Trick Or Treat? Fun Ways To Make Halloween Your Own With Type 1 Diabetes

When you think about Halloween and live with type 1 diabetes (T1D), the first thoughts that come to mind are probably:

• How do I dose my insulin for candy?
• How much candy is too much to keep at home? I want to avoid temptation but still participate in Halloween and/or let my kids participate.
• How do I stop myself from over-indulging and riding the blood sugar rollercoaster?
• How much sale or clearance candy can I buy to treat low blood sugars later? Is it wrong to hog all of the bargains in the name of low blood sugar treatment?

While these questions are valid, the holiday is about much more than your blood sugar. Halloween is a fun holiday where people get creative with costumes, spend time with friends, decorate in orange and black everywhere, attend haunted houses, hunt for ghosts and host spooky parties. If you’re ready to lean into it with T1D beyond what your blood sugar asks of you, this guide explores ways to make it your own while managing this chronic illness.

Deck out your diabetes devices

Plenty of fun continuous glucose monitor (CGM) patch options can help you dress up your tech for Halloween or fall. They make it easy to get in the Halloween spirit!

Check out options from online stores like:

• Pump Peelz
• Sugar Medical
• Type One Style
• Expression Med
• Skin Grip

CGMs aren’t the only diabetes devices you can dress up for fall or Halloween, though. You can also decorate your insulin pump, pod or patch. Some of the stores listed above also offer options for decorating these kinds of diabetes devices for holidays like Halloween.

There are even CGM jewelry brands that could be fun to play with for Halloween now, like Cal Jewellery. If you’re looking for an edgy vibe on Halloween or just in general for your day-to-day look, this is a great option!

Make spooky decor out of your diabetes supplies

Living with T1D means a steady stream of boxes, vials and caps. Instead of tossing them all, you can turn some of them into Halloween decor.

Here are a few easy ideas to try at home:

• Mini haunted houses: Empty CGM sensor boxes and pump supply boxes are sturdy and easy to paint. Cut out windows and doors, then add bats, ghosts or cobwebs.
• Potion bottles: Empty test strip vials make great tiny potion bottles. Fill them with colored sand or glitter, then add a spooky label.
• Ghosts and mummies: Wrap empty glucose tab tubes in white yarn or gauze, then glue on googly eyes.
• Eyeball garland: Insulin vial flip-off caps come in bright colors. Draw on pupils and string them together for a creepy garland.
• Stencils and cutouts: Leftover patch backing and packaging inserts can be cut into pumpkins, bats or witch hats.

If you’re looking for visual inspiration, or just some vibes, @diabadass_nina is a great T1D content creator to follow on social media. She features her diabetes devices in artsy, fun ways that can give you a great jumping-off point.

Keep your crafting safe

Some diabetes supplies should never be used for crafts. This includes CGM applicators, lancets, pen needles, syringes and infusion sets. Even after use, many of these still hold a needle. Anything that has a needle or has touched blood belongs in your sharps container. Check your local rules for how to get rid of sharps.

Additionally, avoid decorating the sharps container. If you decorate it, proper disposal might become difficult, and you may need to disassemble your craft and clean it up before disposal. If kids are helping or this project is for a child with T1D, stick to boxes, vials and caps. Keep sharps out of the craft area! It’s just not worth the health and safety risk.

Make your Halloween costume an ode to a famous face with T1D

You don’t have to revolve your Halloween costume choice around T1D or the devices you wear to support it. Some people go all out and make their diabetes devices key parts of their costume, while others choose to hide them. There’s no “right” answer or way to go about it—just what feels right to you right now.

If you want to honor someone with T1D this Halloween, here are some ideas to honor actors with T1D who play iconic characters:

• Jean Smart as Deborah Vance from “Hacks”: Jean Smart has lived with T1D for over five decades. She has won five Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress for her role as Deborah Vance in “Hacks.” If you want to dress like Deborah, go for a maximalist, glam, power vibe—think loud prints, lots of texture and maybe even some sparkle! Plenty of inspo photos online can help you craft the perfect Deborah costume and pay homage to Jean Smart.
  
• Victor Garber as Jack Bristow from “Alias”: This might be a bit of a throwback for some readers, but we had to mention the one and only Victor Garber, who’s been living with T1D since he was 12. He also recently appeared in the Hulu comedy, “Not Suitable for Work,” as a beloved talk show host. Fitting! As for a Jack Bristow costume, it could include a sharp business suit that makes you look like an operative. Browse online for inspo pics!
  
• Mary Tyler Moore from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”: Okay, so it’s not a character. Kinda, sorta! Dressing as the legendary Mary Tyler Moore could include a sassy wig, a vintage peacoat, a button-up shirt dress, knee-high leather boots and a beret. Mary was diagnosed with T1D at age 33, in 1970. Lots of Pinterest boards pay homage to her look, so start digging and pinning.
  
