October 30, 2026 ISSUE

A Little Hocus-Pocus & Plenty of Family Fun!

Halloween tips, creative costumes, and treats worth gathering around

Halloween is all about imagination, neighborhood adventures, and making sweet memories. Whether your family is heading out for treats or hosting a gathering of little goblins, a little planning can keep the evening more delightful than frightful!

👻 Before Your Little Monsters Head Out

Fuel up first. Serve dinner or a filling snack before trick-or-treating, and save collected candy for inspection at home.
Light up the night. Bring flashlights and add reflective tape to costumes and treat bags. Make sure costumes clear the ground and shoes fit comfortably.
Make a family plan. Accompany young children. For older children going with friends, agree on a route, check-in plan, and return time.
Use your street smarts. Walk on sidewalks, cross at corners or crosswalks, and put phones away while walking. Visit well-lit homes, and never enter a stranger’s home or vehicle for a treat.

🎭 Big Costume Fun—Without a Big Budget

Try a little closet creativity before shopping!

Weather reporter: A raincoat, boots, and a pretend microphone make a forecast for fun.
Garden crew: Dress as a gardener, sunflower, and friendly ladybug for a family theme.
Favorite storybook character: Bring a beloved book to life with clothes and accessories you already own.
Team spirit: Pair a favorite jersey with comfortable sneakers and a decorated treat bag.
Candy accountant: Carry a clipboard and wear a badge reading, “Official Candy Auditor.” Counting the treats is serious business!

For children who prefer a quieter celebration, try a comfortable costume T-shirt, an early outing, or a small pumpkin-decorating party at home.

🍬 The Candy Check: What Parents Should Know

Make sorting the candy a family tradition! Check wrappers for tears, holes, or anything unusual, and discard unwrapped or suspicious treats. Read ingredient labels for allergies, and remove age-inappropriate choking hazards from younger children’s bags.

Where can candy be checked? Start with a careful inspection at home. I could not verify a publicly announced 2026 candy-screening location in Corpus Christi. Do not assume a hospital, fire station, or police station offers this service; confirm directly before visiting.

Poison Control advises that routine candy X-rays are unnecessary. If you suspect deliberate tampering, keep the item away from children and contact law enforcement. For a possible poisoning, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

🥨 Frightfully Fun Party Bites

A festive spread doesn’t have to be complicated. Try these easy crowd-pleasers:

Mummy pizzas: Top English muffin halves with pizza sauce and thin mozzarella strips arranged like bandages. Add sliced olive eyes and bake until hot and melted.
Pumpkin patch clementines: Peel clementines and add a small celery “stem” for cheerful miniature pumpkins.
Boo-nana ghosts: Stand banana halves on a tray and add mini chocolate-chip eyes and a chocolate mouth.
Monster pudding cups: Layer chocolate pudding and crushed chocolate cookies in clear cups. Decorate with a silly monster face or a cookie “tombstone.”
Pumpkin patch snack board: Arrange crackers, cheese, and vegetables around a small decorative pumpkin for an easy savory option.

Label dishes for common allergens and offer an alternative when possible. Keep perishable foods chilled until serving, and refrigerate within two hours—or one hour when temperatures exceed 90°F.

🧡 Make Room for Every Little Goblin

Keep stickers, pencils, or other age-appropriate nonfood treats available so children with food allergies can join the fun. A friendly greeting and a little patience help make Halloween welcoming for everyone!

From all of us at Raul Torres, CPA P.C.—

have a Safe, Sweet, and Wonderfully Spooky Halloween!

Mummy pizzas: Top

English muffin halves with pizza sauce and thin mozzarella strips arranged like bandages. Add sliced olive eyes and bake until

hot and melted.

Pumpkin patch clementines: Peel clementines and add a small celery “stem” for cheerful miniature pumpkins.

Boo-nana ghosts: Stand banana halves on a tray and add mini chocolate-chip eyes and a chocolate mouth.

Monster pudding cups: Layer chocolate pudding and crushed chocolate cookies in clear cups. Decorate with a silly monster face or a cookie “tombstone.”

🎃 Pumpkin Patch Dirt Cups

A little spooky, a little sweet, and no oven required!

These individual chocolate treats are easy to assemble and make a festive addition to your Halloween party table. Let the kids help decorate their own miniature pumpkin patches!

Makes: 8 small cups

Prep time: 15 minutes, plus chilling

Ingredients

1 package (3.9 oz.) instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups cold milk
1 cup thawed whipped topping, plus extra for decorating
15 chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed
8 candy pumpkins
Green decorating icing

Directions

Whisk the pudding mix and cold milk together for 2 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.
Gently fold in 1 cup of whipped topping.
Spoon half the crushed cookies into eight small, clear cups. Divide the pudding mixture evenly among the cups.
Sprinkle the remaining cookie crumbs over the pudding to create the “dirt.”
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Just before serving, top each cup with a candy pumpkin and pipe a little green icing around it for vines.

👻 Make it boo-tiful: Add a small dollop of whipped topping beside the pumpkin and decorate with two tiny dots of chocolate icing for ghost eyes!

Party tip: Prepare the pudding cups the day before, cover, and refrigerate. Add the cookie topping and decorations shortly before serving for the best texture.

Contains milk and wheat; check package labels for other allergens. For young children, replace chewy candy pumpkins with orange icing.

Introducing Our Client Referral Program!

At Raul Torres, CPA PC, we’re honored to serve you—and we’d love the opportunity to help your friends, family, and colleagues too.

✅ Here’s how it works:

Refer someone you know to our firm.
When they become a client, you’ll receive a gift card valued between $50 and $1,000 (amount depends on the services they choose) as our thank-you!

There’s no limit to the number of people you can refer—so the more you share, the more rewards you can earn.

We truly value your trust and confidence in us, and we look forward to serving those you send our way.

To make a referral, simply email: admin@raultorrescpa.com or call us at (361)854-0822 with their contact information.