How's everyone's Halloween?

[bliss_eternal]

Dh got candy for me to pass out, prior to going in to work. I put on his black cloak (former costume few years ago) and wear the hood when I go to the door. I actually startled a group of teens. LOL!

I got more kids than I did last year. So I had to run out pretty quick to get some more candy (didn't want to run out). Thankfully, our bldg. is right next to a drugstore.

Sure enough, on my return I got mobbed by a huge group of kids. One little girl just stood in front of all the other kids (after I gave her candy),taking pieces of candy out of my bucket and putting them in her bag. :spray: She was SO cute!

Now it's quiet. :( That was fun--wish it wasn't a week night. Apartments are tough--most don't think to come here, other than the kids that live in the bldg. of course.

Oh well--that was my night. :hi:

Happy Halloween Everyone!

[BlueIris]

1. Mine was kinda boring.

Some kids came to the campaign office where I was volunteering and we got to give them candy (even though their parents were extremely displeased when we opened to door and they found out we were Democrats).

[bliss_eternal]

7. The nerve!

You'd think they would just be grateful that Dems had candy to offer their kids. Hmph!

Nice of you guys to offer it at the campaign office, BlueIris! :hi:

[I Have A Dream]

2. It was raining here, so we had fewer children than we normally do.

I'll never master this candy thing. I always buy much more than I need just in case I get more children than I expect. (I can't stand the idea of turning off the lights in the middle of Halloween.) Now the question is whether I keep the left-over candy for myself (and eat a piece a day for months) or take it to work. Oh, the dilemma! :9

[bliss_eternal]

8. Sorry about the rain, Dream...

and I'm with you on determining the appropriate candy ratios. ;) You never know how many are going to come to your door, do you?

Last year, we wouldn't have given away any candy had we not seen some kids, and invited them to our place to get candy. This year, I was pleasantly surprised to get at least five visits--all with several kids! So I'm hopeful for next year!

What did you decide to do with your candy? :evilgrin: Dh and I took a few pieces and placed them in the fridge--too tough to resist.

[davsand]

3. Had fewer kids out this year.

It was cold this year--I about froze my nubbins off sitting out in that lawn chair in the driveway. Gave away glow sticks (those chemical reaction sticks) and candy. The kids liked the light sticks a lot and the parents were really enthusiastic about them. One mom told me we were the "cool" house of the year. Made me feel good because that meant we beat out* the new neighbor (upstart!) across the street with her fancy lights, fog machine and battery driven "swooping ghost."

We did not have a "puking punkin" this year and I did have a couple of kids ask about it. THAT kind of bums me out that we "let them down" but I also think that next year we'll catch them by surprise when we have one--so it is all good!

My dust bunny outfit was not a big hit except with the adults. THEY got it, but the kids all looked puzzled and said, "Huh?" when I told them what I was. Material Girl pulled off the Black Cat costume with style, and hubby made a wonderful Nerd.

A good year, I think!


Laura



*I absolutely adore this lady. She was at our house with her kids and she's just a hoot. She clearly loves to have fun and really seems to have a good time with kids! I have a feeling we are gonna have some fun in our neighborhood the next few years!

[bliss_eternal]

9. Love the pukin' pumpkin pic, davsand!

Isn't it funny, how kids remember stuff like that from prior years? So much so that they would ask about it. Wow! The memories of kids are so amazing to me. My dh can describe in great detail the goings on from Halloweens when he was a kid, but can't tell me what he ate last night for dinner. :spray:

Hey don't those new neighbors know, you're supposed to wait a year before pulling out all the stops on Halloween--maybe start slow with a little fog, or just wearing costumes to pass out candy. How dare they have a swooping ghost! ;)

Your dust bunny outfit sounds SOOO great! I love it! Dh was reading over my shoulder and asked if I'd heard about the "chick magnet" costume. A guy dressed as a magnet, with dolls pinned to him. Hardy, har, har.:eyes:

I'd love to try some decorating to our apt. balcony next year (if we're not in a house or condo by then). Maybe doing so will draw more people to our door for candy and treats! :bounce:

[LiberalEsto]

4. Tasty!

Left-over almond joy bars, tootsie rolls, and toasted pumpkin seeds -- yummy.