• Nick Jonas from “The Jonas Brothers”: Okay, again—not a character! Just part of his overall identity. Nick is a co-founder and board member at Beyond Type 1. He has been living with T1D since age 13. If you want a group costume, your friends could dress like Joe and Kevin (his brothers and bandmates), while you dress like Nick in his iconic white T-shirt, blue jeans, and a bandana around your neck. Don’t forget the curly brown hair! Or, get inspired by some of his tour looks with his brothers. There are so many ways to do it! Maybe even a “Camp Rock” tribute? The brothers are on tour right now and going viral, so plenty of inspo videos are floating around to help you shape your costume idea.

These are just a few examples! You could also dress as iconic T1D athletes or singers. Or maybe even Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor!

Enjoy spooky sips with a low-sugar twist: if you’re into that!

If you drink alcohol and are of legal drinking age, Halloween cocktails can also be part of the holiday fun. Usually, party drinks are loaded with juice, soda or syrup, but a few simple swaps can cut the sugar if you’re trying to avoid or reduce it. If you’re hosting a Halloween party, you have more control over the sips and snacks! So don’t be afraid to invite the group over so you have more power over your blood sugar levels on Halloween night.

Here are some ideas to craft lower-sugar cocktails that the crowd (and your blood sugar levels) will still love:

• Witch’s brew punch: This green punch is usually made with fruit juice and lemon-lime soda. Try sparkling water, fresh lime and a splash of sugar-free green drink mix instead.
• Poison apple: This drink often mixes apple cider with spiced rum. Swap the cider for apple-flavored sparkling water and diet ginger beer, then add a cinnamon stick.
• Blood orange margarita: Bottled margarita mix is high in sugar. Use fresh lime juice, a slice of blood orange and a zero-calorie sweetener instead.
• Skip the drink entirely: Any of these work as mocktails too. Just leave out the alcohol.

Many bloggers and TikTokers still share low-sugar, yummy holiday-themed cocktail recipes, so do a quick search to find ones that appeal to you. Print them or save them on your device so you’re ready to be the ultimate host or party-goer this Halloween!

Stay safe with each spooky sip:

If you’d like to drink alcohol this Halloween, here are some important reminders for staying safe:

• Alcohol can lower blood sugar: It can cause lows for hours after drinking, including overnight. Check your blood sugar before bed and keep low supplies nearby.
• Eat while you drink: Eating while you drink can help lower your risk of a low.
• Lows can look like being drunk: Wear medical ID and make sure a friend knows how to help if your blood sugar drops.

Decorate your pumpkins with purpose

If you love decorating and want to make sure every inch of your home is dazzled in Halloween spirit, consider decorating or painting a pumpkin to spread awareness this fall. With so many people showing up at your door to trick-or-treat, there’s never a bad time to spread awareness of the signs of diabetes or represent the community with an iconic blue circle. Can you think of a better lead-in than that for National Diabetes Awareness Month (NDAM) every November?

Yeah, there’s still the candy thing…

And while we promised not to make this all about candy, we have to mention it for those who still have questions. That’s okay and normal! Long story short, you can still enjoy that part of Halloween with T1D.

Here are some quick answers to common Halloween questions about blood sugar management and candy:

• Can people with T1D eat Halloween candy? Yes. Candy can fit into your day like any other food. Count the carbs and dose insulin the way you normally would.
• How do I count carbs in fun-size candy? Check the package label, since sizes and recipes vary by brand. A candy carb chart can also help you guess quickly.
• Will trick-or-treating affect my blood sugar? It might. Walking from house to house is exercise, and it can lower blood sugar. Check before you head out and bring low supplies with you.
• Can I use Halloween candy to treat lows? Some candy works well, like sweets made primarily of dextrose. Read the label’s ingredients to see which apply. Chocolate and candy with nuts or caramel aren’t good for treating low blood sugar because the fat slows their effect, but you can still enjoy them as a snack.
• Should I check my blood sugar overnight? Whenever you’re out of your routine, it can’t hurt to set extra alarms, especially if you’re concerned. It’s only harmful if it causes you more stress than support! Only you can decide what that threshold is. Activity and extra treats can affect blood sugar for hours, so keep an eye on your numbers overnight. If you’re enjoying Halloween cocktails, read our guide to drinking safely with diabetes before you go out.
• Do I have to eat all my candy at once? Not at all. Spread it out over the next few days or weeks, or save some for treating lows.
• What if I need to change my insulin plan? Talk to your diabetes healthcare team before Halloween. They can help you plan for extra activity and treats and make solid recommendations on what might need to change, if anything.

T1D isn’t the star of Halloween and you’re allowed to enjoy it beyond blood sugar

T1D tends to act like the main character in most life settings, but don’t let it become your Halloween-night obsession. Manage it as needed, and make it your own! You might want to celebrate T1D big this holiday, or hide it and use the holiday as a welcome distraction to focus on something else. That’s valid, and there’s no right answer or right way to approach it. Take care of yourself, have fun, get creative and enjoy the spooky season with friends and family!

You can thrive with T1D—go beyond your diagnosis. Download our guides today, no matter where you are in your T1D journey.