A home on Saint Joseph St. is prepared for Halloween. Experts suggest that when planning a route for trick-or-treating to only visit houses that you are familiar with and to share your route with a friend or family member.

With the most hallowed of all eves falling this year on Monday, most in the community are preparing for a weekend of celebration. While the frightful thoughts of ghosts and goblins being free to roam our earthly plane for the night are welcomed as part of the holiday traditions, for those wanting to remain safe from more real-world dangers Officer Adam Clark with the Cullman Police Department shares his top five safety tips to follow while enjoying the holiday weekend.

1. Follow the rules of the road: Try to cross the street only at corners or crosswalks, and be mindful to look both ways when crossing the street. Go above and beyond your normal safe driving habits and be extra vigilant for your and everyone else’s safety.

2. Avoid any homemade treats and inspect your children’s candy before allowing them eat any.

3. Travel in groups: It’s not only safer, but it is much more fun.

4. Be visible: The CPD encourages parents to have children wear glow sticks or carry a flashlight as a means to stay visible to drivers.

5. At the end of the night, parents should remove any face-paint or makeup from their children’s face to avoid any skin irritation.

For many people celebrating the holiday as a family would be incomplete without the inclusion of their four-legged family members. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) give their advice to ensure that your furrier family members also enjoy the holiday safely.

1. Keep treats out of reach of pets: For your pets, the halloween candy dish can look awfully similar to their food bowl, but most of the treats they will find can be harmful or potentially deadly for them to consume.

2. Keep pets calm and relaxed: Halloween night in particular can result in much more than the typical amount of visitors to come knocking. For some pets this amount of strange visitors can cause distress. For owners with anything but the most social of pets it is recommended to set them up a quiet area away from the front door where they can relax, unbothered by trick-or-treaters.

3. Keep a careful watch on jack-o-lanterns: For those who enjoy a more traditional flame-lit jack-o-lantern, the curiosity of a kitten or the rambunctious play time of a puppy has the potential to be dangerous for home owners. Battery operated lights are recommended, but if flames are used it is suggested to display them in an area where pets won’t be able to access them.