Halloween

brianlux

PJ_Soul said:

brianlux said:

oftenreading said:

brianlux said:

tempo_n_groove said:

brianlux said:

Not sure if this is PC nonsense or Bible Belt nonsense, Dirty_Frank. It was always a good time for kids and parents alike when I was a kid. It should still be fun for kids who want to participate.

Because trick or treating is not as safe as it was back then, our town holds a Halloween event event downtown. It's described on the cities events web page:

OCTOBER 31, 2015: Trick or Treat on Main Street
4PM – 6PM in Historic downtown Placerville. Main Street merchants hand out candy (while supplies last) to trick-or-treaters for this great family event. There will be a DJ at the Bell Tower and a Costume Contest (sponsored by the 20-30 Club) at 6PM. Town Hall will also host a Carnival for children 10 and under (sponsored by The Placerville Lions Club). For info call (530 672-3436).

It's a great time and we've never had any PC or religious complaints. We get a huge crowd of both locals and out-of-town folks and the costumes are a gas! Kids love it.

Anyone have a problem with Halloween should just stay home and pout and leave the fun to the rest of us!

What's not "safe" about Halloween now a days in your town?

I want kids banging on my door and being excited about the candy I hand out and I want them to complain about the people who handed out an apple, lol.

I wonder how many schools are banning All Hallows Eve?

Many parents are concerned about kids getting unsafe or tainted candy (well, yes, all candy is poison but you know what I mean). So Placerville closes Main Street and everybody comes out in costume, listens to the music play, and parades around. Merchants up and down the street hand out candy and treats to the kids and everybody has a good time. It's a grand freak scene!

This is totally an urban myth. There have, in fact, been NO instances of poisoned candy or razor blades in apples ever substantiated, although many people claim to know someone who knows someone who met someone it happened to.

This is a part of the larger myth that current society is not safe for children, which is complete BS - society is safer than it's ever been, with the notable exception that parents rarely let their kids walk or cycle anywhere so the rates of obesity are skyrocketing.

I'd agree that about the only risks regarding trick-or-treating is the tiny risk that and older teen/adult uses it as an excuse to get a householder to open their door to strangers. Since kids tend to trick-or-treat in packs (it's way more fun that way), they aren't at risk from the people in the houses. (They are at risk from cars on the streets, though).

Although my kid is in high school now (and her school is celebrating Halloween week with different events every day, FYI), I suspect that the main concerns are around unwieldy and distracting costumes, rather than any "Christian" flavour.

Of course, I'm speaking as a Canadian; we have fewer rampant Christians here.

I sincerely hope you are correct about what I said being an urban myth. It's true, I've only heard stories and don't know of any first hand who has been harmed by poison candy. I guess I'm just getting old and jaded and suspect that these kinds of stories are true. I really do want to be wrong about that!

I'm not so sure I can be as easily persuaded that society is safer than ever. When I was a kid, we never locked our doors when we left the house, not even when we went away for the weekend, I I grew up in a the bay area. But then when I was in my early teens we were victims of a robbery as were others on our block and houses began to be locked up and locks installed on windows and the age of innocence seemed to have died then.

On the other hand, I think parents today are going to extremes to protect there kids...

think George Carlin, LOL!

Oh come on, you know I love my kids! They think Carlin is funny to

The part about the urban myth is true Brian. It was actually researched at some point, and no actual reports of this happening were ever found.
I do also agree that it's not actually any more dangerous than it ever was, generally. I mean, of course there are places that have gone down the toilet over the years... but i wouod bet that that is evened out by other places that have dramatically improved over the years. It's just that everyone is hyperaware of the dangers now, and unfortunately, the most common reaction to that is to apply restrictions to everything rather than just using that increased knowledge towards using more commonsense.

Whether the world is safer or not (I'm really not sure) one thing that is for sure- I'm not buying into the "let's keep everyone in fear" message we get from the powers that be. Be aware, be concerned, do something to make a difference, but do not live in fear.

And have a happy Halloween! Boo!

rgambs

Now I keep seeing memes and chain posts about people handing out drugs (ex and flakka) in candy form...
It is about the dumbest thing I have heard. Like someone is going to give away drugs to people they can't even see to laugh at.

Who Princess

I agree that the urban myth about poisoned candy isn't true, but there was an actual incident that led to the myth. I remember this case very well. I was in college at the time.

http://murderpedia.org/male.O/o1/obryan-ronald-clark.htm

He murdered his son by putting cyanide in his Halloween candy. He did for the insurance money. His fellow death row inmates called him Candy Man. To the public, he was often called The Man Who Killed Halloween. I remember that Halloween activities drastically changed after that to fairs and parties rather than trick or treating.

