[OT] Halloween ettiquette

Apologies if I sound like a killjoy, but here it goes.

I loathe trick or treating. For the rest of the year, children are
discouraged from talking to and accepting sweets from strangers. How
come it all changes around Halloween?

NB: I don't have any children, so to the majority of children round here
I *am* a stranger. They might recognise me, but they certainly don't
know me at all.

A few years back, mid-October I got a knock on the door. It was two
little dots trick or treating, no sign of an adult, and it was dark.

I explained that not only was it well before Halloween, but that it was
dangerous to go around knocking on strangers; doors asking for sweets.
They thought about this for a minute, and then informed me that they
went to school with the children who lived next door.

"But that doesn't mean you know me" I replied.

After a bit more thought, they informed me that they "usually washed the
man's car what lives here". Biting my tongue at their appalling grammar
(!) I told them that I'd never seen them do so. They gave me up as a
bad job.

About half an hour later, a group of teenage oiks appeared. When told
it was too early, they advised me in no uncertain terms that they were
away at half-term (when Halloween fell) and wanted some money for that,
but that they'd be back at Halloween (? - I thought they were away?) and
that I'd better have something for them. Needless to say I wasn't
around, and I saw no sign that they'd been back. But I hate to think
what they might have done to the little kids out earlier.

/rant
--
Cathi

Apologies if I sound like a killjoy, but here it goes.

I loathe trick or treating. For the rest of the year, children are
discouraged from talking to and accepting sweets from strangers. How
come it all changes around Halloween?

NB: I don't have any children, so to the majority of children round here
I *am* a stranger. They might recognise me, but they certainly don't
know me at all.

A few years back, mid-October I got a knock on the door. It was two
little dots trick or treating, no sign of an adult, and it was dark.

I explained that not only was it well before Halloween, but that it was
dangerous to go around knocking on strangers; doors asking for sweets.
They thought about this for a minute, and then informed me that they
went to school with the children who lived next door.

"But that doesn't mean you know me" I replied.

After a bit more thought, they informed me that they "usually washed the
man's car what lives here". Biting my tongue at their appalling grammar
(!) I told them that I'd never seen them do so. They gave me up as a
bad job.

About half an hour later, a group of teenage oiks appeared. When told
it was too early, they advised me in no uncertain terms that they were
away at half-term (when Halloween fell) and wanted some money for that,
but that they'd be back at Halloween (? - I thought they were away?) and
that I'd better have something for them. Needless to say I wasn't
around, and I saw no sign that they'd been back. But I hate to think
what they might have done to the little kids out earlier.

/rant
--
Cathi

Apologies if I sound like a killjoy, but here it goes.

I loathe trick or treating. For the rest of the year, children are
discouraged from talking to and accepting sweets from strangers. How
come it all changes around Halloween?

NB: I don't have any children, so to the majority of children round here
I *am* a stranger. They might recognise me, but they certainly don't
know me at all.

A few years back, mid-October I got a knock on the door. It was two
little dots trick or treating, no sign of an adult, and it was dark.

I explained that not only was it well before Halloween, but that it was
dangerous to go around knocking on strangers; doors asking for sweets.
They thought about this for a minute, and then informed me that they
went to school with the children who lived next door.

"But that doesn't mean you know me" I replied.

After a bit more thought, they informed me that they "usually washed the
man's car what lives here". Biting my tongue at their appalling grammar
(!) I told them that I'd never seen them do so. They gave me up as a
bad job.

About half an hour later, a group of teenage oiks appeared. When told
it was too early, they advised me in no uncertain terms that they were
away at half-term (when Halloween fell) and wanted some money for that,
but that they'd be back at Halloween (? - I thought they were away?) and
that I'd better have something for them. Needless to say I wasn't
around, and I saw no sign that they'd been back. But I hate to think
what they might have done to the little kids out earlier.

/rant
--
Cathi

in article , Cathi at
wrote on 10/31/04 10:43 PM:

Apologies if I sound like a killjoy, but here it goes.

I loathe trick or treating. For the rest of the year, children are
discouraged from talking to and accepting sweets from strangers. How
come it all changes around Halloween?

NB: I don't have any children, so to the majority of children round here
I *am* a stranger. They might recognise me, but they certainly don't
know me at all.

A few years back, mid-October I got a knock on the door. It was two
little dots trick or treating, no sign of an adult, and it was dark.

I explained that not only was it well before Halloween, but that it was
dangerous to go around knocking on strangers; doors asking for sweets.
They thought about this for a minute, and then informed me that they
went to school with the children who lived next door.

"But that doesn't mean you know me" I replied.

After a bit more thought, they informed me that they "usually washed the
man's car what lives here". Biting my tongue at their appalling grammar
(!) I told them that I'd never seen them do so. They gave me up as a
bad job.

About half an hour later, a group of teenage oiks appeared. When told
it was too early, they advised me in no uncertain terms that they were
away at half-term (when Halloween fell) and wanted some money for that,
but that they'd be back at Halloween (? - I thought they were away?) and
that I'd better have something for them. Needless to say I wasn't
around, and I saw no sign that they'd been back. But I hate to think
what they might have done to the little kids out earlier.

/rant

Yeah, it's pretty contradictory in a lot of senses. Really, over here any
more, fewer tykes are out doing it. There are so many organized events and
parties and parents feel so much safer about doing that, that I think active
treating door to door is slowing down. Of course, candy sales are still
good. But I swear, with the amount that has showed up at work in recent
days, I think half or more of the sales are really just going to offices

in article , Cathi at
wrote on 10/31/04 10:43 PM:

Apologies if I sound like a killjoy, but here it goes.

I loathe trick or treating. For the rest of the year, children are
discouraged from talking to and accepting sweets from strangers. How
come it all changes around Halloween?

