Last time I went trick-or-treating I was 23. I had an 8 yr old cousin who didn’t want his parents to come, because they would embarrass him. Sound I got tagged in. Dressed as a zombie cowboy. Had arrows sticking out of me and everything. And ever house gave me candy.
Okay I guess I’m the only one who voted “trick or treating is dumb”.
That’s because I tend to ignore the commercialization and dumbing-down of this sacred holiday. I never forget the real meaning of Halloween: sexy halloween costumes
@SSteve you are missing the obvious
/image Halloween sexy candy corn
edit: cute but that’s really stretching the definition of candy corn, I was thinking more like this:
@RiotDemon I make pre-assembled goodie bags that are given to those in costume. (typical contents: full-sized candy bar, a Starburst, an Airhead, gum, sucker, couple of tootsie rolls minis) Trick-or-treaters that are not in costume get a single piece of hard candy.
@DrWorm I used to do the same thing. Except the little kids (3 or 4 yo) that had no costumes still got the good stuff as its not their fault. Now the kids only go to the affluent neighborhoods.
@moondrake Well good then maybe they won’t come to mine. Buildings all around me have peeling paint, broken couches and chairs with missing random cushions on porches, next door has several big tarps over the back part of their house, car up on blocks, back yard looks like you took a pile of trash/junk and threw it there, only unlike parts of Appalachia, it’s not on a hillside for some of it to roll downhill and land in the crick (easy way to decorate the crick).
@DrWorm that’s a heck of a haul! We give out at least a dozen bags of fun size candy every year. If anyone isn’t in costume I make them tell me what they’re supposed to be, they come up with fun answers so get the candy.
@tinamarie1974 I used to put on a costume and put Simba in a nominal costume (headless horseman strapped to his back) and go and walk around the neighborhoods where the trick or treaters congregate, just to enjoy the festive spirit. In these upscale neighborhoods people often sit at the foot of their driveways to hand out candy to protect their lawn and holiday decorations from being trampled by the throngs of kids (there are hundreds, the streets are packed). I was often offered candy and sometimes beer or wine but I declined, although I’d happily take the offers of a chair to sit and talk a while.
One of the best jokes I ever pulled off was when one kid of about 10yo bounded up to tell me he really liked my dog. I told him in all seriousness, “That’s not a dog, that’s my son. Isn’t his costume great?” Watching his warring expressions of doubt and wonderment was very entertaining for his mom and me. Finally I laughed and said, “Just kidding, he’s like my son but he’s a real dog. Simba, shake!”, and Simba solemnly gave him his big paw to shake.
@moondrake that is fantastic! It sounds very much like my neighborhood, usually small bon fires w those small metal pits every few houses. It is just a great time and there is always a good sense of community. It is also so luch fun to watch the cute little ones so scared and excited all ar once.
Never too old for my house. Our community, the “trick” is just a joke so as long as you throw a sheet on and tell me a joke, you gets your candy. I must admit, I love all the little kids coming up and working up the courage to step on the lunging zombie activator pad and loving the foggy pond with the alligator. I feel like I’m contributing to well adjusted children when I show them it can be fun to be a little scared. Then they tell their joke and are richly rewarded for their bravery. No single fun sized bars here. You play along, you get as much as you want. We haven’t run out of candy yet.
@haydesigner@awk My parents gave a few dollars to one couple once, then over the course of Halloween evening another half dozen couples or groups showed up claiming to be homeless and asking for food or money. The next day we saw in the news that it was a group of “travelers” doing it, while also stealing anything not nailed down in the process. Even from houses where they had been given a little money or food.
I got jaded by homeless in Chicago. Now I just keep some granola bars handy in the car for the intersection sign holders. If they really are hungry, they love those.
@davido So are most of the holidays celebrated by Christians. The lingering downside of a history of suppressing other faiths by appropriating their celebrations. Kinda hilarious, really.
I have a big problem with kids in Baltimore. They don’t try. No costumes, they come in groups “safety” but knock on 4 or 5 doors of town homes and sit back on the sidewalk and wait to pounce. Then bum rush any open doors. They do this until they have grand kids and expect candy from me. And it doesn’t stop until 11pm.
Glad have a kid now and can take him out.
I have a piece of electrical tape on the wall next to the door that marks my height. If you’re taller than me, you don’t get candy outright, but you may choose an item to trade for what I’m handing out.