It's such a distant event that now I see plenty of kids trick or treating. I no longer give out candy though. We live on a fairly busy residential street and every Halloween there are cars lined up for hours taking kids door to door. None of them live in the neighborhood. We can easily have 150-200 kids in one evening. Several years ago, I opened the door and 4 teenage boys pushed their way in. They didn't do anything except hold out bags for candy but it was obvious they were trying to scare me. I was really annoyed and told my husband that we're not giving out candy anymore. A shame in a lot of ways. I loved Halloween when I was a kid and enjoyed giving out candy to trick or treaters in other places we lived but I'm not dealing with an assembly line of kids that I don't even know.

Jason P

CH156378

I went to a catholic school during grade school, it was called "all saints day" we dressed up as our favorite saint. It sucked.

I always went as St. Francis.

oftenreading

CH156378 said:

I went to a catholic school during grade school, it was called "all saints day" we dressed up as our favorite saint. It sucked.

I always went as St. Francis.

So that you could bring your pets to school?

CH156378

No, I would just pin fake birds to my fake monk robe. Honestly looking back it wasn't that bad. We still got candy and a little party. Then when I got home I put on my Freddie Krueger costume.

Honestly I would rather have my kids studying math than a holloween party. It seems like kids got to have a treat or party for everything theses days. It's kinda ridiculous honestly. I say less parties more learning.

xhausted1

CH156378 said:

I went to a catholic school during grade school, it was called "all saints day" we dressed up as our favorite saint. It sucked.

I always went as St. Francis.

Isn't All Saints Day Nov. 1? I went to a catholic school, too. I remember some kids who would dress as a saint would get extra credit. We acknowledged Halloween, but no scary costumes.

CH156378

xhausted1 said:

CH156378 said:

I went to a catholic school during grade school, it was called "all saints day" we dressed up as our favorite saint. It sucked.

I always went as St. Francis.

Isn't All Saints Day Nov. 1? I went to a catholic school, too. I remember some kids who would dress as a saint would get extra credit. We acknowledged Halloween, but no scary costumes.

Well, I'm not quite sure on the dates but that would make sense with holloween on the 31st.

jnimhaoileoin

CH156378 said:

xhausted1 said:

CH156378 said:

I went to a catholic school during grade school, it was called "all saints day" we dressed up as our favorite saint. It sucked.

I always went as St. Francis.

Isn't All Saints Day Nov. 1? I went to a catholic school, too. I remember some kids who would dress as a saint would get extra credit. We acknowledged Halloween, but no scary costumes.

Well, I'm not quite sure on the dates but that would make sense with holloween on the 31st.

As I've said Samhain or Halloween is a pagan festival, the Christians merely tried to appropriate it, as they are wont to do...

rgambs

jnimhaoileoin said:

CH156378 said:

xhausted1 said:

CH156378 said:

I went to a catholic school during grade school, it was called "all saints day" we dressed up as our favorite saint. It sucked.

I always went as St. Francis.

Isn't All Saints Day Nov. 1? I went to a catholic school, too. I remember some kids who would dress as a saint would get extra credit. We acknowledged Halloween, but no scary costumes.

Well, I'm not quite sure on the dates but that would make sense with holloween on the 31st.

As I've said Samhain or Halloween is a pagan festival, the Christians merely tried to appropriate it, as they are wont to do...

Appropriatin' fools! Smart strategy on their part, people don't like giving up their superstitions.

hedonist

gambo, is the little one going to be costumed and looking for tricks and/or treats?

rgambs

hedonist said:

gambo, is the little one going to be costumed and looking for tricks and/or treats?

Yes ma'am, he is going to be Dr Frankenstein (because of his wild, mad scientist hair) and we will be his monsters.

PJfanwillneverleave1

rgambs said:

hedonist said:

gambo, is the little one going to be costumed and looking for tricks and/or treats?

Yes ma'am, he is going to be Dr Frankenstein (because of his wild, mad scientist hair) and we will be his monsters.

Have fun this first year.
As he gets older when you take him out you will have to explain the houses with the lights out that clearly have people inside. Or the houses with religious handwritten notes saying do not knock.
To me those are the creepiest houses on Halloween night no matter how the other houses are decorated up.
Enjoy the first Halloween!

hedonist

PJfanwillneverleave1 said:

rgambs said:

hedonist said:

gambo, is the little one going to be costumed and looking for tricks and/or treats?

Yes ma'am, he is going to be Dr Frankenstein (because of his wild, mad scientist hair) and we will be his monsters.

Have fun this first year.
As he gets older when you take him out you will have to explain the houses with the lights out that clearly have people inside. Or the houses with religious handwritten notes saying do not knock.
To me those are the creepiest houses on Halloween night no matter how the other houses are decorated up.
Enjoy the first Halloween!

In my childhood, we avoided the dark house with high weeds in the front yard. It was actually fun at the time, a rush to run by with giggles and adrenaline. It didn't need explaining, it just was.

I'm cool with those who choose to not participate for whatever reason. I have a problem with those who think if they make that choice, everyone else must abide.

gambs, sounds adorable! Feel free to post or share pics. I can only imagine what your monster beard'll be like.

rgambs

I just trimmed it back lol

Dirtie_Frank

All saints day is November 1 Halloween Is known as All Hallows eve For All Saints day