I was going to make an article about this, but with time being short, I'm
placing it here nonetheless.
Who's afraid of Halloween? Everyone it seems. It's not a fear of the
devil or of spooks and spirits, it's a fear of a razorblade in an apple
that never even happened. It's a fear of hypodermic syringes in tootsie
rolls, rat poison in the popcorn balls, of strangers, even when those
strangers are your very own neighbors.
Granted, there are a lot of sick fucks and predators out there, but every
year when halloween comes around I get to thinking about the new ritual of
trick or treating in malls. When we first started doing it around 4 years
ago I thought it kind of ridiculous, I mean who wants to get dressed up and
walk around a MALL to get candy? But year after year the lines became
longer, the procession of children thicker, and the candy running shorter.
I can understand the idea if you don't live in an area conductive to trick
or treating (as I am, in the BOONIES), but for the most part it's people
who have scared themselves stupid and forcing that fear on their
children.
Granted I don't have to deal with this anymore (being of the unemployed
variety at the moment), but it bothers me anyway.
Where has the fun gone? It's been taken over by a candy coated fear of
everyone and everything in the guise of "saftey" and "smart".
I did some looking into some of the well placed fears regarding
trickortreating, and found something rather interesting.
In the past 20 years there have been TWO deaths resulting from a child
injesting poisoned halloween candy, and both incidents were perpetraded by
members of the child's OWN FAMILY. No needles, no rat poison, no razors.
We can thank John Carpenter for that juicy morsel of movie creativity
turned urban legend way back when Jamie Lee Curtis barely was out of a
training bra.
Where is the fun in walking around in a procession under flourescent tubing
in a climate controled enviroment? Hell half the kids never even bothered
to say "trick or treat" anymore, let alone mutter a "happy halloween".
They just stick out their bags and buckets because on some level they too
realise that it SUCKS.
Know what's fun? Freezing your ass off, walking in the dark and the
leaves, and if you live in the Pacific NW, fog drizzle or rain. I only got
to trick or treat twice, when I was about 12, and it was great. I didn't
live in a neighborhood, so I went with a friend that lived in town. It's
not even so much the candy, it's being out after dark, being scared,
messing around with your friends.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all about safe. MAKE your kids wear the glowsticks
and reflective doo dads that they bitch and moan about. If they're young,
go with them, if they're too "old" for mom to tag along make sure you know
their route and that their group is large. Or hell, live a little and go
with them anyway. Those stupid T shirts that say "this IS my costume" are
like, five bucks. Live a little folks. What's the point of a carved and
lit pumpkin that will only be seen by passing cars? What's the point of
spooky decorations that nobody's going to be spooked by? What fun is a
scary costume in bright light?
The boogeymen that keep most people on edge every day are no more
proliferant on one day of the year than they are any other day. The world
is always scary, only on this one day the screams are SUPPOSED to be part
of the fun, and now that's dwindeling to a fraction of what it was. You
can't even wear a mask in a mall, gas station, or most "public" places
because you might be a maniac or a terrorist. Most halloween parties by
schools or communities forbid "scary" costumes. Hell when I was in
highschool I came dressed as the Uni-bomber, and nobody gave me greif!
So that's it, that's my piece, for what it's worth. To the rest of the
world that locks their doors and leaves a bowl of candy on the porch, too
scared to open it to a group of kids out for the night for some fun, to
those dragging their kids to march in a procession line under flourescent
tubes in a "safe" climate controlled mecca to consumerism, lighten the fuck
up. It's halloween. Maybe you need to be scared for real just once, even
if to release your year round pent up anxiety over "the unknown" aka LIFE.
Quit pushing your hyped up unfounded anxieties on your kids. Betcha I
can make you pee by just walking up behind and saying BOO. I won't even
have to demand your wallet. I'll just take your candy while your fumbing
through your keys for your can of mace.
I mean come on, it's halloween. What're you so scared of?
[Edited on 10/31/2003 by bettie_x]
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
Starlight
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 618 Registered: 27/9/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 31/10/2003 at 04:10 AM
I live in a small town, and this one and the neighboring towns have limited
the "trick or treat" hours to about two hours between about 7pm and 9pm.
Last year I think I had two neighbors maybe three show up for trick or
treating. It seems most of the kids around here either go to a party for
Halloween or to one of the big production haunted houses in the area. There
are a few within about thirty minutes of each other and their evening is
spent in line and after going through the place standing outside talking
about it instead of going trick or treating. I'm really glad I got to do
the real trick or treating a few times as a kid or I'd never of known it
really existed once upon a time as a thing to do.
____________________ "When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never
tried before." ~Mae West
Meranda_Jade
Fanatic
Posts: 511 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 31/10/2003 at 07:01 AM
I usually do a halloween party for my kids, mostly because the youngest
two were kinda young to be dragging about the neighborhood, or it was too
cold or raining, or because it was less expensive to have a party than to
buy costumes for all of them. This year, I bought costumes for them for
their school halloween parade, so I took them trick or treating last night.