I’m a five-foot-tall woman, for the sake of reference. It would probably be unfair if I were in the NBA or something.
@Kidsandliz Yeah, I have a friend who broke 6’ in third grade. And stopped. He ended up being 6’1". My siblings are all macrofauna, three 6’7" brothers and a 5’11" sister, and I have a 6’8" nephew and a 6’1" niece. They were all well over 5’ tall when still kids.
@Kidsandliz right? i was thinking if they were an nba player it would be fair (like as a joke), not unfair. 5’ is short. and young tall kids already feel ‘othered’ half the time. tbh it really kind of bums me out thinking about them going to this person’s house and being singled out.
@jerk_nugget I did it with a big smile and the kids had fun with it. There was no mockery and they got the chance to upgrade from some crappy off-brand Laffy Taffy to the candy bars I was giving out.
Thank God I don’t give out any candy anymore, so I wouldn’t be hurting your tall friends’ feelings.
@cranky1950 To my knowledge we’ve never had a problem in my city of 3/4 million people. Laid back town. Safest large city in America. Great place to live, hard place to find work.
My roommate of almost 30 years, his birthday is October 31. So we’re always out to dinner on Halloween. Everyone else I know has tons of leftover candy because no-one comes to their houses anymore. Truck or treating is a dying art.
halloween isn’t really my fave. i mean i love autumn and pumpkin carving and candy and some halloween movies, but i hate dressing up, i hate swarms of people, and i hate not being able to tell who is someone i know and who’s a stranger and being messed with about it.
when you’re shy (HSP) as a kid and anxious (but you don’t know words for these things yet) halloween is just…a lot. my mom always picked my costume and the best part was getting home and organizing my candy. (my mom would eat some of the chocolate stuff and the rest would hit the bin a few months later.) i stopped going pretty early on i think.
but to get to the point of the poll, i think if you dress up and/or you’re really little doing your best, you get candy. halloween should be fun! not another excuse for shittty adults to pass judgment on others. i wouldn’t have it in me to refuse an older kid in a non costume (like a plastic mask and regular clothes) but i do think you should put some effort in and not be a wad essentially taking candy from kids for the hell of it.
i’ve lived in apartments for a long time now though so sadly we don’t get any trick or treaters. sometimes we go to a club but last year we stayed home and watched young frankenstein and i prefer that. (clubs on halloween, like NYE, are amateur hour and i’m kinda over it. esp since we moved further out so we have to drive.) friends of ours also got married on halloween years ago and that was a blast. the reception/after party was at a club’s huge annual halloween party so we all got badges for free enty and everyone dressed up. i was a really hammered panda.
Oh man that’d be a sad thing to lump onto the pile of fun that is puberty. Imagine getting your first period shortly before Halloween and your mom being like “well, your dentist is gonna be happy…”
Halloween is the BEST holiday EVER! I get dressed up every year. You are never too old!!
@tinamarie1974 you go trick or treating still?
@tinamarie1974 so do I, but I don’t go trick-or-treating anymore. There is a difference.
@tinamarie1974 best holiday ever! I even got married on halloween lol
@jbartus i take my five year old niece out. It is loads of fun!
@ragingredd did the bride and groom dress up? I hope the groom was Frankenstein
@ragingredd that is awesome. Did everyone wear costumes?
@tinamarie1974 but would you go alone?
@jbartus no, I would go to an adult party if not for my niece
Last time I went trick-or-treating I was 23. I had an 8 yr old cousin who didn’t want his parents to come, because they would embarrass him. Sound I got tagged in. Dressed as a zombie cowboy. Had arrows sticking out of me and everything. And ever house gave me candy.
14 is too old to Trick-or-Treat/Beg for candy.
Dressing up in a costume is OK for everyone!
Okay I guess I’m the only one who voted “trick or treating is dumb”.
That’s because I tend to ignore the commercialization and dumbing-down of this sacred holiday. I never forget the real meaning of Halloween: sexy halloween costumes
/image sexy halloween costume
/image Halloween sexy trash collector
@SSteve you are missing the obvious
/image Halloween sexy candy corn
edit: cute but that’s really stretching the definition of candy corn, I was thinking more like this:
@awk the first one is sexier
@jbartus But the second one is candy-cornier. I left both so everyone can draw their own conclusions on this very important matter.
/giphy sexy disease costume
I’m leaving that there just because w.t.f.
@awk Nailed it! Thanks!
