Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and the clocks went back last Sunday, so it will be dark early. That's good for the atmosphere and a bit trickier for the planning. Who's taking the children out, who's staying in to answer the door, and when is tea? A few small decisions made today take most of the stress out of the evening and leave room for the fun part.

The quick answer

• Eat first: an easy, filling tea before anyone goes out
• Agree the plan: who's with which children, the route, the start time and the time you're back
• Cover the door: someone stays in to hand out sweets, or you decide not to join in this year
• Be seen and be careful, with a simple plan for the sweets afterwards

Tea first, and keep it easy

Eating before trick-or-treating can make it easier to wait until you're home before opening the sweets. Choose something that can be ready early and eaten quickly, like soup, pasta or a tray of jacket potatoes, and plan an early tea before everyone heads out. The clocks went back last Sunday, so it gets dark much earlier than it did a fortnight ago. Aim to be finished eating well before you need to leave.

Decide who's going where

This is the part that quietly causes the most confusion. Before the evening, settle a few things:

• Who's with which children: especially if they're different ages, or older ones are going out with friends
• Where you're going: a rough route, a street or two, and where you'll meet if you get separated
• When you're back: a clear time for each group, and what happens if someone runs late
• Who's at home: someone to answer the door, or a plan not to join in this year

With the clocks changed, the sunset time matters more than usual. In Petal Home, the forecast's Tonight card shows that day's sunset time, next to the hour-by-hour weather, so on the night you can see when it gets dark and what the weather will be doing.

Be seen and be careful

• Be seen: add something reflective or a glow stick to costumes and bags, and take a torch
• Costumes that fit: check that costumes and shoes are comfortable to walk in, that nothing trails on the ground, and that masks or hats don't block vision. If a mask blocks their vision, choose another costume option rather than letting them wear it while walking
• When buying a costume, check for a UKCA or UKNI mark where applicable, read the safety label, and keep it away from candles and other flames, including pumpkin lanterns
• Use the pavement where there is one, walk rather than run, and cross roads at safe places rather than between parked cars
• Young children stay with an adult. Older children going without one should stay in a group, agree the route and a time to be back, and have a way to contact home

Answering the door, or not

Not everyone joins in, and that's fine. Many households that are happy for trick-or-treaters put out a pumpkin or Halloween decorations. If a house is dark, has no decorations, or displays a "No trick or treat" sign, teach children to move on. If you're staying in, have the sweets ready by the door, and keep pets calm and away from the doorway.

Have a plan for the sweets

The sweets question is easier when it's decided before the bag comes home. Some families choose a few pieces for that night and spread the rest over the following days, and others use their own family rule. Whatever you choose, agree it beforehand so everyone knows what to expect. Check the sweets at home before anyone eats them, and throw away anything unwrapped, opened or with damaged packaging. For under-fives, set aside hard sweets, lollipops and anything else small and hard that could be a choking risk. If your child has a food allergy, check every label, and don't use a sweet if you're unsure what's in it.