CloverPatch

I just don't see the point any more.
It is no longer a kids holiday.
It is geared towards grown ups. halloween stores are filled with adult themed costumes that are better suited for bedroom fetishes, it amazes me what they consider a costume now a days.
Nothing about halloween in the general public is kid friendly. It is about gore and sex.
I will allow my kids to go a halloween parties, if there were any.
The only thing we have done the past couple of years is the church's trunk or treat. It is safe, I know everyone there, it is just a big get together.
My kids don't need to go door to door for candy!
They want candy that bad we can walk up to the corner market any day of the year!

However, I DO LOVE it when the kids would come to the door. I like talking to children, would often tell them they had to do a trick to get the candy (have them hop on one foot, LOL) Gave the little ones rubber duckies.
But like somoene else already said, the "kids" keep getting bigger. One year it was mostly all older teenagers, I started turning them away. Then yes, the greedy ones, with more than one bag, or the mom/dad with a bag for candy for the 6 month old. Seriously The child can't walk but you want me to give her a snickers? Go buy your own candy.
It stopped being fun and started being a hand out.
I do miss halloween, it was a lot different 30 yrs ago.

QBeth

I see Halloween as a fun tradition where most children just love to play dress-up, get to go outside at nightime (those mysterious hours reserved usually for adults), and get candy. I certainly looked forward to it as a kid (I'm now over 60) and don't consider myself, or others who participated, as being evil. If one night of fun can turn someone evil, then Heaven truly help us. If handled, and surpervised, responsibly then, in MHO, I see no harm.

I've also seen the trend of the extra bag, older kids, and those driven by car from other parts. My method is to get just so much candy and start handing it out promptly (when the local kids are going around). I also insist that the kids say "trick or treat" to keep part of the tradition going with the littlest ones AND insist on a thank you!

traumaRN

When my kids were little their school did a story book parade; they had to have a book/story to justify their costume and be able to talk about it. No monsters, Power Rangers, or ninjas allowed. I could not imagine NOT having Halloween. I think it's a rite of passage for children but like anything else, parents MUST exercise control in the situation and limit what they can be, and how they ask, and make sure thanks are offered after.

nativetexan

well against i guess. too much candy for one thing. this is the first year i didn't go out and buy candy kids don't need. I'm tight on money now and just couldn't see running upstairs from the basement every time the door bell rang. My hubby is deaf and the t.v. upstairs is blaring, so i watch t.v. downstairs to save what is left of my hearing. so running up and down just wasn't an option this year. and sometimes we would get teenagers coming at 10 O'clock. too late and a bit scary to open your door then. so no candy from me anymore.

AFQSinc

I have a 3 year old and we've basically been forced into doing Halloween by his preschool. They have been making Halloween crafts and talking about Trick or Treating. Even though my husband and I enjoyed it as kids we did not want our kidlet to get into it. Just because it is more dangerous now and we don't want him to get too into candy.

I had planned to make his costume this year (I did a post on it) but the cost was too much by the time I figured in all the materials. I ended up purchasing a fireman costume. He loves it. He'll wear it for the school parade and we'll go to 1 neighbors house. That is it. I will let him hand out the little snacks I bought. I'm dreading what will happen when he gets older.

mythreesuns

Oh I remember growing up and dressing in different costumes every year.. from ghosts to the devil..it is NOT the costume that makes the kids who they are today..it is the PARENTS..when I took my kids out..if they did not say TRICK OR THREAT...PLEASE...THANK YOU.. we were done..home they went. Our first born... was born in August..he did not go the first year..but did the second year and only to the houses on our block for the first few years. As more babies were born..they all went... BUT..the babies only dressed..never took.. our neighborhood does special little bags for our local kids. So they get items for their age. Not a snickers for a 6 month old.. It is the parents ruining it for the little ones..not the kids..and the teens that are doing it..still comes back to their parents..

craftymatt2

At one time I like seeing the kids come door to door, but it has gotten out of control, the teenagers here, are not dressed up in a costume and sometimes they would come to the door twice and i would turn them away. The past couple of years we hardly had any kids, so this year i will not hand out anything, but for my grandkids i will take them stuff. And for two of my grandkids that live in other towns, i sent them cards with money in them.
In a few of the towns here this year they started having people come to the community center and park in a certain area, the the kids can go to the cars and get candy, i think this might be a better idea. Then its over and done in one shot.
Happy Halloween!!!!

jaciqltznok

well, we teach the kids to NEVER take candy from strangers 364 days a year and then on ONE night we take them to every house, store, mall, church, carnival etc to get as much candy from strangers as they can carry....

I really like the Fall carnivals better!

MawMaw B

Our town still has trick or treating on Halloween night. My street is one of the main arteries. We generally get droves of kids on hay wagons, mini vans, suvs. etc. I'm retired from school district, so most of kids knew me. It was fun. My DH will hand out a little candy tonight then turn his light off and go to bed early.
I am babysitting my grandson tonight so we may go to one of the churches that does the trunk or treating. He is 14 months so it is difficult getting him in and out of car. We did a library party last week so he's had a little bit of the holiday already.

athomenow

We haven't had any kids come to the door since we moved here. I miss it. We used to do the whole neighborhood thing when my kids were little and set in our driveways with the candy bowl so the kids didn't have to walk up to each house. It was a blast. Now DH and I get the candy, wait for the kids, set on couch and eat candy. SAD!