@haydesigner w.t.f. indeed. Giphy is high again.
@awk
/giphy sexy candy porn
@awk I vote for #1.
People that trick or treat but don’t dress in costume drive me crazy. I don’t care if you’re older, just dress up and I’ll give you candy.
I don’t trick or treat anymore because I’m too busy scaring people on Halloween to go get candy.
@RiotDemon I make pre-assembled goodie bags that are given to those in costume. (typical contents: full-sized candy bar, a Starburst, an Airhead, gum, sucker, couple of tootsie rolls minis) Trick-or-treaters that are not in costume get a single piece of hard candy.
@DrWorm I used to do the same thing. Except the little kids (3 or 4 yo) that had no costumes still got the good stuff as its not their fault. Now the kids only go to the affluent neighborhoods.
@moondrake Well good then maybe they won’t come to mine. Buildings all around me have peeling paint, broken couches and chairs with missing random cushions on porches, next door has several big tarps over the back part of their house, car up on blocks, back yard looks like you took a pile of trash/junk and threw it there, only unlike parts of Appalachia, it’s not on a hillside for some of it to roll downhill and land in the crick (easy way to decorate the crick).
@DrWorm do 3 and 4 year olds really need that much candy tho?
@alphapeaches Their parents do. Three year olds can’t count. Having toddlers should have a few perks.
@alphapeaches @sammydog01 parents candy tax!
/image parent candy tax
@DrWorm that’s a heck of a haul! We give out at least a dozen bags of fun size candy every year. If anyone isn’t in costume I make them tell me what they’re supposed to be, they come up with fun answers so get the candy.
Anyone who has Halloween spirit gets candy when they come by my house. It’s about having fun and sharing, not rules and age limits.
@callow a few of my neighbors have candy for the kids and beer/wine for the adults! Love those houses!!
@tinamarie1974 I used to put on a costume and put Simba in a nominal costume (headless horseman strapped to his back) and go and walk around the neighborhoods where the trick or treaters congregate, just to enjoy the festive spirit. In these upscale neighborhoods people often sit at the foot of their driveways to hand out candy to protect their lawn and holiday decorations from being trampled by the throngs of kids (there are hundreds, the streets are packed). I was often offered candy and sometimes beer or wine but I declined, although I’d happily take the offers of a chair to sit and talk a while.
One of the best jokes I ever pulled off was when one kid of about 10yo bounded up to tell me he really liked my dog. I told him in all seriousness, “That’s not a dog, that’s my son. Isn’t his costume great?” Watching his warring expressions of doubt and wonderment was very entertaining for his mom and me. Finally I laughed and said, “Just kidding, he’s like my son but he’s a real dog. Simba, shake!”, and Simba solemnly gave him his big paw to shake.
@moondrake that is fantastic! It sounds very much like my neighborhood, usually small bon fires w those small metal pits every few houses. It is just a great time and there is always a good sense of community. It is also so luch fun to watch the cute little ones so scared and excited all ar once.
@moondrake Last year my neighbor used a cone of shame to make her lab into a martini glass complete with olive.
Once it gets creepy.
Go home gramps. If you had laid off the candy earlier in life, you would still have teeth.
Never too old for my house. Our community, the “trick” is just a joke so as long as you throw a sheet on and tell me a joke, you gets your candy. I must admit, I love all the little kids coming up and working up the courage to step on the lunging zombie activator pad and loving the foggy pond with the alligator. I feel like I’m contributing to well adjusted children when I show them it can be fun to be a little scared. Then they tell their joke and are richly rewarded for their bravery. No single fun sized bars here. You play along, you get as much as you want. We haven’t run out of candy yet.
Once they get gang tats they should quit.
@cranky1950, what if it’s a really dedicated costume?
Method trick-or-treating?
@haydesigner well trick or treating usually ends by 9 so if your inspiration peaks in time for 8pm curtain that doesn’t leave much time.
I quit Trick or Treating when I realized that the money I was spending on costumes and accessories could be spent on candy.
When I was in junior high my friends and I went trick-or-treating and gave candy to the folks who answered the door.
Has anybody here ever had (uncostumed) homeless people ring the bell and ask for food? That happened to my parents once.
@awk, so did they?
@haydesigner @awk My parents gave a few dollars to one couple once, then over the course of Halloween evening another half dozen couples or groups showed up claiming to be homeless and asking for food or money. The next day we saw in the news that it was a group of “travelers” doing it, while also stealing anything not nailed down in the process. Even from houses where they had been given a little money or food.