NB: I don't have any children, so to the majority of children round here
I *am* a stranger. They might recognise me, but they certainly don't
know me at all.

A few years back, mid-October I got a knock on the door. It was two
little dots trick or treating, no sign of an adult, and it was dark.

I explained that not only was it well before Halloween, but that it was
dangerous to go around knocking on strangers; doors asking for sweets.
They thought about this for a minute, and then informed me that they
went to school with the children who lived next door.

"But that doesn't mean you know me" I replied.

After a bit more thought, they informed me that they "usually washed the
man's car what lives here". Biting my tongue at their appalling grammar
(!) I told them that I'd never seen them do so. They gave me up as a
bad job.

About half an hour later, a group of teenage oiks appeared. When told
it was too early, they advised me in no uncertain terms that they were
away at half-term (when Halloween fell) and wanted some money for that,
but that they'd be back at Halloween (? - I thought they were away?) and
that I'd better have something for them. Needless to say I wasn't
around, and I saw no sign that they'd been back. But I hate to think
what they might have done to the little kids out earlier.

/rant

Yeah, it's pretty contradictory in a lot of senses. Really, over here any
more, fewer tykes are out doing it. There are so many organized events and
parties and parents feel so much safer about doing that, that I think active
treating door to door is slowing down. Of course, candy sales are still
good. But I swear, with the amount that has showed up at work in recent
days, I think half or more of the sales are really just going to offices

in article , Cathi at
wrote on 10/31/04 10:43 PM:

Apologies if I sound like a killjoy, but here it goes.

I loathe trick or treating. For the rest of the year, children are
discouraged from talking to and accepting sweets from strangers. How
come it all changes around Halloween?

NB: I don't have any children, so to the majority of children round here
I *am* a stranger. They might recognise me, but they certainly don't
know me at all.

A few years back, mid-October I got a knock on the door. It was two
little dots trick or treating, no sign of an adult, and it was dark.

I explained that not only was it well before Halloween, but that it was
dangerous to go around knocking on strangers; doors asking for sweets.
They thought about this for a minute, and then informed me that they
went to school with the children who lived next door.

"But that doesn't mean you know me" I replied.

After a bit more thought, they informed me that they "usually washed the
man's car what lives here". Biting my tongue at their appalling grammar
(!) I told them that I'd never seen them do so. They gave me up as a
bad job.

About half an hour later, a group of teenage oiks appeared. When told
it was too early, they advised me in no uncertain terms that they were
away at half-term (when Halloween fell) and wanted some money for that,
but that they'd be back at Halloween (? - I thought they were away?) and
that I'd better have something for them. Needless to say I wasn't
around, and I saw no sign that they'd been back. But I hate to think
what they might have done to the little kids out earlier.

/rant

Yeah, it's pretty contradictory in a lot of senses. Really, over here any
more, fewer tykes are out doing it. There are so many organized events and
parties and parents feel so much safer about doing that, that I think active
treating door to door is slowing down. Of course, candy sales are still
good. But I swear, with the amount that has showed up at work in recent
days, I think half or more of the sales are really just going to offices

Yeah, it's pretty contradictory in a lot of senses. Really, over here any
more, fewer tykes are out doing it. There are so many organized events and
parties and parents feel so much safer about doing that, that I think active
treating door to door is slowing down.

But trick or treating is so fun for the kids. Kids love to dress up and pretend
they're Spiderman, or a fairy princess or whatever. I just wish all trick or
treating was supervised and done only at friends and relatives' houses.

Of course, candy sales are still
good. But I swear, with the amount that has showed up at work in recent
days, I think half or more of the sales are really just going to offices

Yes, but where are the wax lips and wax harmonicas ?

Sherry

Yeah, it's pretty contradictory in a lot of senses. Really, over here any
more, fewer tykes are out doing it. There are so many organized events and
parties and parents feel so much safer about doing that, that I think active
treating door to door is slowing down.

But trick or treating is so fun for the kids. Kids love to dress up and pretend
they're Spiderman, or a fairy princess or whatever. I just wish all trick or
treating was supervised and done only at friends and relatives' houses.

Of course, candy sales are still
good. But I swear, with the amount that has showed up at work in recent
days, I think half or more of the sales are really just going to offices

Yes, but where are the wax lips and wax harmonicas ?

Sherry

Yeah, it's pretty contradictory in a lot of senses. Really, over here any
more, fewer tykes are out doing it. There are so many organized events and
parties and parents feel so much safer about doing that, that I think active
treating door to door is slowing down.

But trick or treating is so fun for the kids. Kids love to dress up and pretend
they're Spiderman, or a fairy princess or whatever. I just wish all trick or
treating was supervised and done only at friends and relatives' houses.

Of course, candy sales are still
good. But I swear, with the amount that has showed up at work in recent
days, I think half or more of the sales are really just going to offices

Yes, but where are the wax lips and wax harmonicas ?

Sherry

Apologies if I sound like a killjoy, but here it goes.

Then I'm one too ;-)

I loathe trick or treating. For the rest of the year, children are
discouraged from talking to and accepting sweets from strangers. How
come it all changes around Halloween?

Yup - I agree. Thankfully trick or treat is a custom that hasn't caught on too
much on this side of the pond. We've our own hallowe'en traditions over here -
now largely lost - bobbing for apples... apples on a string...

The bit I honestly find strange is how much hallowe'en is celebrated in the
USA, given it's very much a pagan festival & the States seems to be getting
more & more right-wing Christian, I see a strange contradiction there :-) Over
here we get churches which are more right-wing, evangelical churches going
public about *not* celebrating hallowe'en. Mind you they do try & hijack it as
"All Hallows" claiming it has nothing to do with anything pagan, never existed
in pagan ritual but is an entirely Christian festival.

Cheers, helen s


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