How do people here feel about "trick or treating"?

[Toots]

I am not asking about Halloween but only trick or treating. I think it is a dangerous thing for our children in this day and age. There are a lot of kooks out there. I cherish my trick or treating as a child and would hate for todays children not to experience it but by the same token I am really worried that America is not the same country I grew up in. It is a harsher and darker country with the thought process that what ever you can get away with is just fine. From the top down. Those seem to be the "values" that are "trickling down" to the average joe. I worry for our children and our collective soul and I don't mean that in any religious sense. Should trick or treating go on as always or should a safer environment be considered. I one town near where I live trick or treating is banned and they hold what is called a "ghost walk". All the kids go to a hall and have a big party with bobbing for apples and other games and every kid leaves with a bag of candy and other goodies. They have best costume prizes and everyone seems to have a lot of fun. What do you all think?

[Name removed]

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[BOSSHOG]

2. We have a rather tightknit neighborhood

and the kids come fairly early. We get some from down the highway but all are good kids. I decorate the house and make sure ours is well lit especially around the front door. I'm happy to say that no little ones are out around here unaccompanied by an adult.

My only wish; that their be a specific time frame. Say from 5:00 to 7:00, then we can lock up and eat whatever is left over.

You make an excellent point about safety but I prefer the take back the streets approach. Its ashame because of the actions of the misguided we have to change our non threatening traditions.

[MindPilot]

12. Take back the streets -- "they" can't keep us down...or in.

It's always a fun evening when the neighborhood streets are packed with bands of costumed kids on a sugar jag. And the next day there are always those scuttlebutt conversations about how many kids came to your door last night. For me it's always been a little insight about where the country is.

[BOSSHOG]

17. I keep a running tally on my calendar every year

We have averaged 22 in the past five years. Not many but they do have a good time. We always give a fruit basket to the kids next door. They are incredibly wonderful neighbors.

[Alamom]

15. We have the same here and a time frame.....

Several streets blocked off (no cars) only walking allowed with parents going with the kids. Starts @ 5 and ends @ 9. It's mostly little kids, so these are good hours.

It works well, everyone cooperates and is happy with this neigborhood arrangement for the kids.




edit spelling

[OneBlueSky]

3. personally, I hate it . . . kids should do parties or something instead . . . n/t

.

[maseman]

5. I love it

First of all the country isn't darker then it used to be. People have always been messed up. The media reports it more and more thus the illusion of it getting worse.

I take my kids in my old neighborhood where my folks live. It is always after dark (after the switch back to standard time). It's fun and safe if you make sure you take your children and pay attention to your surroundings.

[MindPilot]

16. Maybe you and Red Zelda should get together and go out for

dinner that night.

[Warpy]

4. This is a poor area, one with a bad reputation

and there are gobs of kids every year. I don't think it's any more dangerous than it used to be, pedos were always out there. However, fearmongering has led to the kiddies being accompanied by at least one parent.

People who don't want to be bothered leave their porch lights off. Personally, I get a kick out of seeing what the parents and kids have come up with in the way of costumes. Purchased costumes (beyond masks) are as rare in this neighborhood as billionaires.

I had a great time when I went out as a kid. I'd hate to see the custom die out due to fear and the attack on Halloween by conspicuous Christians(dig), who either want to make it so squeaky clean that no self respecting kid would want anything to do with it, or make it an occasion to lecture on Satan and sin.

I do confess to an urge to give out packets of Metamucil to the teenagers.

[davepc]

6. It's no more dangerous then it ever was. Don't succumb to fear mongering

[spoony]

13. Absolutely

If anything it's safer now, around here the police check up on sex offenders on Halloween. I think they may even have to go to a community center or some centralized place to avoid interaction with kids. Back in the day they were just roaming around and no one wanted to even imagine they existed!

So yeah, let the kids have some fun. Childhood is way too short to let opportunities go by.

[Kali]

29. I agree - "they" have been saying "the world is getting more dangerous"

at halloween forever - at least since I was a kid - and that was a while ago.