Not after that.
I got jaded by homeless in Chicago. Now I just keep some granola bars handy in the car for the intersection sign holders. If they really are hungry, they love those.
grumble pagan ritual cough grumble
@davido
And?
@davido and it is so much fun isn’t it. (grin)
@davido So are most of the holidays celebrated by Christians. The lingering downside of a history of suppressing other faiths by appropriating their celebrations. Kinda hilarious, really.
I have a big problem with kids in Baltimore. They don’t try. No costumes, they come in groups “safety” but knock on 4 or 5 doors of town homes and sit back on the sidewalk and wait to pounce. Then bum rush any open doors. They do this until they have grand kids and expect candy from me. And it doesn’t stop until 11pm.
Glad have a kid now and can take him out.
They should keep doing it until they can’t get anything anymore, or until they have something better to do, or until they don’t want to anymore.
Or until everyone whose door they knock on calls the cops immediately.
Maybe 70?
I have a piece of electrical tape on the wall next to the door that marks my height. If you’re taller than me, you don’t get candy outright, but you may choose an item to trade for what I’m handing out.
I’m a five-foot-tall woman, for the sake of reference. It would probably be unfair if I were in the NBA or something.
@LinnE And it is unfair for kids who have early growth spurts. I know some adults shorter than you and some grade schoolers taller.
@Kidsandliz Yeah, I have a friend who broke 6’ in third grade. And stopped. He ended up being 6’1". My siblings are all macrofauna, three 6’7" brothers and a 5’11" sister, and I have a 6’8" nephew and a 6’1" niece. They were all well over 5’ tall when still kids.
@Kidsandliz right? i was thinking if they were an nba player it would be fair (like as a joke), not unfair. 5’ is short. and young tall kids already feel ‘othered’ half the time. tbh it really kind of bums me out thinking about them going to this person’s house and being singled out.
@jerk_nugget I did it with a big smile and the kids had fun with it. There was no mockery and they got the chance to upgrade from some crappy off-brand Laffy Taffy to the candy bars I was giving out.
Thank God I don’t give out any candy anymore, so I wouldn’t be hurting your tall friends’ feelings.
I live so remote we have never, ever, had a trick or treater (treator? really… treatee).
The churches and malls do trunk or treat here so we rarely takers for our razor spiked apples and LSD kid tatoos.
@cranky1950 To my knowledge we’ve never had a problem in my city of 3/4 million people. Laid back town. Safest large city in America. Great place to live, hard place to find work.
@moondrake it’s not in Cali is it?
@alphapeaches Nah, west Texas.
My roommate of almost 30 years, his birthday is October 31. So we’re always out to dinner on Halloween. Everyone else I know has tons of leftover candy because no-one comes to their houses anymore. Truck or treating is a dying art.
halloween isn’t really my fave. i mean i love autumn and pumpkin carving and candy and some halloween movies, but i hate dressing up, i hate swarms of people, and i hate not being able to tell who is someone i know and who’s a stranger and being messed with about it.
when you’re shy (HSP) as a kid and anxious (but you don’t know words for these things yet) halloween is just…a lot. my mom always picked my costume and the best part was getting home and organizing my candy. (my mom would eat some of the chocolate stuff and the rest would hit the bin a few months later.) i stopped going pretty early on i think.
but to get to the point of the poll, i think if you dress up and/or you’re really little doing your best, you get candy. halloween should be fun! not another excuse for shittty adults to pass judgment on others. i wouldn’t have it in me to refuse an older kid in a non costume (like a plastic mask and regular clothes) but i do think you should put some effort in and not be a wad essentially taking candy from kids for the hell of it.
i’ve lived in apartments for a long time now though so sadly we don’t get any trick or treaters. sometimes we go to a club but last year we stayed home and watched young frankenstein and i prefer that. (clubs on halloween, like NYE, are amateur hour and i’m kinda over it. esp since we moved further out so we have to drive.) friends of ours also got married on halloween years ago and that was a blast. the reception/after party was at a club’s huge annual halloween party so we all got badges for free enty and everyone dressed up. i was a really hammered panda.
Oh man that’d be a sad thing to lump onto the pile of fun that is puberty. Imagine getting your first period shortly before Halloween and your mom being like “well, your dentist is gonna be happy…”
Never. Halloween fucking rocks!