Real Hallowe'en is back for a long traumatized Pennsylvania town

[darkpoet25]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081029/...wn_s_halloween

[Deadset]

Yeah, it's always a threat. Now that I'm a father it's something every parent thinks about, even though mine is still in the stroller.

I'm really not for punishing an entire town by more laws. If the parents in the town are worried, just walk with them.

[DetroitSportsFan]

Originally Posted by Deads3t

If the parents in the town are worried, just walk with them.

Exactly, just show some parental responsibility.

[MATTYBLU2]

Yup, its called going with your kids and being responsible. i would never let me 6yr old go by herself, let alone with someone else. time to start packing heat when going T or Ting

[jkwest]

It's really amazing what happens you let some fear into your life. The comment from the 15 yr old boy, "I have a gut-wrenching feeling something bad's going to happen."

He has lived with this fear his whole life, yet, everyone else in America and the world have been enjoying the holiday without even a thought. I think banning this for 16 years was a bad decision. There is a whole generation in that town that will always have that fear now.

[Chocolatejas]

This is on my city's wensite:

TOP TEN SAFETY TIPS FOR ADULTS

1. A Halloween party for children is recommended instead of them going Trick or Treating.

[EricJ]

Most towns now have turned the local indoor shopping mall into a brightly lit, party-atmosphere T&T event-night zone--
Which, like the similar revision for Girl Scout Cookie sales, seems to be the new place for neighborhood commerce.
(And doesn't bother those nice folks in the neighborhoods who like to sit at home without answering their doors every five minutes...)

And the article technically points out how interest in the town brought trick or treating back--
As, presumably, the town had initially reacted to the tragedy by pointing out that Halloween can lead to DANCING!

[quexos]

Dude I would be quite put off if some kid rang my bell for candy. I mean I live on a 6th floor so I'm relatively safe from those little candy monsters
Luckily for me trick-or-treating is not really happening over here in Europe.

[Beta Man]

My son is one (his BDAY is today) so he can't have Candy etc....

This year he's going to be with us, handing out candy, dressed up in his little-gear etc.....


Once he's old enough for candy etc... We'll probably go around with him, and whatever candy he gets, we'll let him have some of the hard-candy etc, that's wrapped, and anything "else" regardless of where it comes from, will get thrown out


It's all in good fun for them, but if I had my way, I'd buy him $20 worth of candy, and then ration it to him for the next year

[STARSCREAM]

I'm 28 (almost 29) and man things sure have changed alot even since I was little. Back then everyone went trick or treating and it was a huge deal. Nowadays hardly anyone goes trick or treating and it seems like very few actually decorate outside for it either. Back in the day almost every house was decorated up. I know times are different now and as a father now (daughter just turned one a few weeks ago) I am alot more cautious about this type of stuff. Since she is so small and won't know whats really going on this year we are just going to stay at home and enjoy the evening together. Starting next year we will probably just take her to some family members houses to trick or treat (and so they can see her dressed up) and then go to the mall or somewhere that is having an event for the kids.

[Marquoz]

I am going trick or treating with my son and a group of other children and adults. The one thing being drilled into our heads ahead of time is get the exact count of children before you go with them, and help the other parents keep a constant watch and count the kids.

[DrinkMore]

Originally Posted by STARSCREAM

I'm 28 (almost 29) and man things sure have changed alot even since I was little. Back then everyone went trick or treating and it was a huge deal. Nowadays hardly anyone goes trick or treating and it seems like very few actually decorate outside for it either. Back in the day almost every house was decorated up. I know times are different now and as a father now (daughter just turned one a few weeks ago) I am alot more cautious about this type of stuff. Since she is so small and won't know whats really going on this year we are just going to stay at home and enjoy the evening together. Starting next year we will probably just take her to some family members houses to trick or treat (and so they can see her dressed up) and then go to the mall or somewhere that is having an event for the kids.

I am the same age. I too remember back when I was trick or treating, it was a neighborhood event. There were HUNDREDS of people out on the streets going door to door. There was never a problem, save for the couple of people who acted like idiots to the kids. Other than that, it was excellent fun. Houses were decorated, people were nice and we had friends with us. Of course we were SMART and always checked our candy before eating it. Needles were the choice of contaminants back then from what I remember. Never met anyone that had a problem. We also lived on base. It was the same way off base too, lots of people. Also, parents were out with their kids keeping an eye on them. This was big then.

