The good stuff
Two of the most sacred rules of social interaction I learned from my mom were you never go to someone's house without an explicit invitation and you never, EVER, ask anyone for anything; accepting charity is next to murder on the list of things not to do.
So Halloween was always a little weird, since it's all about showing up at a house uninvited and asking for charity. We mitigated this by going early to maybe six close friend's houses to trick-or-treat. In most cases, I think we called ahead to let them know or mom let them know earlier in the week that we'd stop by around 6:00.
We lived in the country, so you'd have to drive to the houses, and we'd drive 12-20 miles total, passing maybe 100 houses to go to the six houses of the people we knew and arranged with.
Then we'd go home and answer the door for mostly people who arranged to stop by with us, but silently judge the few freeloaders who stopped by that we didn't know. So, essentially, with few acceptions, it was a zero sum game, making it acceptable for us all.
It's things like this that I think Palin/McCain were trying to get to when that harped on the "small town values" bit in the Republican convention, though I think they failed to define the concept, so many people construed that by "small town values" they meant "not voting for black people."
Now, I don't want to sound as if my mother wasn't into Halloween, because she hand-made some of the best costumes I've ever seen, including Erwin from Broom Hilda, and a spider for me in 4th grade, which took a month and was AWESOME. We all liked Halloween, decorated for it, and looked forward to it, but the trick-or-treat part conflicted with our Yankee ethos.
Kelly grew up in the suburbs where everyone went around the neighborhood and it was no big deal to drop in on people you didn't even know and ask for stuff.
So, last night, Kelly hatched the idea that we have to dress up in our Pooh and Tigger costumes and show up at Scott and Janet's unannounced to "trick-or-treat." We went early (5:30) and Janet slammed the door on us once she figured out who it was. It was fun. They treated us to a glass of wine and a beer, which makes the idea of trick-or-treating more appealing. We left and went back home to man our own door.
Until this year, we've never entertained a single trick-or-treater because we've lived in apartments. Kelly was beyond excited to think that we'll have "customers" here now that we have a house in one of the better neighborhoods in our area.
This year, we got 83 "customers." Kelly counted.
Most were young kids and few were tweens and almost none were teens. Most were very polite, a couple were rude, but you never know how the gangs work here, so we were nice to everyone.
Kelly works in community relations for a health care provider, so she's into promoting health and healthier alternative foods during our holidays, so we had little canisters of Play-Doh, Goldfish crackers, and fruit snacks instead of candy; the kids could choose as Kelly told them what was in the basket. We spent over $50 on give-outs and were both delighted to hear one kid say, "oh, you guys have the GOOD stuff!" Some also ran back to the sidewalk shouting "mom, I got some Play-Doh!!!"
At 9:00 we parked my truck in a spot that blocks access to the walkway to the front door and turned all the lights off. No one rang the bell. So I'm pleased.
I still think that trick-or-treating is horrible practice to be on the receiving end of and not something I want my kids to do. Kelly thinks maybe they can beg candy from our street only, which is only 1/4 mile long, and go to Scott and Janet's. I guess I could live with that. I'm glad that it's over for this year.
So Halloween was always a little weird, since it's all about showing up at a house uninvited and asking for charity. We mitigated this by going early to maybe six close friend's houses to trick-or-treat. In most cases, I think we called ahead to let them know or mom let them know earlier in the week that we'd stop by around 6:00.
We lived in the country, so you'd have to drive to the houses, and we'd drive 12-20 miles total, passing maybe 100 houses to go to the six houses of the people we knew and arranged with.
Then we'd go home and answer the door for mostly people who arranged to stop by with us, but silently judge the few freeloaders who stopped by that we didn't know. So, essentially, with few acceptions, it was a zero sum game, making it acceptable for us all.
It's things like this that I think Palin/McCain were trying to get to when that harped on the "small town values" bit in the Republican convention, though I think they failed to define the concept, so many people construed that by "small town values" they meant "not voting for black people."
Now, I don't want to sound as if my mother wasn't into Halloween, because she hand-made some of the best costumes I've ever seen, including Erwin from Broom Hilda, and a spider for me in 4th grade, which took a month and was AWESOME. We all liked Halloween, decorated for it, and looked forward to it, but the trick-or-treat part conflicted with our Yankee ethos.
Kelly grew up in the suburbs where everyone went around the neighborhood and it was no big deal to drop in on people you didn't even know and ask for stuff.
So, last night, Kelly hatched the idea that we have to dress up in our Pooh and Tigger costumes and show up at Scott and Janet's unannounced to "trick-or-treat." We went early (5:30) and Janet slammed the door on us once she figured out who it was. It was fun. They treated us to a glass of wine and a beer, which makes the idea of trick-or-treating more appealing. We left and went back home to man our own door.
Until this year, we've never entertained a single trick-or-treater because we've lived in apartments. Kelly was beyond excited to think that we'll have "customers" here now that we have a house in one of the better neighborhoods in our area.
This year, we got 83 "customers." Kelly counted.
