this year so I'm using a black rain jacket from a thrift store as a base for a bat costume instead of a black long sleeved shirt or a hoodie.

[tbone_kneegrabber]

Like the pp I like to make the costume larger and layer underneath.

Also maybe choose something that big boots go well with.

[Peony]

Warm costumes, tights, long johns, fleece underneath. They wear gloves and sometimes a hat if needed, wool socks with warm boots. We bring hot chocolate or dash home for some. 

[onyxravnos]

yep if you can get the costumes way big so they go over the coats and snowpants. make use of costumes with hats or facepaint!

[delightedbutterfly]

Thanks! I'm not sure if the mall is doing a mall-o-ween... We always did one "back home" or around our little town center. I'll have to look into it, I'll also have my daycare child so it'll have to be right after school to work.

I bought big warm costumes, I'm just worried they won't be big enough!

I like the ideas! The mask would be warm and I like the bat idea!

Our sidewalks are still fairly covered, you shovel and a few minutes later they are covered again. The snow just isn't letting up! Last year they had almost no snow so I think this year will make up for that!

But it's fairly flat and even with a warm up break I know my youngest will be done early! My oldest an her older friend (who's costume is NOT warm, I don't believ) I am not so sure about

So many fun new things learning to live with snow and cold! Previously I could wear flip flops and capris all year long except for the odd time we'd get a couple days of snow!

[babymommy2]

I too live in north western canada, If you have toddlers usually people use those big  fleecy costume, like the kind you get at old navy. They are pretty easy to put a winter coat under. Older kids you just have to get larger costumes, or wear your winter coat over top. and We never do the mall thing, it is just not the same as being outside in the dark going door to door. Parents take coffee to keep warm. The worst part is the ice, so hopefully it will just be wet, not freezing.

[ellairiesmom]

Layering, layering, layering...and maybe putting their feet in ziploc freezer bags before sliding on shoes...  

One good thing about the blizzard we had in NJ last year right before Halloween was all that snow at the end of each driveway made a perfect spot to stick a cold beer in before walking up to the door with the kids...     lolololololol  

[Linda on the move]

One of my friends grew up in Alaska. She said her custom always had to be something that you could attach to the outside of a snowsuit -- something like cat ears and tail, with a little face paint.

I'd also check for indoor events and venues.

We lived in Canada for while, but not the as far north as you. Our neighbors were EXTREMELY generous with treats. Things like a Ziploc sandwich size bag of candy plus a juice box. We didn't need to go to very many houses to have a lot of "loot." 

We've moved around a lot, and the further south we live, the less each house gives. We are in the sunny southwest and kids tend to get 2 pieces of candy per house.
 

[delightedbutterfly]

These are all really good ideas!

I think I'm going to send DH to walk around with them if he's home and while neither of us are warm beverage drinkers I think he may enjoy the beer idea!

LOTM we are a generous bunch us Canadians lol But the sun sounds good right about now!

[CanBoo]

Grew up with cold Halloweens. Always had two costumes. One to wear at school and a loose one for trick or treating. It was great to get to make two. ;)

[mtiger]

Originally Posted by Linda on the move 
We lived in Canada for while, but not the as far north as you. Our neighbors were EXTREMELY generous with treats. Things like a Ziploc sandwich size bag of candy plus a juice box. We didn't need to go to very many houses to have a lot of "loot." 

We've moved around a lot, and the further south we live, the less each house gives. We are in the sunny southwest and kids tend to get 2 pieces of candy per house.
 

Remember that there are likely also more kids ToTing the further south you go. I get 200-300 kids every year. A sandwich bag each? Not happening.

[skycheattraffic]

Originally Posted by mtiger 

Remember that there are likely also more kids ToTing the further south you go. I get 200-300 kids every year. A sandwich bag each? Not happening.

We are in southern Ontario so Halloween could be snow or windbreaker weather. We live in an old neighbourhood in a fairly large city though so 150 kids seems to be the average. No sandwich bags here either :-)

[ellairiesmom]

I had to come back to this thread...Halloween turned out so different than I thought it would when I replied originally.  So interesting how life happens fast!

I am in NJ so instead of the blizzard like last year, we got hit with Hurricane Sandy.  Most of the tri state area lost power on Monday 10/29 and didn't get it back at least a week.  We were 8 days later & many folks we know were closer to the 10-14 days.  Most schools were closed for at least 1 week & they postponed Halloween a week by order of the Governers.  It made for a very dark, cold & strange Halloween.  The areas so close to us like the shore, lower NYC, Hoboken, Staten Island & the Rockaways were basically destroyed & it was really difficult to get gas for your car or those lucky enough to have generators.  Focus became on collecting water, warm clothing & food during those days to try & help others in areas hit hard.  And then you were finding places to charge smartphones so you could know what was going on (I can't believe how helpful Twitter turned out to be with no power for a week).  And we didn't have a generator so it was interesting how much life slowed down that week for us...

Younger kids didn't even realize Halloween came & went since they weren't at school & there was no power.  It was this weird period of "time stopping" or something??  We did have Halloween in town a week later but it felt kinda weird.