And oh, those adorable kids. We got a lot of older kids, middle-school and high school age. I really enjoy seeing their creative costumes, and I think it's a shame that most kids are discouraged from going around after age 12.

[bliss_eternal]

10. I agree...

I don't discriminate against older kids. One year, I recall reading on DU people complaining about older kids coming to their door. I think it's great! Our society takes the whimsy and fun from kids so early. I think they should trick or treat as long as they like.

One of the groups that came to my door seemed older (the one's I inadvertently scared--guess they weren't expecting a costume). Only a couple of them had full costumes--I didn't care. It's all about the fun! If they are willing after 12 to knock on my door and say "trick or treat," I'm happy to give them candy! :D

[MorningGlow]

5. We were totally overwhelmed!

Took MorningGlow Jr. to a couple of houses on grandma's street, then bombed home to hit our neighborhood--first Halloween in the new house. It was UNBELIEVABLE. I have NEVER seen so many kids trick-or-treating! We ran out of candy by 6:30, so we locked the door and took Jr. out. That bought us about 45 minutes, but when we got back, we still had nothing to give, and the kids just kept coming! DH went to the small supermarket up the street...but it had closed (remodeling/under new management)--we never go that way, so we had no idea. The only other option was the convenience store on the corner (we're talking small town here), and they didn't have bags of minis, so we were shit out of luck. Locking the door and turning out the porch light didn't help (the kids just knocked), so I had to put up a sign that we were out of candy! Then we just heard, periodically, "Mommy, what does this sign say?"

Oh the shame of it! :blush: Lesson learned for next year--that $40 worth of candy? Double it--at least!

It really was impressive, though--nearly everyone was home, handing out candy and making a fuss over the kids' costumes. It's a HUGE deal on our street, which is great. Most folks wrapped themselves up in blankets and sat on their porches, because there was no point in closing the door--it was just a constant stream of kids for hours!

And this morning I only saw two smashed pumkins out of dozens upon dozens on the porches up and down the street. Our eight pumpkins escaped unscathed, even with our candy faux pas. That, to me, means it's a good neighborhood! :)

[bliss_eternal]

11. Whoa--sounds like an awesome street!

Especially for Halloween! Very cool! I'm envious--I've always wanted to live on a street where kids would come for trick or treat. I love giving out candy and seeing all the costumes.

Dh wanted to fly up (no. CA) to see our bil and niece--but she's only 2 and not really into it all yet. BIL said she didn't like the concept of going to strangers houses. lol. So maybe in a couple of years we can celebrate Halloween with her.

We used to drive out to the community where dh grew up on Halloween. We would help his childhood friends when they took out their kids--pretty big group, and they seemed to welcome having a couple of extra adults to keep an eye on the kids, switch off taking them to doors, etc. There were SO many kids out there trick or treating--it was a LOT of fun!! I'd miss it if not for the fact that they (adults, not the kids) were fundie-freepers. :eyes: That got old fast. lol.

[MorningGlow]

19. I like the neighborhood

Mr. MorningGlow doesn't, but then again he's a curmudgeon who misses living in the back of beyond (our last house). Hates having neighbors. He's "making the sacrifice" of living in a village for the sake of Jr. :nopity:

Halloween was fun--it was like being in a zombie movie--all those kids, they can't be killed off, and hundreds more just keep coming, moaning "caaaandyyyyyy...neeeeed caaaannndyyyy..."

[bliss_eternal]

23. LOL...LOL!

"caaaandyyyyyy...neeeeed caaaannndyyyy..."

:spray::rofl::spray:

[Grateful for Hope]

6. I, too, live in an apartment building

which is largely an "elderly" community. Lovely people, but, alas, no kids and no trick or treats. I am moving on Saturday back to NY as I am being laid off and want to be nearer my kids. I bought a small place there - and am looking forward to some "trick or treaters" next year!

[bliss_eternal]

12. Congratulations on your new place, Hope!

:hi: Should be nice being closer to your family! Hoping your next Halloween is fun, too!

[Grateful for Hope]

13. Thanks, Bliss!

It's pretty scary as I am not young and I need to find another job (after nearly 8 years with this one), but, I have good feelings about this. I believe it is a "meant to be".

:-)

[bliss_eternal]

14. Change is scary, isn't it?

But it sounds like you're in a good space about it! So I'm sure all will go well for you, since you have such a great attitude about it. You're welcoming the change, as opposed to running the other way or avoiding things...

