It is Halloween morning, and you have a long list in your head and nothing on paper. This trick or treat checklist for hosts is a short, ordered set of jobs for the day, so that when the first small ghost walks up the path you are calm, warm and ready.

The checklist is written for a household that is handing out treats at the door. It covers the morning, the afternoon, the hour before and the evening itself, with a few things to do if you are short on time.

First, decide the basics

Before you do anything else, answer these four questions. They take five minutes and decide the rest of the day.

1. Are you taking part? If not, turn off the porch light and put a small sign on the door. That is a clear message and a perfectly good choice.
2. What time does it start and end? In most neighbourhoods, trick-or-treating begins around dusk, roughly 5 to 6 p.m., and winds down by 8 or 9 p.m. Pick your own cut-off, such as 8 p.m., and plan to stick to it.
3. Who is on the door? If you live with another adult, take turns, so each of you can eat dinner and take a break.
4. What are you giving out? Candy, non-food treats or both. Decide now, and count what you have.

This morning

• Count your treats. Use last year’s tally if you kept one. If you did not, ask a neighbour what the street is like: a busy residential street needs far more than an apartment building, a rural road or a cul-de-sac. If you are short, buy a little extra today.
• Set up your bowls. A shallow bowl or basket, kept in a place where you can reach it from the doorway, speeds up the line.
• Plan dinner. Choose something that you can eat early or reheat easily. A big pot of soup or chili is hard to beat.
• Charge what needs charging. Phones, flashlights, a battery lantern and any lights you plan to use.
• Check the weather. Cold, wind and rain change what you need: a hat, a warm coat, a rain cover for the candy, a covered porch.

This afternoon

• Clear the path. Walk from the sidewalk to your door and look for loose steps, wet leaves, hoses, bikes, garden tools and anything else that could trip a child in a dark costume.
• Put out your lights. Switch on porch lights, lanterns or string lights, and test each one. Our guide to Halloween porch lighting ideas covers how to get a good glow.
• Set up your decorations, if you have any. Keep them away from the path, and secure anything that might blow over.
• Put pets away. Dogs can be anxious or excited at a busy door. A quiet room away from the doorbell, with a favourite chew, is kind to them and to visitors.
• Plan the washroom and the warm spot. If you have a long evening, you will want somewhere to warm up between waves of kids.

The hour before

• Eat dinner. A hungry host is a grumpy host.
• Dress for the weather. A warm layer, boots and a hat if you plan to sit outside.
• Fill the bowls, but keep the extra supply inside, so that a sudden crowd does not empty your bowl.
• Turn on the lights about 30 minutes before dusk.
• Put a note on the door if you will be out of the room, such as “Please take two”.
• Check your phone’s flashlight, and place a small flashlight near the door.
• Keep your smart bell or doorbell on the setting you want, since some will ring every time a kid walks by.

During the evening

• Greet every child. A short “Happy Halloween” and a compliment on a costume takes a few seconds and makes the night.
• Pay attention to the youngest. Kneel or bend a little for toddlers, and hand treats to a parent if the child is very small.
• Keep an eye on the path. If a battery light has gone dark, replace it between groups.
• Refill bowls at the first quiet moment, not in the middle of a crowd.
• Offer an alternative. Keep a small bowl of non-food treats for children who cannot have candy, and keep it separate. Popcorn, raisins, hard items and small parts are choking hazards for children under four, so hand these to a parent.
• Take a break. If the street gets quiet, step inside for ten minutes, and keep the door light on.
• Know when to stop. At your cut-off time, turn off the porch light and bring the bowl inside. That is the signal for the rest of the street.

A few safety reminders

• Candles in pumpkins are riskier than they look. Use a battery tea light, especially where children in costumes pass close.
• Never hand out loose or unwrapped treats. Everything should be sealed and from a store.
• Allergies. Do not guess. Offer a clear choice, and keep separate bowls for food and non-food items.
• Traffic. If your street is busy, a light or a reflective vest helps kids stay visible, and parents appreciate a clear walkway.
• Visibility. Keep your steps and path lit.
• Heaters. If you sit outside with a patio or space heater, keep it well clear of costumes, decor, candles and the path, and never leave it on when you step away.

If you live in an apartment or condo

Many buildings have their own Halloween rules, and the evening works differently without a street.

• Ask the building. Some buildings arrange a floor-by-floor trick-or-treat, a lobby table or a party room. A notice in the elevator or the building group chat usually tells you.
• Mark your door. A pumpkin or a small sign on your door tells kids you are taking part. If you are not, leave it bare.
• Keep hallways clear. Do not put candles, loose decor or strollers in a shared corridor, since fire rules usually forbid it.
• Expect smaller numbers. A few dozen treats are usually enough, and a small bowl by the door is plenty.

What to do when it is quiet, and when it is busy

Halloween evenings are rarely steady. They come in waves.

• When it is quiet, use the time to eat, charge a phone and top up the bowl. Do not shut the door early because the street feels empty, as the next group is often right around the corner.
• When it is busy, do not try to talk to every child. A smile, a “Happy Halloween” and a treat is plenty, and a bowl that two or three kids can reach at once keeps the line moving.
• When the weather is bad, move the bowl under the porch roof, keep a towel inside the door and put a small cover over the candy.
• When you run out, turn off the light, put a note on the door and enjoy the rest of your evening.

If you are short on time

If your list is long and your day is short, do only these six things:

1. Count your treats and buy more if you are short.
2. Put the bowl in a spot you can reach from the door.
3. Clear the path.
4. Turn on the porch light, with a battery light in your pumpkin.
5. Eat dinner before the first knock.
6. Set a cut-off time.

Less or More: the host plan

	Less	More
Treats	One kind of candy	Candy and a non-food choice
Lights	Porch light and one pumpkin	Path lights, lanterns and a table
Costume	A hat	A full costume
Time at the door	Two hours	A full evening
Watch out for	Running out of treats	Tripping hazards in the decor

Print it and tick it off

For the door itself, the Trick-or-Treat Night Prep Kit from Green Velvet has a door candy planner for how many bags to buy and door-bowl notes, if you would like those on paper.

When you are ready

When your bowl is full, your path is clear and your light is on, you are ready. Anything else can wait for next year. For more on keeping things simple, visit the Minimalism hub, and see our guides to trick or treat candy station ideas and non-candy Halloween treats. If you are lighting a path and a porch, our Halloween porch lighting ideas cover safe options. For the indoor side of the evening, our post on Halloween candle decor has safe options for every room.