Remember razor blades in apples? Probably a rumor started by kids to con folks into giving candy instead of boring (and heavy) fruit!:rofl:

[Turbineguy]

7. I like it

I like giving candy to kids. I enjoy seeing them in their costumes, especially the home-made ones. It's the only day of the year I can give candy to children without the (perhaps perceived) danger of being thought of as some kind to weirdo. Which I guess confirms your view.

Usually there's a gaggle of parents at the end of the drive to keep an eagle eye on things. I offer them candy too. I may put some sort of "vote Democratic" sign in the window as well.

[riderinthestorm]

57. Give the parents candy? In the neighborhood we go to , it's alcohol!

I've trailed my kids and their friends around my old neighborhood while they trick or treat, and it's customary for 4-5 houses to offer libations to the parents who are making the rounds with the kiddies.

The year I fractured my arm in several places on the day before Halloween I couldn't be one of the escorts since I was too zoned out with the Vicadin, so I offered the drinks when they came around with my kid and her friends.

Nowadays it seems as though most of the kids are escorted, even if the parents are a little tipsy and definitely lagging a bit behind the sprinting goblins, ghosts, witches, ballerinas, Sponge Bobs etc. etc.

[MindPilot]

8. Giving into fear

Ask yourself one question. Who owns my neighborhood? If the answer is me and my neighbors, then by all means let your kids get out and have a good time. Let you and your neighbors welcome the little monsters, hand out the candy and everyone goes home happy.

If you don't own your neighborhood, then it's obvious what you need to do. Yes their are bad people out there--alway have been always will be--but when you succumb to fear they have won.

And if Halloween is *about* anything, it's about facing and overcoming your fears.

[AngryAmish]

9. Dangerous in this day and age?

Crime rates are way down compared to 70s and 80s.

Let them go trick or treating. It is fun.

[Rude Horner]

10. I think it's important not to let fear rule our lives

Every year I hear someone, somewhere, talk about Halloween safety. All it takes is for parents to take some precautions and things turn out fine. I mean, for all the TALK about unsafe candy or whatever, how often do you actually hear about something actually happening? It's extremely rare.

Not to sound too overly dramatic, but one could equate this issue to terrorism. We can react to terrorism one of two ways. We can all live in fear and change our whole way of lives and everything we hold dear, like the Bush administration wants us to do, or we can deal with it smartly and still maintain our way of life.

I, myself, think the tradition of Halloween is fun and would hate to see overblown fear ruin it.

[tammywammy]

11. I don't think it's any more dangerous than when I was a child

in the 80s/90s. A parent should go with their child if they're worried. About the time I was 10 I was going out with my friends, with one of their parents. And a few more years went by and my friends and I went in a group with no parent. I knew I wasn't allowed to eat candy until I got home. My parents would go through it and make sure everything looked okay, then I was allowed to indulge. :)

[Greybnk48]

14. It's less risky now than it used to be.

The people in our neighborhood look out for the kids and they are pretty much off the streets by 8:30 at the latest (when I was young we would stay out until almost midnight). We make sure to buy candy that is tamper-proof. And many of the parents walk along with groups. I no longer have young kids, but it seems safer to me. Nevertheless, every year we hear that it is soooo dangerous.

Remember these: Twenty or so years ago we had the "razor blade in the apple" scare, which made national news, but I think was a hoax. The local hospitals were x-raying candy. Thirty years ago it was "LSD in Pixie Sticks", which I recall was an isolated incident involving a drug dealer and his own child.

[tammywammy]

23. Yep

When I was growing up it was the needle/razor blade in the candy scare. I wasn't allowed to eat anything until my parents inspected my loot.

[nini]

18. With every situation, common sense is in order

Take kids to neighbors/neighborhoods and friends you know and are comfortable with.

The parties are a good substitute, but going to people's houses you know is fun too. Maybe a combo of both?

[AlCzervik]

19. my daughter is 12 this year and this is probably the last halloween she

goes trick or treating, makes me sad. I love giving out candy, especially to the wee ones that come out early, nothing like seeing a toddler at your door on the first trick or treating adventure, i give them more candy, i can't help it.