Good for you!

[Grateful for Hope]

18. It sure is!

It's taken me a while to overcome the fear -- and, hopefully, I won't slip back too often!

Thank you!

[japple]

24. Wow, lots of changes, Hope. My year for change was 2004,

and the month was November, but good things have happened since then and I always had my furry back ups, Tiny and Oscar, and now, Lola. Lucky you have Jake and Spidey to protect you!

[Grateful for Hope]

26. Yes, japple, I have a lot of gratitude for my furboys!

We are fortunate that our furbabies choose to come live with us. They are such blessings!

[Why Syzygy]

15. No trick or treaters here.

I live on a quiet cul de sac and no one even knows we're back here. The neighbor warned me to not buy any. He's been here 14 years. Last year was in an upstairs apartment and no one showed either. But ya'll made me crave some CANDY!
I'll hit the store for the 1/2 price sale. :hide:

[bliss_eternal]

16. Hi votes...

Those half-price sales are GREAT! They started yesterday at some places. I got two big bags of candly and a collapsible bucket to put them in for just over $4.00!!

Cul-de-sacs frequently have the same issues of apts.--no one thinks to visit us. :( Sorry you didn't get any visitors--maybe next year. :hi:

Enjoy your half-priced candy!

[Behind the Aegis]

17. It was OK.

There weren't very many children at all. It was kind of a disappointment. But, Mr. BtA, Voodoo, and I passed out candy, anyway. I think Voodoo had more fun, but I was excited because it was our first Halloween in NOLA. I even carved up damn pumpkins...that was interesting. Now, we are stuck with a buttload of candy. I don't eat candy very often and Mr. BtA doesn't need it!

This was our helper....

[bliss_eternal]

21. Super Voodoo's first Halloween...!

He looks like he was up to the challenge! ;) Sorry that you have so much leftover candy. :( Maybe MrBtA can take some to work to share...

:hi::pals:

[Behind the Aegis]

44. Well, I have a message from SuperVoodoo!

He said he'd hate to have to don his costume and come get you and dh and bring you to back to NOLA! :) He also said, "you should want such a small dog to do so much work?" (Jewish humor).

We are hoping next year we will get our acts together and have our own costumes. We did have a jazz Halloween parade that marched past our house, and that was pretty cool! Got to love NOLA, everything is a party!

:hi: :hug:

[Brewman_Jax]

20. Had a great time

had a date for halloween and we coordinated costumes. We were wizard and sorceress amd found a couple of costume parties and stayed out very late Saturday. Didn't go out Sunday because I couldn't top Saturday night.

:hi:

[bliss_eternal]

22. Oooh a costume party...!

I'm jealous--I LOVE dressing up in costume! Sounds like fun--glad you had such a great time! One of these years, I've got to give a costume party...

:hi:Argyle!

[Why Syzygy]

38. Sad Halloween story.

I live in a duplex. My neighbors were a young couple, she 29, he 24. They have poker parties at least once a week. About six weeks ago, he took off. He has some drug issues.

She had the porch decorated way in advance with dangle orange lights, some eyeballs peeking out from the bushes. She told me she loves Halloween when you can dress up like anything. I told her, you can do that any day of the year. But that's just me.

I loaned her an extension cord so she could get the lights going. She was so excited about Halloween. A few days before, she returned the cord. I asked, what's up? Where are your lights?
She moved out and gave the duplex back over to her 'ex'. I've seen him once since then. I don't think he is going to live there. So sad. So young to be breaking up. She is lively. I know she will make it. He is another story. I was hoping she would have her usual group of poker friends over for a Halloween party.

I don't dare venture onto 6th street for festivities.

This thread and the candy stories make me :D

[Why Syzygy]

39. One very special Halloween.

With someone I was married to. We had a party. I wore a black velveteen dress and painted my face white and wore bunny ears. Alice in Wonderland. He dressed as a large woman. Filled with pillows. We both won the best costume.

Your costumes sound awesome. Too many pirates this year, I heard. Sorceress . mmmm.

[cassiepriam]

25. I confess, I am digging thru my little girl's trick or treat bag

trying to find the butterfingers and cherry tootsie pops.

[davsand]

27. Is there any sense pretending that candy is ALL for the kids?

Bwaaa-haaaa! As IF Material Girl has EVER eaten all that candy!