Today, it's the complete opposite. Nobody goes out. Everyone goes to the mall or has a party. It's not the same. If people do go out, they are usually toted around by a minivan which I find to be a joke. Don't understand that. Seems parents want kids, but don't want the responsibility of being a parent

I wish people would decorate and kids/parents get back out there in large groups and have fun. In the movies where you see kids going around in large groups with parents, that's how it was for us back in the day. It's sad to see how things have changed so drastically.

For some reason people don't enjoy the holidays like they used to. Not sure why.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by quexos

Luckily for me trick-or-treating is not really happening over here in Europe.

Foreign countries don't really GET Halloween--It's too English a thing.

Japan, for ex., wants to get in on the marketing, but without any Christian/Catholic/Druidic roots to speak of, can't make heads or tails out of the whole costume and candy thing. (They're great at ghost stories in August, though, so it's not like they're totally against it; they just don't have anything to attach it to.)
While France, being highly Catholic--which never likes to bother with Halloween anyway, as it takes too much attention away from the all-important Hallow's Day--recently tried to retire Halloween completely, in favor of "Gallic New Year's"...With all manner of 10th-cty. Druid/Gaul end-of-October celebrations, and fresh-brewed Mead at the pubs.

[stockstar1138]

Originally Posted by EricJ

Foreign countries don't really GET Halloween--It's too English a thing.

Japan, for ex., wants to get in on the marketing, but without any Christian/Catholic/Druidic roots to speak of, can't make heads or tails out of the whole costume and candy thing. (They're great at ghost stories in August, though, so it's not like they're totally against it; they just don't have anything to attach it to.)
While France, being highly Catholic--which never likes to bother with Halloween anyway, as it takes too much attention away from the all-important Hallow's Day--recently tried to retire Halloween completely, in favor of "Gallic New Year's"...With all manner of 10th-cty. Druid/Gaul end-of-October celebrations, and fresh-brewed Mead at the pubs.

Well, the whole candy/costume thing actually has Mexican roots, not American.

I think in the USA we kind of combined their (Mexico's) Day of the Dead celebration with the European Christian/Catholic/Drudic celebrations and we got our Halloween from that.

[cravnsn]

I live near Anoka Minnesota, the “Halloween Capitol of the world” Not really sure how they got that title, as most people living outside the state have never heard of the town.

Fortunately, the neighborhood right behind my house still does well for trick-or-treating. Not every house, but many are decorated, and lots of people hand out candy. There are parents out with the younger kids, and enough of them around to keep a good eye on everyone. I wouldn’t allow my kids to go by themselves (age 9 & 11) but I want them to experience the holiday the way I did when I was younger. Needless to say, they’re very excited about tonight. Weather is going to be great, with temps near 50 at T.O.T time, and the fact that it’s not a school night means we’re hitting as may houses as we can.
Hey, they need to get enough goodies for me too!

[Moefiz]

Why would you let your kids do trick or treating by themselves in this day and age that is plain stupid.

[MATTYBLU2]

Originally Posted by Moefiz

Why would you let your kids do trick or treating by themselves in this day and age that is plain stupid.

+1

[Psychonaut]

I'm bummed trick or treating slowed down over the years. I lived in an apartment for a few years that had a security door so we couldn't have them. Now I'm in a house and like the whole thing but now nobody is out. It's to the point when I only buy candy I would eat because I know there will be leftovers.

[Steelmaker]

Halloween is very near and dear to me! It's always been my favorite "holiday." Now, living in the Bible Belt means that many children go "trunk or treating" instead. What this means is that cars from the local churches park in the chuch parking lot and open the trunks to their cars where they are filled with candy. Children will go from car to car and rack up. Usually the church will have a party afterwards for the kids.

I suppose it's a way for the Bible thumpers to protect the kids from the "evils" of Halloween.

[OldSweat]

Here in Yellowknife its pretty safe but I will go with the kids, more of a danger here is slipping in the 23cm (9 inchs) of snow we got the other day.