14 Cities And Towns In Massachusetts With Special Trick-Or-Treat Times

Five children in costumes walking up to the porch of a house trick or treating.

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Halloween is coming, and the kids (big and small) are ready with their costumes and candy buckets. It's time to trick-or-treat in your community, and there are some towns that have special trick-or-treat times this year across the state.

Trick-or-Treat for All

Years ago I had a friend post a reminder to people giving away candy on Halloween, that all kids are not the same. Many children out for the night will have special needs that you need to keep in mind. There are children with autism, speech issues, allergies, issues with motor skills, and more. These are things that will look differently in different kids. That said, ALL kids deserve to be welcomed and treated well while out trick-or-treating. Some reminders:

All kids won't yell "trick-or-treat" and that's ok. All kids won't say "thank you," and that's ok too. I understand that that's what people expect, but all children may not be able to express that. Be kind.
It's nice to offer kids a choice. I understand that Halloween can be expensive for people. If you can, have some non-food choices for kids. Head to the dollar store and put together a bucket for kids who may not want, or are unable to, eat candy.
It's lit! Make sure that your porch, or driveway, or entryway is lit well. And make sure there's nothing blocking the way to the door. There may be children who have wheelchairs or other adaptive equipment to help them get to the door.
Participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project. Here's more info on the project below.

If you need more suggestions to prepare for trick-or-treaters, here you go!

Special Trick-or-Treat times

While most cities and towns across the state don't have special times, there are several that do. Here's the list from Boston 25.

Andover: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Oct. 31)
Amesbury: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Oct. 31)
Dracut: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Oct. 31)
Lee: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Oct 31)
Lowell: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Oct. 31)
Palmer: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. (Oct 31)
Pittsfield: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Oct 31)
Revere: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Oct 31)
Swampscott: 8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. (Oct 31)
Tewksbury: 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Oct. 31)
Uxbridge: 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Oct 31)
Ware: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Oct 28)
Watertown: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Oct 28)
Yarmouth Port: 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. (Oct 31)

Happy Trick-or-Treating! Have fun and stay safe.

Dentist says to ABSOLUTELY SKIP These 5 Candies This Halloween

You know that dude that pops up on social media this time of year every year, with his theatrical black shirt and pants and huge pumpkin head? That's me, dancing my face off out of excitement for another Halloween. I stopped trick or treating soooooo long ago but there's still something about Halloween that gets my blood pumping. I think I love the creativity: you can be something beautiful or straight up nasty. You can decorate your house in so many different ways.... or not decorate your house at all.

Many other people (especially the kiddos) love Halloween for all the sweet treats this time of year. How many Reese's Pumpkins have you eaten so far this year. I personally lost count some time in early September.

Dr. Kevin Sands, a board-certified cosmetic dentist based in Beverly Hills, California, has stepped forward to say: NOT ALL HALLOWEEN CANDY IS CREATED EQUAL. Some is bad. But some is really, reeeeaaaaalllllyyyy bad. In fact, he says there are 6 candies to try to avoid at all costs on Halloween... and, in case you're reading this article on some random March day, just in general.

And though he gave us "The Avoid These 5," he also gave us some not-as-bad options and they include CHOCOLATE so hey, this ain't that bad, right?
Dr. Sands says chocolate, powdered candy, Smarties, yogurt-covered raisins, nuts, popcorn, and sugar-free gum are all better options for Halloween and snacking in general. Much of this obviously should be eaten in moderation. Just because chocolate is listed as a better option, it doesn't mean it's fruit. LOL

Now the bad news...
This list may hurt a little but these are 5 candies you should absolutely skip this Halloween according to Beverly Hills dentist Dr. Kevin Sands.
Wanna know more about the Beverly Hills dentist with the trick or treat tips?! Check him out RIGHT HERE!

HARD CANDIES

Hard candies pose a risk of breaking or chipping your teeth. But even if you're not a candy-biter, these candies are no good because since they're in your mouth for a prolonged period of time it gives bacteria with a long sugar feast. Ew. Avoid.

STICKY OR GUMMY CANDIES

I love gummies but I love my fillings being in my teeth more. The doctor says taffy and caramels are especially bad so: avoid.

SOUR CANDIES

The doctor says that many sour candies have almost as much as high of a pH level as an alkaline battery! This can wear the enamel on your teeth down in a jiffy. Avoid.

SUGAR-FREE CANDIES

These should be ok, right? Wrong, says the Beverly Hills dentist. Sugar-free candies often contain citric acid, which despite having way less sugar, can still wear down enamel so avoid.