Halloween and the societal presumption.

If you answer the door and give a treat you are supposed to be protected from evil. If you don't then you will not have protection from evil.

Its origins are from the Medieval period and is still part of the worlds culture but no one believes in evil now a days. unless they are conservative gun toting Christian republicans, Like Pat Robertson.

a reply to: MrsNonSpecific

You're the dog version of the crazy cat lady from The Simpsons episodes. I did enjoy your rant though

Feeling in a bad mood one year I wrapped up a bunch of dog biscuits and handed them to those brave enough to knock on my door.
Never had another trick or treat since!

a reply to: MrsNonSpecific

It's about community. Merriment is important for bonding. These are the people that will rush to save you if your house is on fire, especially if you've joined in the reverie with them. Besides, it's fun.

a reply to: MrsNonSpecific

We give out a vast variety of full-sized candy. It makes the kids happy. And it's a nice thing to do. If you don't want to, then don't. Like you said, you have dogs. So it actually seems like your choice is a responsible choice, to me. But it's not rude to celebrate the holiday by going trick-or-treating. That IS what Halloween is about to kids. It's about dressing up and getting free candy. It's fun. It has nothing to do with Samhain.

a reply to: VoidHawk

that's so mean!!! And dumb! If they'd eaten it and gotten sick--who do you think would be liable? o.O
(Answer: YOU) Didn't you think about that? You're lucky that none of them ate it. Really lucky. I think you should think before you act. Seriously. And there's nothing funny about what you did. All it succeeded in doing was make all of your neighbors think you're a jerk.

There was a much-easier option: just don't open the door!!!

Keep the front lights off. Go out and have fun so you don't have to be home during trick-or-treating (which is only like 2 hours). Or put out a sign that says no trick-or-treaters. That's what normal people do--because it works. They don't take out their ire on kids...

originally posted by: rukia
a reply to: VoidHawk

that's so mean!!!

Rubbish.
Perfectly healthy WELL FED kids came begging at my door for sweets! SWEETS!!!
Sweets are full of very nasty chemicals! Just ask if you'd like more info on that.

And dumb! If they'd eaten it and gotten sick

Rubbish.
Having worked in the pet food industry for many years (check my post history!) I can assure you there is nothing in dog biscuits, and I mean nothing! Check the label and you'll see it says something like "Not to be used as a meal". Quite simply, they are bereft of ANYTHING useful or harmful.

All it succeeded in doing was make all of your neighbors think you're a jerk.

Actually no it didn't, I know their parents quite well, and they joked about it with me.

You're just annoyed because of what I said in that other thread about the church!

a reply to: MrsNonSpecific

It is a holiday - today is one of those days where the veil between the spirit world and ours is at its thinnest (at least, if I have my history correct). Also, the kids dress up to scare away evil spirits, much like Detroit has a "festival" to scare away the Nain Rouge which involves, yep people in costume. Like others said, easiest way to keep someone from going to the house is to turn off any lights or indicators - it was a common rule that no lights = no candy in my old neighborhood. We also also had a dog as well and to calm her down, I took her for walks before and after.

What I don't like about this is that it is that now that Halloween is over, they will be pushing the Christmas stuff earlier again (because who cares about Thanksgiving). I'm not looking forward to that, as it means my commute home from work gets longer, and I won't be able to visit a mall (unless I walk there).

-foss

a reply to: MrsNonSpecific

Yeah with the lights out and the sign and im sure the neighbors know
what a treat you are im sure they will stay away lol.
Come on man smile.
Darn kids stay off my lawn ......i tell ya what .

a reply to: kaylaluv

My next door neighbor did that. It was still there this morning - full

Now it's empty - squirrels got it all. One was just running happily across the street with an Almond Joy

:-)

(I hope squirrels can eat chocolate)

we had the non-treating neighbors when I was a kid too.

The Deal was Trick....or treat. It was the spirit of the occasion.
So some got a trick, usually involving old tomatoes from the garden.
I'd say 80 percent or more participated, because it was fun for them, and the local kids.
Neighborly even.

You could try pulling the stick out of your bum and going to a Halloween party for a change instead of shuttering yourself in grumbling about everything. Might change your outlook on your apparently miserable lives (one would have to be to bitch about one lone evening) to mingle with other adults having fun. That's kind of the POINT of Halloween anyway. To have fun.

Just my Yankee perspective here.

originally posted by: nonspecific
I think the difference may be in culture here. In the Uk kids seem to think that a polite refusal and explanation should be ignored and finf it apprpriate to bang away regardless.

To us Haloween is an annoyance that upsets the dogs and causes unneeded noise.

Humbugs to you all.

Well, I could see that being an issue! In that case, perhaps a nice scare would be in order. Creeping up in a scary mask and startling the kids would be effective in most cases, and you'd likely develop a reputation as the "scary house" with only a little effort.

Where we live now, I rarely see any kids, just because we are at the tail end f a neighborhood, and up on a bit of a hill, and there aren't many around us. I kind of miss it, but that's just me. If they were pesky as you describe, it'd be a different story!

originally posted by: kaylaluv
a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

If we aren't going to be home that night, we usually leave a big bowl of candy right outside the front door. That usually satisfies 'em.

I did that one year when the hubby wasn't home (deployed), and I had to take the kids. Not a speck left, either! I only hoped more than one bunch got it, but no way to know.

Go find out the true religion of Halloween before the Gov changed it.

I miss Halloween.
Had lots of fun with my kids when they were little, but where we are now, it isn't celebrated. Everyone lives on a farm that is so far away from the nearest neighbor you have to take the car.

But to add my own little rant, I hate seeing all my female friends and relatives in the US posting pictures of themselves and their friends posing in their "sexy this or that" costumes. I'm ashamed for them. Which is stupid because they are obviously quite happy about it and it is obviously a current trend, but if I "like" them, my french family and friends will see them, and assume americans are all stupid whores.

I suppose the modern day festival is a bit like marmite - you either love it or hate it. LOL

In my house the festival goes by its older name of Samhain and we celebrate it with a massive family dinner - much like the American and Canadian thanksgiving dinners. We celebrate the end of Summer and the Final Harvest but instead of slaughtering the beasts that won't make it through the coming dark Winter period the kids go out and trick or treat. It's a bit of a compromise on our part but I think our neighbours appreciate it. ;-) However, we do have a rule - no pumpkin, no knock.

a reply to: Shelbee

One year we went to Avebury to celebrate Samhain and it was brilliant. It was such a powerful atmosphere and everyone was so friendly. We had great conversations.

I love your idea of a family dinner, definitely an idea for next year.