It was from 6-8 p.m. which meant it was mostly in the dark, and the
neighbors around here really got into the spirit. There were all kinds of
really cool decorated houses and lots of kids running around. After one
hour, the twins were tired, so I took them back home and left them with
Rogue and I continued with the girls for another half an hour. What amazed
me was that they were too tired to continue until 8:00. They were also
hauling as much as 10 pounds of candy each. I remember when I was a kid,
there was no set time to stop trick or treating and we were out for hours.
I remember complaining when it was time to go home. Kids just have no
stamina these days..
____________________
Merry_Widow
Fanatic
Posts: 598 Registered: 24/8/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 31/10/2003 at 09:39 AM
I think the only thing that ever scared me about Halloween was the threat
of the sick fucks who would put nasty surprises in the treats for the
kiddies. Bastards.
What's to be afraid of? It's only the best freaking holiday of the year,
and my birthday! Happy birthday me!
Well happy birthday then! ANd like I said, I looked into the urban legend
of the razors, needles, and poison in halloween treats and there has never
been a case of the sharps hidden within, and only two poisonings in the
last 20 years that were actually done by a member of the child's family.
I don't remember a "time limit" on the trickortreating either. You
stopped when the porch lights indicated the people in that house went to
bed or ran out of candy.
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
Anya
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 656 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 31/10/2003 at 05:12 PM
A friend of mine who lives in Georgia says that people around him think
that Halloween is evil. To him, it was a time when the Celts respected the
dead. Everyone in my area are up and prepared for Halloween. It's my
favourite Holiday next to Yule/Christmas.
Well he does live in THE bible belt, it's to be expected.
I'm kind of disapointed with the lack of those fun little coupon size comic
books that I think the seventh day adventists scatter all over every
halloween. I remember getting into a religious paraphernelia war with the
mormons across the parkinglot of my old apartment building over those.
*sigh*
All I gotta say is that THEY STARTED it with their stupid giant picture of
jesus hanging face side out on their sliding glass door that just HAPPENED
to be on the main drag right by the office so that EVERYONE on that side of
the complex had to look at it to get home. If they can hang their lord and
holy sheep herder, *I* can tape an enlarged cartoon of a Black Mass (that I
got from the 7day advent people. thx.) on MY door so THEY have to see it
when THEY wanna wash their whitey-tideys.
But I did figure something out. Nothing makes a mormon youth on his
mission angrier than when you turn the picture of christ he taped on your
door into a pro-wrestler with some majic markers. That, and using the old
fortune cookie game of adding "in bed" to the end of the fortune on the
psalms and quotes they also took great care in taping up next to their lamb
of salvation.
*sigh*
I miss those little comic books.
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
Squire-of-Gothos
Fanatic
Posts: 206 Registered: 1/1/2003 Status: Offline
posted on 1/11/2003 at 11:36 AM
We'll my aunt is afraid of Halloween.
I'ts almost impossible to have a conversation with her, because "praise
jesus, oh lord" is edited into every 7th word. I think I told her once that
she should say "my god" instead of god, because I might not believe what
she believes, and she broke into tears. Anywho, disturbing issues aside,
she is wholey convinced that HAlloween is the devils birthday, and that
pure evil surrounds the night. Its the kind of uneducated, sad mindset that
creates Haleluyah Night at the local chirch instead of Halloween night. But
if it makes her sleep better at night, clutching her crucifix and crying,
then so be it.
I, btw, now fear Halloween, because last night my friend freaked out on X,
and probably almost died. I used to think being the sober one was cool, but
when your the only guy there that has to handle your friend and her
boyfriend going ape shit and burning up, it sux.
Trick or Treat.
____________________ “The only thing that can alter the good writer is death.”
“You know that if I were reincarnated, I’d want to come back a buzzard.
Nothing hates him. He is never bothered or in danger, and he can eat
anything.”
Faulkner
I know people like that. It's funny if you listen to them talk for a
while, and take out the blessed this and savior that and hallelujah! it
usually amounts to a mere sentence or two, even if they've been talking for
5 min.
Has anyone else seen any of those little 7th day adventist books, by the
way? I haven't seen ONE, not even in the bathrooms. *sheesh* they're
slipping. My fav was the one about the kid that dies after going to a
haunted house with his friends, and his mom is standing on her porch
telling them how her sinning son is rotting in hell and that was the place
for sinners like him, and they all accept jesus and forget about their
buddy and walk away in sunshine and rainbows vowing to never go to a
"satan's house" again.
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
Anya
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 656 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 2/11/2003 at 05:52 PM
Jesus as a wrestler...that's some interesting brain candy. It's almost as
cheesy/funny as him on a surfing board.