[Mr_Spock]

21. they are adorable, aren't they

...with their cute little costumes - gotta love it :D

[Rude Horner]

26. hehe, me too

I love the kids that can barely make it up my front steps without their parents help. So small, and so cute in their costumes. Sometimes I take pictures of the kids in their costumes, they're so cute. A lot of times they're so shy that you can barely make out the "trick or treat". :) It just brings a smile to my face.

[Akoto]

31. Those are my favorites, too.

I love it when the very little kids are out trick or treating. They get such a kick out of it.

Last year was my first Halloween in this neighborhood, so I didn't know what to expect. Turns out that we got a lot, so many that we had to run to the store for more candy!

I still remember the toddler, if he was even that old, dressed up as the dog from Blue's Clues. There was also a very happy baby in a bumblebee costume. He was little enough that he still had to be carried by his mom, but he sure knew what candy was. :)

[Mr_Spock]

20. No more tag and no more trick-or-treating?

I'm glad these ideas are only taking hold in a few locations - "the only thing we have to fear is, fear itself"

[Pugee]

22. I love it!

Of course, my kids (when they were little) only went to places they knew. And now my grandkids do that.

My house is in an area where we dont get too many trick or treaters, mostly several of my great neices/nephews and a few neighborhood kids. However, I always decorate the deck and indoors. This year we have put up our 4x7 foot "Christmas" train layout out for Halloween! We have pumpkins and spooks on the trains (3) on 2 tracks. We put the small Christmas tree in the middle with orange lights and Halloween ornaments. Of course, there are haunted houses and decorations everywhere too. We will open up the curtains so people that we dont invite in can stand on the deck and see everything and watch the trains moving around in the layout. I am excited to see how it goes this year! (Can you tell Halloween is one of my favorite holidays? :+) And hubby uses any excuse to set up a train layout. lol

[Akoto]

24. I decorate my house for the trick or treaters, but ...

The local mall does have trick or treat as well, for the parents who don't feel safe with having their kids go to peoples' houses. They get their candy from the shop owners instead.

I like it when the kids visit in their costumes. I used to live in a neighborhood where they never did, but it's fun to see what they dress up as. One of them was maybe two years old last year, but he had a Blue's Clues outfit that put all of my past costumes to shame. :)

[Coexist]

25. we love trick or treating - won't give in to "scare tactics"

always have, always will.

I check the candy over. Never had a problem.

We also (it being Florida) sit out in our driveways (the weather is usually very pleasant) and set up tables with our pumpkins on them. Whomever isn't responsible for taking my little guy around for his share of candy, sits there with a couple other neighbors and partakes of our Vampire wine until the crowd slows to a trickle.


&imgrefurl=http://store.vampire.com/drinkOrder.asp%3Fcatid%3D4&h=150&w=150&sz=7&hl=en&sig2=_terXEQVdYBioD_zARSWVQ&start=1&tbnid=I7kU9t6o6TkD3M:&tbnh=96&tbnw=96&ei=J3ZDRdqfGqLG6wHv-fDTDQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dvampire%2Bwine%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26rls%3DGGIC,GGIC:2006-36,GGIC:en%26sa%3DN">check it out!

The wine is average, but is really made in Transylvania and comes with a cool, blood-red cork. I use a couple of empty bottles to set out around my dining room table with fake spiders, rats, etc. Two well-dressed plastic skeletons complete the ghoulish dining scene.

Have a Happy Halloween!

[tridim]

27. It's no more dangerous to trick or treat today than it was 30 years ago

I'm not saying it's not slightly dangerous, but things haven't changed as much as the TV newz would have us believe.

I can't remember where I heard this, but apparently there has never been a case of a razor blade in an apple. It never happened, yet I've heard it reported as fact every year since I was 4.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

28. I Think It's Perfectly Fine, Safe And Roll My Eyes Heavily At Those That

think this country is so so bad now that the simple premise of trick or treating is now something so dangerous that it should be banned. I hear things like this on the radio and it turns my stomach and makes me wonder why some people are so melodramatic and irrational to have to make our children feel this unsafe and take away such a fun experience from them.

