All of us-whether we have children or not-should be on our toes as Halloween approaches and the ghouls, goblins, and ghosts gather.

Elsewhere in today's newspaper, you will find tips from our local law enforcement on having a safe and happy Halloween. Sandra R. Kelly of the Cooperative Extension Service also offers some advice on safely dealing with tasty treats.

The best advice anyone could give about this holiday, one much beloved by children of all ages, is to be careful.

Don't let your little spook trick-or-treat alone. Make sure you check any treats before your little hobgoblins dive into their goody bags.

Make sure your kids have something reflective attached to their costumes or bags. Make sure everyone in your party has a flashlight with good batteries.

Drivers should remember to slow down on neighborhood streets, due to increased traffic, tight spaces, and the possibility that a little werewolf might run out from between parked cars.

Parents should also make sure their darling little demons cross streets only at corners, and avoid homes without porch lights.

Remember as well that there are alternatives to the classic trick-or-treat outing. The lack of sidewalks in some communities makes alternative events such as East Arcadia's Halloween Festival and the Elizabethtown Jaycee's Haunted Trail are good bets.

Trick-or-treating is one tradition parents and children can still enjoy together. The bombings of last year, followed immediately by the anthrax scare, put a little too much real horror in most folks' lives for last year's Halloween to be very much fun.

We hope everyone can enjoy trick-or-treating this year, and we hope that while parents are smiling over their youngsters' first cries of "Trick or Treat!" everyone will do their best to keep this a safe and happy Halloween.

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