Goody_Goody_Goth_Girl
Coward
Posts: 6 Registered: 3/10/2003 Status: Offline
posted on 2/11/2003 at 08:57 PM
this year i went to a concert for halloween. granted it was fun, and
different, but i still miss going out. but even when i used to go out i'd
have trouble finding friends to go with. i live in the "bible belt" too,
and most of the friends i had/have growing up were not aloud to go out for
Halloween, because thier bible-thumping parents said it was evil.
which i never understood (even back when i tried to believe in the
christianity thing) how free candy, dressing up to be whoever you want to
be, and walking around in the dark and usually rainy streets with your
friends for atleast a few hours was evil.
also, i live in a small town, and for the last few years, they've managed
to schedule a hometown football game on Halloween. and everbody(not me)
goes to the games.
gee, just another way to kill the holiday. oh well, everyday is Halloween
for me...minus the free candy.
____________________ Somebody get me out of here, i'm tearing at myself
Nobody gives a damn about me, or anybody else...
Swallowed up in the sound of my screaming
Can not cease for the fear of silent nights
Oh how i long for the deep sleep dreaming
The goddess of immag
Ironboots
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 893 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 2/11/2003 at 11:23 PM
Well, Halloween -is- a day of evil... And that's what's so cool about it.
For one night, we get to dress up as spawn of the underworld and accept
candy bribes ('trick or treat' isn't just a friendly greeting... ) from the
'adults'.
The next day (if we're good little boys and girls), we're at mass,
celebrating all saint's day. (Which pisses off the puritans, because they
don't believe in saints...)
Its a chance to get out and be a kid! If people object, its their loss, not
mine;
I'll egg their house later.
____________________ Piggy's got the Conch!
Starlight
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 618 Registered: 27/9/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 3/11/2003 at 04:04 AM
Well, I opened a bag of tootsie roll pops and noone came up to my door for
any. Oh well. I went off to pick up a pizza and didn't see very many people
out on the streets at all really this year.
____________________ "When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've
never
tried before." ~Mae West
Squire-of-Gothos
Fanatic
Posts: 206 Registered: 1/1/2003 Status: Offline
posted on 3/11/2003 at 12:01 PM
I noticed that too. I used to get people at my place until midnight, but
when I got home that night, my mother told me the treaters cut out after
8:15. At first I figure some lingering sept. 11 fear did it, but halloween
was pretty open even that year. Maybe it is some lingering lack of all
hallows spirit has taken over, and trick or treating is dead. Bah!
____________________ “The only thing that can alter the good writer is death.”
“You know that if I were reincarnated, I’d want to come back a buzzard.
Nothing hates him. He is never bothered or in danger, and he can eat
anything.”
Faulkner
Anya
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 656 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 3/11/2003 at 07:19 PM
Ironboots: Actually, Halloween originally was not evil at all. It started
off as a day to respect the dead, and still is to an extent - even with
many Catholics. However, it is true that many cultures believed that
costumes and masks scared off evil spirits.
I have heard though that there was some superstition, mainly among some
Christians, that evil spirits walked about the day before All Saint's Day
(November 1 to 2) and anyone not wearing a mask when outside of their house
was believed to be "in pact with the Devil." Maybe I have some facts mixed
up. *calls for Arthegarn to correct me on anything*
[Edited on 11/4/2003 by Anya]
callei
Extreme Fanatic
Posts: 759 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 4/11/2003 at 08:56 AM
well i am a bit scared of Halloween. after all its when christians try to
dress up like things that they hate or fear and try to act like things that
they hate or fear. And a large group of epressed christians isnt something
I want to meet in a nice dark street.
Now, some of the other holidays that take place on or about the same day
are kinda neat: End of Harvest, Bonfire Night, New year's Eve, Night of the
Dead/not yet Born, and so on. in most of them you get to mix the best parts
of thanksgiving with the best parts of exotic erotic ball.
And you dont have to watch soccor moms point flash lights at thier kids.
____________________ Real goths wear silver and crosses to keep the werewolves and vampires
away.
Meranda_Jade
Fanatic
Posts: 511 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 4/11/2003 at 01:39 PM
WHo you callin' a soccer mom? *guiltily hides the flashlight behind back*
I needed it. They went in 4 directions at once, two of them wearing black
costumes. I would never have found them if not for that flashlight...
____________________
Psychopixi
Fanatic
Posts: 376 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 4/11/2003 at 04:18 PM
We still have trick or treaters coming round here in the valleys and such,
but where I live people are scared to go out on Halloween. and it's not
cause of poisoned candy. Halloween always makes the news here cause of the
large groups of youths who go out with eggs, flour and water guns and will
aim for anything that moves. Bus windows have been smashed, and cars have
been stopped and rocked almost til they tilted over, and heaven help you if
you're walking.
____________________ Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life.
Meranda_Jade
Fanatic
Posts: 511 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 4/11/2003 at 04:53 PM
Okay, Pixi, that sounds like me when I was about 14... we were hellions.
shaving cream on the cars in a used car lot, eggs on various houses, toliet
paper in the trees and soap on the windows... we had one helluva time... I
only did that one year, and because I was running with a messed-up bunch of
people... we were such punks...
____________________
Psychopixi
Fanatic
Posts: 376 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 5/11/2003 at 01:03 AM
Yeah, but I'm guessing that you wouldn't have gone as far as beating people
up.
____________________ Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life.