Today is October 31st, a time when all the little ghosts and goblins go door to door hoping to pick up some sweet treats. This year's Halloween holiday falls on a Friday, meaning most children will have to go to school the next day. So you can expect an earlier start and finish to the festivities this evening.

Trick-or-treating usually begins around sunset. According to TimeandDate.com, sunset times in major cities range from 5:52 p.m. in Huntsville to 5:55 p.m. in Birmingham and Montgomery and 6:04 p.m. in Mobile.

These times coincide with surveys showing what most people think is the best time to go door-to-door. A 2015 survey found that 40 percent of people said they set off trick-or-treating at 6 p.m., with 27 percent making their rounds at 8 p.m. and 37 percent at 9 p.m had done

As a general rule of thumb, it's okay to stay out until around 9 p.m., but when a house turns off the lights, that means it's done for the night.

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Halloween safety tips

Here are some tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how to best keep Halloween safe:

• Wear costumes that say “flame retardant” on the label. When making your costume, use flame-retardant fabrics such as polyester or nylon.
• Wear bright, reflective costumes or attach strips of reflective tape to make yourself more visible. Make sure the costumes are not so long that there is a risk of you tripping.
• Wear makeup and hats instead of costume masks, which can obscure your vision.
• Colorful makeup is popular on Halloween. Check the FDA list of color additives to see if the colors are FDA approved. If they are not approved for their intended use, do not use them. This is especially important for colored makeup around the eyes.
• Because of the risk of eye injury, do not wear decorative (colored) contact lenses that appear to alter the appearance of your eyes unless you have seen an eye doctor for proper fitting and received instructions on how to use the lenses. For more information, see “Eye Safety” below.

Safe treats

• Don't eat candy until you've inspected it at home.
• If you have a food allergy, check the label to make sure the allergen is not present. Tell children not to accept or eat anything that is not commercially packaged.
• Parents of very young children should remove any choking hazards such as chewing gum, peanuts, candies or small toys from Halloween bags.
• Inspect commercially packaged treats for signs of tampering, such as unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in the packaging. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.

Tips for drivers

• Watch out for trick-or-treaters and other pedestrians.
• Slow down and scan the road. Remember: slower speeds save lives.
• Watch out for young trick-or-treaters in unexpected places. Children may be oblivious to traffic and run into the street unexpectedly.
• If you see a drunk driver, contact the police.

Pedestrian safety

• Before the festivities begin, set up a “partner system” to get each other home safely and prevent you from walking alone.
• Obey traffic rules and obey signs and signals.
• If possible, cross streets at crosswalks or intersections. Look for cars in all directions, including cars turning left or right.