Neighborhood Expert: Final Halloween tips and candy donations!

Laura Schwartz is a licensed Realtor in VA, D.C. and MD with McEnearney Associates in Vienna. You can follow Laura on Instagram at @LauraSchwartzRealtor or her Facebook page. Laura can be reached at 703-283-6120 or Laura@GuidingYourMove.com.

Happy Halloween!

My kids were up before the sun in anticipation of their inevitable sugar rush tonight so cheers to that. I was reminded last night just how small town Vienna really feels when we took my kids to do the Halloween things our community creates. I want to make sure everyone who wants to see or know about these things, gets the opportunity.

So here are my final tips for Halloween:

• The kind souls who own 305 Patrick Street SW, Vienna have created a Haunted House in their driveway. Basically they built a hallway you walk through. If you want to be scared, you’ll get it. If you don’t, just tell the kind woman and she’ll leave the lights on so you don’t get scared. Super kid friendly. Open from 6-9 p.m.
• The Ni Family Lights (the famous house for the holiday music light show) also create one for Halloween but don’t advertise it. That runs until 9:30 p.m. tonight. Tune your radio to 90.3 to hear the music.

Now, not to be a downer, but I just recently threw away the remains of my kids candy stash from last year. Thank goodness we didn’t get ants! If you’re looking to get some of the candy out of your house this week, consider one of these options:

• Dr Ghaffari (Ghaffari Orthodontics on Church Street) has a candy buy back program. They’ll pay you $1 for each pound of candy and mail it to the troops.
• Drop off your treats for the troops to a donation center: Valo Park, 7950 Jones Branch Drive from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. until Wednesday, November 2.
• Operation Shoebox: mail your candy donations to this organization and they’ll create care packages for troops overseas. (8360 East Highway 25, Belleview, FL 34420)