First rule of Halloween for adults is to only buy the Trick or Treat candy you like so that if you have any leftovers it will still vanish quickly.

Second rule of Halloween for adults is to make sure you pilfer as MUCH of the good stuff as possible in the first three days after Halloween (before the kids have an opportunity to catalog everything in that treat bag.)

:evilgrin:

Something I didn't have time to share earlier about my Halloween, but I'm still kind of shaking my head about (My comment about candy for the parents reminded me of this...)

This year I actually had a Mom come up the driveway carrying a baby in a pumpkin costume. I was thinking "how adorable" and then I spotted the cigarette hanging out of the corner of the Mom's mouth just inches from the back of that kid's head.

I about died when she rasped out (in what I swear was Rita Cosby's voice!) "TRICK OR TREAT" while holding out both the baby and the treat bag. I was not sure if I was getting that baby as a trick or if she wanted candy...

I'm not sure which part of this whole thing scared me more!


Laura

[bliss_eternal]

28. Funny story about adults pilfering kids candy...

The year we went with friends to take their kids out trick or treating:

After we completed a few houses, the kids were going through their bags to see what they got. One of the moms, starts helping her kid go through his bag. She found he had one of those giant Nestle Crunch chocolate bars. Her eyes widened and she said,"...Oh hun, you don't like this kind of candy," and promptly placed it in her handbag. :rofl: ;)

Laura, I suspect that woman dressed the baby up and took her to houses so SHE could get candy. At least that's the vibe I get when I see kids that aren't into it AT ALL--for example, they're really little and don't seem to know what's going on, they seem scared, disinterested, are asleep in their strollers. LOL!

[davsand]

30. "These are too good for little kids...".

Kev used to say that to Material Girl when he wanted her to eat something. You could almost count on her demanding to try it. I think he blew it when he tried that with certain foods like asparagus--but hey--it worked for a long time.

It makes sense that you'd tell your kid they don't like the really good stuff. After all--they are kids--it isn't like they have a refined sense of candy! These are the guys that eat Candy Necklaces! You have to expect that sooner or later you'll get busted with that one, and you WILL pay, however.

Come to think of it, you pay either way. I just spent an hour at the gym tonight working off some of those calories from Halloweens gone by. I probably only have about another 6 years of gym time to go to make up for it all! I wish Material Girl had wised up at a much younger age--my butt could be much smaller if she had!

:)

Laura

[bliss_eternal]

31. LOL! I offered candy to the adults

accompanying kids to my door. I said, "Adults get candy at this door." One just sighed, looked skyward and said, "...adults get fat at this door, if they take candy." Poor woman! She wasn't about to fall for temptation.

Your husband's trick with your daughter is really clever--sorry it doesn't work on veggies. ;)

Hey, and I like SweetTarts, always have! Then again, I never had to be forced to eat asparagus or any other veggies--I LOVED them as a kid! :shrug: I know, I'm a freak. lol.

[davsand]

32. Oh man--you caught that before I changed it!

I actually went back and edited that because i saw in your later post that you LIKED those things! I didn't want to offend you by slamming a candy you like so I went back and edited it to ready candy necklaces (probably among the nastiest things in the world right up there with stale fruitcake!)

I got busted on an edit!

As for the veggie trick, we got lucky. She'll eat broccoli, lettuce/greens and green beans, so we have no real room for complaint. The "too good for little kids" trick really did help with new foods, but only up to the point that she caught on to what he was doing.

To this day, however, she will sit there and eat something she likes and say, "This is too good for adults..." and then LAUGH.

:)


Laura

[bliss_eternal]

33. Oh, I wasn't offended at all...

:hi::hi: ...they can be tart, and not everyone digs that sort of thing. I can understand that. But it was nice of you to try to edit that. LOL! You really didn't have to. You're entitled to dislike them. ;)

We certainly don't all have the same tastes. My dh loves now or laters, and I just don't get what he sees in them. :shrug: But you're right in that I have yet to meet anyone that liked candy necklaces. I honestly have never tasted them, so I can't speak from experience. I've heard some say they were gross, though. I've always wondered if those were created as some sort of cruel candy joke.

Your daughter sounds so cute! "This is too good for adults..." LOL!