Most were young kids and few were tweens and almost none were teens. Most were very polite, a couple were rude, but you never know how the gangs work here, so we were nice to everyone.
Kelly works in community relations for a health care provider, so she's into promoting health and healthier alternative foods during our holidays, so we had little canisters of Play-Doh, Goldfish crackers, and fruit snacks instead of candy; the kids could choose as Kelly told them what was in the basket. We spent over $50 on give-outs and were both delighted to hear one kid say, "oh, you guys have the GOOD stuff!" Some also ran back to the sidewalk shouting "mom, I got some Play-Doh!!!"
At 9:00 we parked my truck in a spot that blocks access to the walkway to the front door and turned all the lights off. No one rang the bell. So I'm pleased.
I still think that trick-or-treating is horrible practice to be on the receiving end of and not something I want my kids to do. Kelly thinks maybe they can beg candy from our street only, which is only 1/4 mile long, and go to Scott and Janet's. I guess I could live with that. I'm glad that it's over for this year.
To be "fair and balanced" you did grow up during the "razor blade in the apple" era, so for safety reasons we had to be selective. But do you remember the people in Morton, who, during your formative years, graciously transferred their backyard into something goulishly wonderful for all you kids who were deprived of begging for candy by Republican mothers? And what about the cememtery visit on the way home? And leaving the candy bowl on the front porch in case anyone came before we got back? I challenge you to do that in your neighborhood. Anyway, I told Dad even before your blog came out that I bet Kelly will have fun with Halloween this year, being in "town" and having your own porch light! When we lived in Morton (you probably don't remember this but...) Dad used to cover up and lie down on the porch swing on the enclosed porch while I would watch who was coming. When the Wahl girls, or Curtis and Gaesser kids, or Jimmy Rayburn came, Dad would rise up and scare the wits out of them. And remember the scary music record we used to play? Chaley reminded me of that. Sadly now, the only kids we got trick or treating were our own grandchildren. Could it be because I didn't invite anyone elses kids? Hmmmmmmm.
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Against ever fiber of my being - we are THOSE people who travel to someone else's neighborhood in order to trick or treat. We take Jesse to Greece every year to trick or treat in my sister in law's neighborhood.
I know.
But this year we took Jimmie there and I remembered why we did it in the first place. A two year old getting candy from every house he visits is the pinnacle of excitement. And now he's stuck trick or treating in Greece for all eternity. Since you can't take that away from him!!
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Thanks to that first paragraph, I now understand you MUCH better. Most people working through hellish projects such as ours roll on the floor asking for help (some from psychiatrists). You always just seemed mildly puzzled by a helping hand.
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I actually think we had well over 100 "customers." I kept inventory. We had 180 pieces, and ended up with only 25 left over. I rarely gave two pieces out/customer, unless they were really cute!
I do have an issue with kids in strollers and kids with piercings trick'r'treating, but that was probably only 20 percent of our customers.
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Have you considered how many pieces Chuck might have eaten?
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He's probably stockpiling Play-Doh out in his cubby.
I love seeing all my customers on Halloween. Most of them are neighborhood kids, and this year, they were especially polite and cute, even the few teens who came by. My favorite was a kid who was about ten who was dressed up as Indiana Jones.
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There are social rules to trick or treating that I think make it okay to trick or treat anywhere you like as long as you follow them. People who are participating in trick or treating leave their porch or front light on, those who don’t turn theirs off. Plus, those giving out candy DO get something for their time and trouble…a VERY thankful little child. And they add to the mystique of childhood. Just like Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy. From the vantage point of the people getting the treat, as long as you only go to houses with a light on and dress up to be part of the entertainment, all is good. Everyone comes out a winner.
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When Jesse was Jimmie's age, he would go to the house, say "trick or treat" then "thank you," and then as he's running down the driveway he'd shout "I LOVE YOU!"
And he'd totally mean it.
One house, he pushed past the mom in the doorway to go inside and make himself at home.
Jimmie was THE BEST this year though! He was so completely fun to watch. His face lit up at every house. Then, after he'd exhausted himself, all the kids sat down in the living room to dump out thier loot and sort it.
Devon used to sort hers and then put it in a shoe box with charges listed on top. That way Steve couldn't just help himself to her candy when she was at school. She'd know exactly what was missing and there had better be a monetary replacement for the missing candy. : )
She's 18 in two weeks.
I might cry.
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What dress to wear? Red or black?
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What dress to wear? Red or black?
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Adversity is a great schoolmaster.
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All things are difficult before they are easy.
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People who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
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The fewer our wants, the nearer we resemble the gods.
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Some books leave us free, and some books make us free.
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Little Nickie is very sad: doesn't want to ride moped, doesn't want to ride his horse wants to have an intercourse
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Honesty is the best policy - when there is money in it.
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То stick to somebody like a leech.
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Ill news travels fast.
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All lay load on the willing horse.
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Don't take up a man's time talking about the smartness of you children; he wants to talk to you about the smartness of his children.
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A penny saved is a penny gained.
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History is little more than the register of the crimes, follies and misfortunes of mankind.
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