Trick or treating is as safe and enjoyable as it ever was. Alarmists need to back off already and just let everyone else continue to enjoy the day.

[Nay]

30. Love it. Hate the Christians and fearmongers who are trying to

ruin it.

I'm 56, and trick or treating has NEVER been dangerous in my lifetime. Those stories about poison, razar blades and needles in the candy? 99% are hoaxes or lies, and the 1% where kids were hurt, it was due to THE KIDS' OWN PARENTS TRYING TO HARM THEIR CHILDREN. Now, that's seriously messed up, but it's nothing for neighborhood kids to worry about. My mom used to take a quick look through my candy when I got home, but that's it.

As for all the lovely fundies who're dying to get rid of the last bits of fun any of us can possibly have, may they rot in hell. Real soon.

[noahmijo]

40. My fiance has a kid in her class who says she won't go to heaven

if she trick or treats. Another poor child from the embarrassing Catholic Mexican sect of my own culture.


If I ever meet this kid's father....

[A HERETIC I AM]

42. Here is Snope's take on it.....

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/mayhem/needles.asp

Pretty much exactly what Nay suggests with only a few exceptions since records have been kept on the subject. The chances of your child being harmed by Halloween candy are about as high as being killed in a plane crash. In other words, remote as all hell.

[earth mom]

32. Why be so anal about it?

I hear your concern, but trick or treating was THE funnest night when I was a kid, I loved the adventure of it where I could be anyone I wanted to and take on the world! I say let kids be kids and have fun. Walk them door to door if you are worried about their safety. :shrug:

[Kali]

33. We have to maintain a careful balance between trickrtreating and

urban legend. I mentioned the possibility of kids starting the razor in the apple rumor. I'll add that parents probably started the needles and drugs in the candy rumor to provide a reason to demand "inspection" of the loot before consumption. I always "inspected" my kids' take for the good stuff...er I mean for SUSPICIOUS items, yeah that's it .....

[seabeyond]

34. afraid? i am not afraid. all across the nation, and few if any are hurt

what are the odds. you say you think it is dangerous, i say.... no it isnt. and i think the numbers of crime on children on halloween night will bare on my side. we love it. we have a lot of the poor come into our neighborhood to trick or treat... a nice safe neighborhood, even on halloween night. have yet to hear of any danger at all ever.... pretty not dangerous to me.

i go with kids too. a wonderful opportunity to say hi to neighbors we dont see al year

it is wonderful, fun, family oriented and my people love it. i even have adults without children that like to dress up and come over nad play trick or treat (they walk, but dont get candy) with the kids.

[MrCoffee]

35. I plan on taking my kids when they get old enough.

[Beelzebud]

36. We live in a Fear-Based Society now.

Long live Trick or Treating!

[twilight_sailing]

37. The Kids Are Alright

When I was young I didn't like kids much. I thought they were just annoying. But now that I am older, I have come to think they are just great.

Last year one of the little trick or treaters, couldn't have been more than 6 years old, was dressed up as a perfect little Harry Potter. It was the cutest thing you ever saw. His Dad was standing back about 15 feet, watching over his kid - I dunno, the whole thing just gave me good vibes. :)

I hope we get a lot of them this year. I have TOO much candy on hand and if they don't come I am going to end up eating it myself.

[noahmijo]

38. Be a responsible parent and go with your child if you fear your

neighborhood that much. Later scrutinize your child's candy before letting him/her consume it.

[dddem]

39. I say Bring em on!

the funny thing is that Trick or Treat as we now know it started around the 1930's as a way to get kids to stop going out on All Hallows' Eve and running amok, vandalizing property and causing all sorts of problems. Funny how things turn around. Personally, I love Trick or Treat. I love seeing the kids and remembering how excited we were to dress up and go through the neighborhood. We hated that our Mom always made us have dinner first, and made us wear our winter coats underneath our costumes (how in the world would people believe I was really Wonder Woman with my fake-fur trimmed hood sticking out of my cape? sheesh).
Happy Halloween! Happy Childhood!
Peace.

