Cheektowaga, N.Y. (WBEN) - The spookiest night of the year is here, as many will be celebrating Halloween on Tuesday with their stylish costumes and heading out in the evening for a night of trick or treating.
Halloween is a night that several parents look forward to, sharing the evening with their kids and taking a stroll throughout their neighborhood.
"It's really exciting," said Chrissy from California, originally from Cheektowaga. "Actually, we love coming back here to trick or treat, because it's a lot more festive than it is where we're from. So we get the cousins together and go around. A lot of haunted houses, great decorations around here, it's awesome."
"I have five kids myself, so it's always a really busy time in our house, but my kids are getting older. So it's fun to be here with work today, just volunteering and giving out the candy to the little kids," said Sarah Bedient from West Seneca, taking part in Monday's "Galleria of Treats" at the Walden Galleria Mall in Cheektowaga.
For many parents like Katie Colson from East Amherst, there are always some concerns when it comes to taking the kids trick or treating on Halloween every year. One concern that is always prevalent at this time of year in Western New York is what Mother Nature has to offer when it's time to peruse the neighborhood.
"I would say weather's the No. 1 thing," said Colson, taking in Monday's event in Cheektowaga with her daughter Sophia. "She also has a little brother at home. It's hard to get out when it's snowing, hopefully not snowing, but raining. The bad weather is definitely the No. 1 concern for us."
"We're hoping it's a little dry and not too wet so that we're not freezing, but my brother always makes some good hot chocolate. So we'll power through no matter what," added Chrissy.
For others like Debbie Raiken from Buffalo, she feels it's always a good idea for kids to be closely supervised when they go trick or treating, especially to avoid the worst-case scenario of someone trying to tamper with candy to do harm to anyone.
"When they get home and look at their loot, the parents should go through that with their kids and make sure everything is safe, and the candy is covered, no sharp objects and nothing that can harm them. But otherwise, they should just be able to have fun," said Raiken.
While Halloween is meant to be a night of celebration for all ages, there are discussions about the age of some trick or treaters, and whether or not there is an age where one may be too old to trick or treat.
"I think once they've reached the teen years, they're probably too old," Raiken said. "By that age, the kids can gather together at somebody's house and have a party."
However, for other parents, they don't have too much concern over kids going out and trick or treating well into their teenage years.
"I don't really think there should be an age limit," said Bedient. "If they're out doing something fun and sort of wholesome, I think they should have at it and just have a nice time and go out and collect some candy. Who cares?"
"I'd rather my kids be going trick or treating door-to-door than going to parties or other stuff," Chrissy said. "So I think if teenagers come to your door and want some treats, just give them the candy with a smile."
"I'd rather have them trick or treating than getting into other kinds of trouble. So I support any age that wants to trick or treat, and do it safely. I think it's great," echoed Colson.
However, when it comes to kids being able to trick or treat without the supervision of an adult, how young is too young to let children go out on their own with friends?
"My kids are 10 and that's too young, in my opinion, to be going by themselves," Chrissy said. "So maybe 12 would be a good age to start? I don't know. We'll get there when we get there, I guess."
As for other parents, there are differing circumstances when it comes to letting their kids head out for a night of trick or treating on their own without an adult. One factor is the neighborhood in which kids are trick or treating in.
"I guess if it was in my personal neighborhood, I would probably say I would want them, at least, 10-years-old, maybe even older. It depends though," said Colson.
As for parents like Bedient, she says it's also knowing their own kids and who they may be trick or treating with.
"I've got 10-year-old twins myself, and I would probably send one of them out on their own with friends, and probably the other one is really not that ready. So it really depends on the kid, and I think it's a parent decision overall and just knowing your kids and knowing what they're capable of," Bedient said.
From all of us at WBEN News Radio 930, we wish you a safe and Happy Halloween!