Unless You're A Real Witch, I Promise A Little Rain On Halloween Won't Ruin Your Life

You've planned and plotted for what seems like months now. You have your trick-or-treating route all set out, but to your dismay the forecast is calling for rain on the evening of Oct. 31. "What happens if it rains on Halloween?" your child will inevitably ask, their lip quivering as they watch the morning news meteorologist with an intensity like you've never seen before.

Scrambling to reassure your little worry wart that Halloween won't be cancelled because of the rain, you roll your eyes and keep packing their spooky-themed lunch complete with faux-finger hot dogs and ketchup "blood" because you know exactly how to handle a little rain on Halloween. You run through a mental list of the items you'll need to gather to get through the deluge the weatherperson has just assured your kid is going to fall down and ruin their candy collecting.

Umbrella? Check. Rain poncho? Check. Rubber boots? Probably tossed in the back of a closet somewhere... but, check.

You've got all of your bases covered and are officially ready to brave the wet weather and take your kids trick-or-treating despite the forecast trying to rain on your spooky parade. Here's how it's gonna go down: you will be damp, probably cold, and if you can't find those galoshes, your feet will probably get wet. All of that face paint you spent $50 on at the party supply store is going to run all over your kid's white clown costume, turning them into a sloppy-looking Pennywise, but in spite of the less-than-stellar weather, you will persevere.

Not feeling so confident about your ability to survive the threat of a torrential downpour on Halloween? You're not alone. I've been there. Just last year, I was battling a potential rainy Halloween night myself and was freaking out just a tiny bit about my kids not being able to trick-or-treat. But do you know what happened? Two things — it stopped raining before sundown, and my kids had a blast jumping in many a puddle with their rubber boots.

In the case of absolutely horrendous thunderstorms where an umbrella and a raincoat just won't cut it, having a backup plan is another way to ensure that your kids can still trick-or-treat on Halloween night. Of course, activity availability will vary, but most communities typically have some sort of indoor Halloween activity for families to enjoy on Oct. 31, whether that be at a school, a church, or community center.

Consider taking your kids to trick-or-treat at a nursing home or retirement community where residents are welcoming costumed little ones. This is a golden opportunity to allow your kids to collect candy and show off their Halloween costumes in an indoor environment that is protected from the elements. The amazingly huge plus side to this type of weatherproofed Halloween night adventure is that you'll likely make the day of the nursing home residents and help your child make connections to this sometimes forgotten part of your community.

Another option if you are just absolutely against venturing out in the rain at all is to set up a trick-or-treating extravaganza within your own house. You've already stocked up on candy for the trick-or-treaters who you had planned to visit your home, so pass it out to your own kids as they travel door-to-door inside. You could even hide candy around the house and have them search for it Easter egg-style. Then, snuggle up and marathon watch Halloween movies while you eat your fill of delicious treats.

Don't let a little rain on Halloween spoil all of the fun for you and your kids — there are plenty of options at your disposal. And unless you're a witch, I promise you won't melt.