[Missy Vixen]

41. When I had my yarn shop

the town we live in sponsors a huge trick-or-treating event the Friday afternoon before Halloween. This year, 92 businesses are involved, and we had over 800 kids trick-or-treating at the various merchants. It was really fun to see the little trick-or-treaters, the vast majority were well-behaved, and said "please" and "thank you". I had one parent that was a problem. His child took a handful of candy after I'd politely said, "One, please," he tried to argue with me, and another parent broke in and said, "Do you realize how many hundreds of kids will be through here today?" He finally backed off.

At home, we get about thirty trick-or-treaters. The event in town has really cut down the numbers in the evening. The first year we owned our house, we saw 250.

Julie

[TheFarseer]

43. I heard

if you go trick or treating dressed as Harry Potter, you're going to hell.

[Akoto]

45. You're almost correct.

If you go trick or treating, you're going to Hell.

If you dress as Harry Potter, you're going to Hell.

If you go trick or treating dressed as Harry Potter, you're going to Super Hell. :evilgrin:

[dddem]

53. I thought it was mega-hell

my mistake.

[bluedogyellowdog]

44. I'm for it

We have to take a stand against the fear-based society this country has become. On all fronts.

[readmoreoften]

46. I absolutely loved trick or treating as a kid. My favorite night of the year.

I feel sorry for kids who don't get to do it. There were urban legends about razor blades in candybars and glass in candy apples since I was a kid back in the 70s. It's the old "wicked witch" I'll-get-you-my-pretties phenomenon. Your kids will be fine. I don't recall a single case of "razor-bladed candy" in my life.

[sandnsea]

47. Safer than when my dad did it

Back in the 40's. Oh my god the stories he told. Soaping windows, stealing candy, rocks in pillowcases. And kids were just sent out into the streets to fend for themselves or hope a big brother would protect them. It's WAY safer now, almost everybody comes with a parent and even for the older kids, there's tons of parents in the streets. I live on a 'trick or treat' street and we never have any problems at all.

Maybe people just need to meet their neighbors.

[BuyingThyme]

48. One of the greatest things ever invented.

[hedgehog]

49. Trick or treating is a way for all the neighbors to connect

We had a neighbor who used to walk his dog across the back of the property. He and his wife got a kick ut of it every year when we'd stop by with the kids. It's a chance to talk to people you normally just wave to and say hi before the winter sets in.

I remember that my dad used to throw a sheet over his head and go trick or treating next door. He scared the lady next door the first time he did it, but afterward they looked forward to seeing him every year.

[LWolf]

50. I enjoyed it as a kid.

When I hit 11/12, I quit going out; I wore my costume to open the door and pass out candy.

As a mom I was less than thrilled. The fun had worn off, and I faced either weeks of too-hyper kids reacting to sugar rushes, or I threw away most of it and became the evil witch I didn't dress up as.

The years I've spent as a teacher have reinforced my irritation. I don't want the complete distraction costumes, candy, etc. cause in my classroom, I don't want to be less than inclusive of those students who aren't allowed to be in the room if Halloween is going on, and I want parents to be responsible for doing whatever they like for Halloween at home. AT HOME. Not in my classroom.

Now that I'm a grandmother, I prefer a halloween party, complete with costumes, music, decorations, and games, to hauling the kid around to a bunch of strangers' houses. If we don't do a party, we drive into town, where the businesses on main street pass out treats for a few hours. The street is decorated, the community is out in force, and whatever goes in the bag came from a business person with a license and public ties to the community. I still prefer the party. Even better, I prefer staying home, drinking hot cider and eating pumpkin cookies, and watching a movie.

[guinivere]

51. I love trick or treating.

I loved it as a kid, and I love doling out the candy. I think, if anything, people are more safety conscious now.

