Storm complicates the picture for Halloween

As if flooding, power failures, and fallen trees weren't enough, Hurricane Sandy has left one more nasty trick on the region's doorstep: Many spooked communities have canceled Halloween.

The fear is that costumed trick-or-treaters might otherwise be traveling through virtual minefields of debris and downed trees. Instead, towns, many in storm-battered New Jersey, are rescheduling parades and advising children to stay home Wednesday night.

The issue in New Jersey is so acute that Gov. Christie said Tuesday that "Halloween is not going to happen tomorrow in New Jersey, unfortunately . . .. but I don't want kids to be disappointed, so tomorrow we will reset Halloween by executive order."

Cherry Hill, Haddon Heights, Collingswood, Audubon, Pine Hill, Gloucester Township, and Bellmawr all chose to postpone the festivities until later in the week. Bristol Township in Bucks County is delaying things until next Wednesday.

In some cases, community Halloween parades were outright canceled. Quite a few school districts also postponed their planned celebrations.

In Haddon Township, the fun has been delayed until Saturday. Jami Laveen said her three children are dealing with it.

"They are a little disappointed, but generally their reaction was 'as long as we get to go,' " she said.

For others, it just won't be the same.

"I like it on the real day," complained Sophie Steidle, 9, of Collingswood, where trick-or-treating is being moved to Saturday afternoon.

For lots of busy families, moving Halloween is going to mean a logistical tap dance.

Jen Eife, a prekindergarten teacher and mother of five in Collingswood, said her two oldest, Madelyn, 8, and Nathan, 7, both have other activities Saturday. And she and her children like to make the rounds in neighboring communities where they have relatives.

This year, however, towns have different trick-or-treat hours. Plus there are the kids' activities. What to do?

"We will find a way," Eife said. "We will go trick-or-treating."

Tom Grady, mayor of Narberth, Montgomery County, canceled the tiny borough's annual parade, which always features a string band and is held on the night before Halloween.

"There's too much junk on the roads," he said.

Most people, including his 13-year-old daughter, Sophie, were disappointed but seemed to understand. Sophie and her friends went to a movie instead. Nothing, however, is keeping her from the main event Wednesday night, which, unlike elsewhere, was not canceled or postponed in Narberth.

"I was going to be upset if we couldn't go out, but it looks fine," said Sophie, who plans to canvas the neighborhood as Batman with seven of her friends.

In Maple Shade, which postponed its annual Halloween parade until Saturday, candy-starved kids can blame Sonny Frett, the township's recreation director.

"We weren't taking any chances," said Frett, who made the tough call to cancel after consulting with several other township officials.

"I worried if the streets were going to be clear and about the weather. I was concerned for the kids' safety," he explained.

Even in towns that gave the sugar-fueled holiday the green light, parents worried about letting little ghosts and vampires traipse along slippery roads, oblivious to anything but how much candy they can stuff in their bags.

Julie Dechnik, a mother of three from Skippack, said what to do on Halloween was the topic of the day among her Facebook friends.

"Some are saying, 'Let's send the kids out even if it's drizzling and not cancel the holiday.' Everybody bought their candy already," she said.

But Kathy Hampton, a Cheltenham Township supervisor and mother of two, said that if it was raining, she probably would not shepherd her younger child, a girl of 9, through the neighborhood. Even though her daughter will be dressed as a supermacho Storm Trooper, "she doesn't like to be cold," said Hampton, who lives in Wyncote.

Upper Darby Township is one place that isn't postponing Halloween, and that has enabled one 6-year-old Drexel Hill boy to sleep easier.

Joseph Coll had been fretting for days, according to his father, Mike.

"He's been having little panic attacks about whether there would be Halloween or not," Coll said.

There are still quite a few fallen branches around, including some big ones from a tree on his property.

"We definitely have some clearing up to do, but when you look at the news, we really dodged the bullet." So on Halloween night, after a family-tradition holiday supper of grilled cheese and tomato soup, Coll said, he and his wife will take Joe on the rounds as they did with his four older siblings, regardless of the Sandy debris.

This year, his father said, Joe is going to be bringing a third pillowcase instead of his usual two.

"He's trying to get his little record," the father said. "He's pretty pumped up." Take that, Sandy.