Thread: Halloween Grinch in Newspaper

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Anyone read this letter to the advice column "Annie's Mailbox"? This person sounds (a) traumatized and (b) a complainer. Seems to me if you don't want any part of Halloween, you just leave out some candy and call it a night, not declare the TOT's to be sinners-in-training!

ANNIE'S MAILBOX(R) by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar on Creators.com - A Syndicate Of Talent

Dear Annie: I find trick-or-treating annoying. I was raised in a religious group that didn't celebrate Halloween. My mother hated having to answer the door constantly and took out her anger on me. I once suggested we stop opening the door or put up a sign saying, "No Trick-or-Treating here, please," but she wouldn't. I think she was afraid they'd throw eggs.

My brother and I still find it irritating. I don't want my doorbell ringing all night. I don't want to get up and open the door over and over. I'm sure I'm not the only one. Think of those who are disabled or have just brought home a new baby or are caring for a sick child. Answering the door all evening is an unwanted imposition. I also resent these kids coming onto my property asking for candy.
I think it's just plain wrong.

What can I do to keep them away? I don't want them to graffiti my property or toilet paper my trees. I can grab them if they do, but if the police are busy, they might not come and then I'd be stuck with the kids indefinitely.

Could you put up some kind of warning in your column asking parents not to let their kids trick-or-treat unless they know the homeowner? — Elizabeth, N.J.

Dear N.J.: It's too bad you can't enjoy greeting children with a smile and brightening their day once a year. Most parents supervise their kids and prefer they stay within familiar territory. And most kids will skip unwelcoming homes where the lights are off or the treat is a breath mint. But if you are concerned about becoming the neighborhood curmudgeon, put out a generous basket of candy on your front steps with a big sign saying, "Please don't ring bell. Take a piece of candy. Happy Halloween." Refill it once or twice at your leisure. When the basket is empty, the kids will know the cupboard is bare.

Just don't put your light on. How hard is it? We never bothered with the houses with no lights on. Why do people have to be so whiny about what brings joy to others. You do have the option to not participate in the fun.

Absolutely. Porch light off is the universal signal that there is no one home (at least for TOTing).

I had a neighbor last year that took off during prime TOT time, and left his garage and porch light on! I was out there most of the night (and his lights ruined some of my pics I was trying to take of MY yard) and let the TOTs know that there wasn't anyone home... but then he got home and TURNED OFF THE LIGHTS.

I don't get how it's a hard concept. I also never heard of a house that had the lights out that got egged or TPed, but maybe it does happen.

Did anyone else notice the part where they said they would grab kids? That seems like a really bad idea. Plus they said they would keep them indefinitely. The whole thing seems kind of weird.

I wouldn't say "celebrating" but "enjoying" Halloween is a more accurate term IMO. They're biased from the get-go simply by that statement. But aside from the semantic I LOVE how the answer makes the inference they don't enjoy smiling children.

As I have explained to my asian wife where they don't do this holiday like we Yanks, it's a holiday about FUN. I compared it to her it's like a roller coaster... you'll get a scare then laugh from the excitement and adrenaline. This she understood and it made sense to her from then on.

Halloween is the one holiday solely built around fun, imagination, fantasy, and pretend IMO. There are exacting expectations and traditions governing other holidays and their "celebration". Sure you can get creative with them but nothing like Halloween...

4th? Fireworks, cooking out, flags and their colors.

Xmas? Trees, lights, canes, and presents.

Halloween? ANYTHING GOES!

My neice goes to a Christain school where they don't let them dress in halloween costume or trick or treat on halloween. They are actually required to attend an event at the church during Trick or treat hours on Halloween, even if Halloween is on the weekend.

This church tells them what holidays they can celebrate, what books they can read, what movies they can watch, and what organiations they should boycott.

It sounds as though the writer of this article might belong to the same church as my neice.

Originally Posted by propmistress

My neice goes to a Christain school where they don't let them dress in halloween costume or trick or treat on halloween. They are actually required to attend an event at the church during Trick or treat hours on Halloween, even if Halloween is on the weekend.

This church tells them what holidays they can celebrate, what books they can read, what movies they can watch, and what organiations they should boycott.

It sounds as though the writer of this article might belong to the same church as my neice.

Christian school is an oxymoron. It's either a church or you get a real education, no matter how they try to blur the distiction it's still brain washing into a belief system. For the school play do they reenact blowing up clinics or shooting doctors?

What is wrong with people? Can't they keep their porch lights off and keep their mouths shut. I get sick of hearing Christmas songs in the stores and on the radio after a few weeks but you don't hear me complaining...well i guess I am now. Oh well, there is always going to be these type of people. One year my kids went TOTing and brought back some pamphlet comic book-like thing that someone had put in a little treat bag with candy. The pamphlet was all about how evil halloween was. Load of crap. We don't sacrifice animals and worship Satan. I just don't get it. If the person that passed these little books out really believed this crap then they wouldn't have had to hide it in with some candy. Where's the faith in it? Just deceit and deception. Trick people into hearing about your beliefs? Come on.

only one thing I have to say is... SAD, MAD , UNHAPPY... HUMAN BEINGS...

where does this person live..maybe we should go decorate for them LOL.... if you dont like Halloween....... MOVE AWAY.. FAR AWAY...ohhhhh the bloooood!!!! lol sorry im still into the red dying process i did yesterday... i just kept saying the blooooooodd... hHAAH..