Giving in to the 'fear' and taking away trick or treating robs kids of a damn good time.

[HuffleClaw]

52. trick or treating is perfectly safe

and btw, ALL the horror stories you hear about halloween were propagated by the FUNDIES, who have been warring on halloween for decades.

[AngryOldDem]

54. I wish it would go away

And I'd like to know when Halloween became such an important "holiday."

I'm glad I'm working Halloween night so I won't have to deal with it.

[Raine]

55. I never liked it, not even as a kid

I hated knocking at strangers doors (I was a shy kid) but I felt like I had to. All the kids would bring their goodies to class the next day and you felt weird and left out if you didn't have any.

I don't like it as an adult cause you never know if it's a kid or a thug at your door. One time some really weird freaked out adult guy came to my door on Halloween. Also it gets my dog so worked up he ends up sick the next day. Thank goodness where I live most all the kids have grown up and at most anymore get one or two and sometimes none at all.

Halloween itself is my favorite holiday and now that no one really comes to my door I'm free to go out and enjoy the holiday.

Halloween...YES, Trick or Treating...NO

[Toots]

56. This thread has made me feel one thousand percent better

Almost every single one of you loves it and wants it to continue forever. Me too.........It is interesting and fun sometimes to talk about something other than Republicans and this is an interesting subject (for me anyway). :thumbsup: to the whole bunch of you here. It has been rumored that sometimes "Liberals" want to stop everything that is fun for all. Don't get much more "Liberal" than DU so I guess that rumor gets put to rest. :-)

[spoony]

59. Very glad you feel better about it! :) Happy Halloween!

[Gormy Cuss]

58. It's a great tradition.

MY old Boston neighborhood was a classic triple decker area of mostly blue collar residents bordered by a neighborhood of lower income families. The kids arrived in packs with an adult hovering in the background. Their costumes were simple and the kids were beaming at their fantasy selves. CVS stores in those years were offering candy alternatives like Halloween themed pencils (unsharpened) and two packs of crayons. The little kids loved the crayons. You'd think they'd never seen one before.

Here is CA, my neighborhood is an older suburb one where people greet neighbors on the street. The kids here show up in elaborate costumes with their well dressed parents behind them, but the kids have the same joy at the unexpected treat. Last year I handed out 'creepy body parts' to the kids who looked between age 5-10 and they loved it. One boy went tearing down my driveway yelling "I got an EYEBALL!"
This year the special treat will be packets of Halloween "tattoos."

[kohodog]

60. "Candy, Candy, Candy."--Garfield

Let the kids have some fun away from the 'rents. If your neighborhood is dangerous keep 'em in. But mostly our kids are too insulated imho.

[DawgHouse]

61. I don't have a problem with it.

My neighborhood is fairly the same as when I grew up. We have quite a few trick or treaters until about 10 pm and then they dwindle to nothing and I turn off the porch light. I look forward to seeing the little kids in their costumes.

[BlooInBloo]

62. I think it's a fine & fun tradtion that idiotic Americans have ruined.

[porphyrian]

63. Proportionately there are no more kooks than there ever was.

The only difference today as opposed to any time in the past is that a) there are more people, b) thus there are more kooks, but in the same proportion as before (which is under 5% of the population, and just depends on how you define "kook"), but c) we have access to more information faster than ever before and d) a corporate media that both profits from sensationalizing violence and serves as a fear-generating propaganda machine for a fascist regime whose favored method of rule is through keeping the populace scared.

Just be alert and be careful, which you should always do. There is no more reason to be afraid of Halloween today than there ever was.

[magellan]

64. The kids in our neighborhood love it

And we get a kick out of the creativity of their costumes and trying to guess who's who. The parents always come around with the little ones and usually stand on the road keeping an eye on things, but they seem to enjoy watching the fun their kids are having as well.

I suppose in bad neighborhoods this isn't possible, and parties are the better choice. But however it's done, the harmless joy of dress-up legitimized for one night a year is a treat -- anyone who would deny their children that really must be a kook.