Scholars believe that a couple of thousand years ago, the Celts dressed up in odd costumes and performed strange rituals to ward off evil spirits.

Thus, Halloween was born.

Today, the funny costumes remain, but the rituals are generally limited to knocking on doors and asking for candy.

And as children all across Calhoun and Gordon County venture out in search of the best treats, there are a few things worth knowing.

What to do

If you don’t want to wait until it gets dark to start the candy hunting, the City of Calhoun is offering an alternative.

From 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. the city will host its annual Halloween trick-or-treat event.

“Find a parking place and trick-or-treat with the merchants,” said Suzanne Roland, director of the Calhoun Downtown Development Authority. “You start on one end and make your way around the block.”

Following the city event, participating merchants at the Calhoun Premium Outlets will also host trick-or-treaters from 5 to 7.

Many area churches are offering alternatives to traditional Halloween activities. See the church calendar in today’s paper for details.

What to know

Expect a heightened police and sheriff’s office presence throughout the area tonight.

Law enforcement officials also advise parents to make sure their children are supervised at all times. They also encourage children to wear bright clothing and pay close attention while crossing streets.

Law enforcement will also visit every registered sex offender in Gordon County to make sure they are following the law.

The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta offer the following tips on keeping your kids safe was they trick-or-treat:

Decorative weapon accessories like swords or knives should be made of soft, flexible materials.

Kids should never trick-or-treat alone. They should always walk in groups, preferably with adults.

Wear reflective clothing or include reflective tape on costumes.

Make sure all candy is individually wrapped and discard any that seems suspicious.

Use a flashlight while moving from house to house and avoid running.

Examine the ingredients of makeup before applying and test in a small area first. Remove all makeup and hair products before bed.

Look both ways before crossing the street.

Make sure costumes fit well and do not drag the ground, etc., to avoid falls.

Avoid eating any homemade items.

Only enter homes while accompanied by an adult. Make sure the homes your choose are well-lit. Don’t accept rides from strangers.

Wear flame resistant costumes and do not walk with candles or similar light sources that depend on fire.

For more tips on Halloween safety, visit http://www.cdc.gov/family/halloween.

Further Halloween history can be found here: http://www.history.com/topics/halloween.