[Why Syzygy]

41. The only junk food candy

I like are hotdogs, which I have not seen for decades. It was cinnomy, if I recall.

Starbursts and hot tamales. That stuff sticks to your teeth. Do you think it might be a conspiracy of dentists?

[Why Syzygy]

40. my kid

always liked raw vegie salads better than cooked.

I grew up under my grandad who had a huge garden. We always had fresh vegies and fruit. I love them now more than ever. Real fuel.

An aunt of ours worked in a candy store. We could go in and for $1.00 buy 10 pieces. I took the 'hotdogs', a little chocolate, a bit of this and that.

Balance (harmony) is what it's all about. Gimme sugar! Gimme vegies! See how nicely that works?
I love the fruits of the earth.

Those necklace things? The best part was chomping them off the thread. Vampire? eh?

[Why Syzygy]

37. I would take

the baby. As much as I do not need another entity to clean up after? Cigs and babies do not mix.

So sorry she doesn't know that. I could not have contained myself, I fear.
Like put out the smoke, mamma bear. I just have a mouth. Goddess bless them every one.

[bliss_eternal]

29. Cherry toosie pops...?

Mmmm, that sounds interesting--and delicious. :P I've never had one.

The year we spent Halloween w/our niece and nephew they asked us before we went out what our favorite candy was when we were kids. Dh had a loooong list. Mine was short and sweet--pixie sticks, Smarties and sweet tarts. Well our niece, upon returning home that night promptly emptied her bag and pulled out every pixie stick, sweet tart and smartie she could find and gave them to me! :P I never would have asked, she just did it on her own--such a little sweetheart! I was SO touched.

[bliss_eternal]

34. Yikes...forgive my typo.

That should say cherry tootsie pops. :blush: Duh! Can't believe I didn't catch that before.

[cassiepriam]

35. Sucker with tootsie roll in the middle.....

I only like the cherry flavored ones!

And my child tries to get them for me if she can
when trick or treating! And the Butterfingers!

[bliss_eternal]

43. Butterfingers certainly have stood the test of time,

:) They seem just as popular today as they were when I was a kid.

[cassiepriam]

45. Yes, interesting to see childhood candy

Neccos, milk duds, tootsie pops, Hershey bars,
almond joys, snickers, etc....

[bliss_eternal]

46. Every year dh takes a walk down memory lane...

through the market aisles,"...Ooooh--remember this!" Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't--I wasn't big on candy as a little one. But it's still fun to get nostalgic about candy. LOL!

[cassiepriam]

47. Yes candy is good at evoking childhood memories

Remember those little candy cigarettes?

[bliss_eternal]

48. OMG--Yes, YES!

I LOVED those things! How horrible is it that they turned a vice, like smoking into candy and we loved it so much!? :rofl:

I guess that explains why you can't find those anymore. :blush:

A few years ago, we visited a few of the 99 cent stores in our area, and they seemed to carry ALL of the old candy. DH was in heaven! He bought all kinds of stuff, just to look at and bask in fond memories (I guess), because he didn't eat any of it. LOL! (i.e. Necos, sugar babies, bottle caps, cinnamon sticks, some taffy on a stick, etc.) Surprise, Surprise...there weren't ANY candy cigarettes.

[japple]

36. We live so far out that no children ever make it to our house,

but just in case, I bought coffee nips and Haribo Gold Bear gummi bears, which are my favorites. Of course we didn't have any little visitors, so I brought the coffee nips to work and saved the gummi bears for my niece and me: she gets red and green and I get clear, yellow and orange.

[Why Syzygy]

42. I like your style . n/t

[NuttyFluffers]

49. ooh, didn't reply yet. mine was utter pap.

i was supposed to visit family, then friends, then sneak out to a metal concert. what ended up happening was i stayed up the previous night working on an essay until 6am, turn it in, come home and pass out. i've had better halloweens... and it's my favorite holiday by far, too! i'm so angry. holidays like that should be mandatory vacation for people. if i was a teacher i could never give them an assignment that was due on halloween, or the day after. one must have a deep and abiding respect for the right to party and the day after hangover.
:headbang:

[bliss_eternal]

50. I can't believe I saw this so late...

I'm so sorry NuttyFluffers--that I missed your post, and that you didn't have a very good Halloween! :hug: Here's hoping next year will be MUCh better!

best,
bliss :)