Halloween brings potential health and safety hazards, but there’s no need to take all of the fun out of the night! Keep the boos from becoming boo-hoos by following some tricks (and treats) of the trade.

> Creeped out by calories? Get the stats on 9 sweet Halloween treats

> Before you hack away at that Jack-o’-lantern-to-be, check these “carve with care” safety tips

> Danger-free dress-up: A costume can make you feel scary, silly, or sinister, but it shouldn’t make you feel unsafe

> Tricks for treating: The big night has come! Here are some age-appropriate tricks for safe treating.

> Sugar shock? Here’s how to prevent post-Halloween candy overload.

> Who’s afraid of the big, bad clown? Lots of folks, apparently!

> We fear this? It’s apparently scarier than any spooky creature or frightening threat lurking in the dark!

> The dark? Tunnels? Tight spaces? Heights? What’s your greatest phobia?

> Freddy Kruger may cause nightmares. What else does?

You don’t have to go trick-or-treating to be haunted by Halloween candy. Bite-sized chocolate bars and chewy sweet treats tempt us from overflowing bowls in offices, lobbies, and front halls every year.

You see those tiny packages and shrug, “Oh well, one won’t hurt me.” But then one can quickly turn to three, especially if the candy sits in the office kitchen or on the table near your front door.

If you’re like many people this year - trying to stretch your dollar a bit farther - you’ll buy big bulk bags of candies to hand out to the parade of trick-or-treating tots who ring your doorbell. Though the mega-bag may list the nutritional info of each type of candy inside, those teensy individual portions do not.

Here’s the bittersweet nutritional rundown of some of our bite-sized favourites: [Read more →]

Halloween is tomorrow, and it got me thinking about fears. What really scares me these days, as a full-fledged adult? In terms of phobias, I’m a little claustrophobic and heights make me woozy. But factor out those minor phobias and the big-time fears of mortality and pain - I’m talking more about the things that creep me out, that give me shivers. You know, the fun kind of fright many of us like to enjoy around October 31st each year?

For some people, clowns tickle their terror bone. I know I get goosebumps when I encounter a clown. Kramer from Seinfeld and Johnny Depp are two noted coulrophobics, suffering from an “abnormal or exaggerated fear of clowns”. And coulrophobics may need to cover their eyes tomorrow, since Heath Ledger’s terrifying, psychotic clown, The Joker from The Dark Knight, promises to be one of the most popular costumes this year.

The Joker and other “evil clowns” aside, what is it about the benevolent, cheerful, Bozo-type clowns that spooks some of us so badly? Is it the sometimes ghostly, ghoulish, or garish makeup? Is it the incessant, exaggerated mirth? I’ve read about how phobias may be triggered by traumatic events, so maybe the over-the-top antics and in-your-face craziness of clowns left a lasting impression on some of us as kids.

Any ideas? What are you afraid of? Do you suffer from the #1 most common fear? Share your creep-outs in the comments below!