Not knowing what to expect, I bought 3 huge bags of candy, thinking that I'd rather have too much than not enough to go around, as I'd hate to disappoint. Those little devils cleaned me out before 8:30!
Time was, you always said "trick or treat", told a terrible joke, took one piece of candy (or a few more if they TOLD you it was alright), and then said "thanks." These kids just showed up, didn't acknowledge me, and either held up their bag expecting it to be filled or grabbed as much candy as they can fit in their grubby little paws before they ran off without so much as a "hello." One or two sets of parents scolded their children for doing so, but a surprising number let it slip by.
I even had one mother get indignant because I didn't have the forethought to buy candy that was peanut-free and several children respond with, "I don't like any of these." For God sake, just take a Snickers, Reeses Cup, or Kit Kat, and move on. I'm giving away free candy here!
Has anyone else also noticed that Halloween is completely supervised now? The best part of trick-or-treating was getting dressed up and leaving your parents at home to stroll around the neighborhood with your friends. Where's the fun in being driven house to house by mommy and daddy?
Now, get off my lawn!
hahaha I thought it was just that I'm getting old and cranky. I quit leaving on my porch light about six years ago. Let 'em eat cake...at home.
ReplyDeleteLol. Welcome to my world.
ReplyDeleteHaloween was new to me in 2001 when i came here to my bschool..but then i married and moved to a residential area and over the last three years never gave candy..its sad to see ill mannered children for sure
ReplyDeleteYes! I agree...it does seem that the kids don't have basic manners anymore. I gave away candy this year as well and I had the same type of experience. Also I was really surprised at the costumes....my first trick or treaters were a pair of girls about 12 years old dressed up as Hooter Girls. That just seems very inapproriate...all of the costume ideas in the world and you are a Hooter's Girl. *Sigh*
ReplyDeleteDid you say these kids were "driven house to house"?! What the...??! I don't get that at all. It was always so much fun to run from house to house to get the best candy first. *sigh* A generation of lazy, indignant, "slutty" pirates...awesome. :(
ReplyDeleteDana & Sudha - I might just do the same. I'll give some candy to my neighbors' kids, but I'm definitely less inclined to do the whole trick-or-treating thing next year.
ReplyDeleteBecca - You just didn't see that kind of stuff back in the 80's/90's. Why anyone would allow (or in many cases encourage) their children to dress or behave in that way, I'll never know. You see it everywhere you go now though.
Diana - Yes! A number of parents were actually driving their children around the neighborhood. The kids would get out, get their candy, bring it back to the car, and then move on to the next house. I'm not sure if it was a lazy thing or an overprotective parent thing, but It seemed rather strange.
This was our first Halloween in our new house as well. I bought bags of candy and carved a pumpkin and waited by the door. Not one kid showed up. I moved into an neighborhood of mostly Orthadox Jews and I guess they don't do Halloween. Quite disappointing knowing my kids will never run door to door around here...
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