Halloween?
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Topic: Halloween?
Posted By: nathansmummy
Subject: Halloween?
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 3:27pm
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So what are your guys thoughts on Halloween?
Some have objections to trick or treating for religious reasons, some because they don't like the idea of knocking on strangers doors and accepting lollies from strangers. My son is too young - next year at 2yo I'll dress him up in something cute and go up to the local Light Party but I am particularly against kids wandering around going up to strangers by themselves. I think I'll just give lollies to the ones that are with their parents. What do you think? |
Replies:
Posted By: Plushie
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 3:44pm
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I don't have kids yet but i agree that you can't spend the whole time saying "don't talk to strangers" and "don't take candy from strangers" etc then actively encouraging them to run up to strangers and ask for candy...confusing, much?
And i never have candy for kids - though i've only ever had about 4 people knock and it was awkward. I also worry about kids with allergies that they're not considering. IE giving a kid a snickers bar which obviously contains nuts. What sort of four year old who is already hyped up over being dressed up and out late is going to stop and think about that before getting it down them? |
Posted By: .Mel
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 5:29pm
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This is the first year that we've let our daughter go trick or treating. Our street is a cul de sac and it's basically families and retirees.. so a few of us agreed to let one of the mums take a group of them around ( on the condition that when they stopped in at our houses we'd give them a treat), and then the parents are going to meet up later for a wine.
------------- Mr Mellow (16) Miss Attitude (8) Destructa Kid (3) 
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 5:51pm
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to be honest most kids dont do it after dark - i have never had anyone knock at my door at an unreasonable hour and quite often the parents are lurking on the street or by the gate... they dont generally run up to strangers, most as mel said organise it as a street or the kids go in the area they know anyway. and as for allergies thats the parents responsibility not yours. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: jem
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 6:32pm
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hmmm Im not sure about trick or treating it does seem strange to teach them not to take lollies from stranges. It also grates me when tiny lil kids walk around without a parent. We dont have kids yet but I dont think they will trick or treat, maybe just once so they know what its all about. But to me its American and kids theses days really dont need more sugar! But I do think its up to the parents to allow the child to eat whats in their bag so you shouldn't worry about allergies.
Lucky you bizzy, last year we had trick or treaters until 11.30. was sooo shocking young teenage girls (14-17) knocking on doors all by themself after dark. I dont feel safe enough to walk by myself after 9-10pm so young teenage girls by themself is just wrong. |
Posted By: 4thtymlucky
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 6:44pm
Halloween is fun and our kids get involved in the organised stuff at school but we don't encourage the trick or treating with our girls and we've only given treats to kids who turn up to our door with costumes and an adult supervisor otherwise I just tell the kids, sorry we've run out of treats...lol..this year I told my 10 year old to write a note and stick it on the gate..No Trick Or Treaters Thanks:)...which is better than hubby's idea of letting our dog loose in the yard
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Posted By: rachelsea
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 7:05pm
We live in a cul de sac too, and just had a group of three neighbourhood kids come to our door with one of their fathers. (Unfortunately for them we didn't buy any treats so they had to get museli bars hahaha) DH wanted to get Chelsea dressed up and take her round the neighbourhood but mean mummy said no  because I think she's too young and I wouldn't let her eat a lot of lollies anyway. ------------- DD 4yrs DS 2yrs http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: MrsEmma
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 7:12pm
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I don't really like Halloween and my parents didn't let us Trick or Treat but then we lived in Ireland in a rural town for most of the the age we would have done it.
We've had quite a few kids come to the door tonight, maybe 10% have been dressed up but we have just said 'sorry but we don't have anything' which I would prefer to do instead of shutting the curtains and ignoring them when they knock like all our neighbours are doing - I get why but DS is now in bed and I don't want them standing there and loudly door knocking for 5 mins each time as they seem to do to others across the way! Plus both cars are out front and I feel bad that they know we are home! I think if there is a community or a group doing something that has been organised then great but I don't like children wondering the streets knocking on strangers doors regardless of the occasion. IMO if it's not ok to approach strangers and accept lollies 364 days out of the year then it's not ok tonight either! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: MrsMojo
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 7:25pm
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I buy wrapped lollies every year incase anyone comes to the door but we've lived here 3 years now and never had any trick or treaters which is just as well really because I've nearly finished off the bag of lollies We usually go to "Party by the lake" which is an alternative to trick or treating put on by the Baptist church in Whitby. They have bouncy castles, merry go rounds, obstacle courses, people handing out sweets and other treats, face painting and lots of other things and it's all free.
eta: link to PBTL info incase anyone is interested http://www.whitbybaptist.org.nz/Ministries/party.html - http://www.whitbybaptist.org.nz/Ministries/party.html -------------  
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 7:28pm
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I wouldnt want my kids going out knocking on strangers doors asking for candy when its something you teach them to never ever do.
But, when i was a kid, the street we lived in organized a trick or treat night, and we only went to the houses that agreed to participate, and we had an adult with us. It was fun, cos we got to dress up and it was safe! :) ------------- |
Posted By: LittleBug
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 8:13pm
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I think it's just a big commercial bunch of hype.
But if my kids wanted to dress up and do something one day, I would let them if it was something organised and supervised, and not just knocking on random people's doors asking for treats. Apart from the fact that I think it's kind of rude running around houses asking for things, I think it's asking for trouble. Besides, don't we have enough diabetes and heart disease in our country without encouraging children to gather as much sweet stuff as they can and stuff themselves? *jaded much* LOL ------------- Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years). |
Posted By: fire_engine
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 8:19pm
I don't like it. We are on a back section which is normally really quiet. Tonight there have been loads of groups going up and down. Lots have had parents with them, which is great. I just don't like the idea that kids are expecting strangers to give them things  Like others have said, it runs counter to everything else we teach them, and I don't like the expectation that they will get things for free from people they don't know. DH was in the garden and they didn't know he was there; I was out walking for most of it (quite convenient!). Several followed me up the drive as I got home from my walk and I just turned round and said "nothing here sorry" but down the road, some kids (9ish) were whinging about how the stuff they got from a particular house was crap. Deal with it. ------------- Mum to two wee boys |
Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 8:25pm
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Yep...what littlebug said. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: crafty1
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 8:35pm
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Oooo i love it! We all got dressed up and decorated our entryway (been carving pumpkins for days!) and had a huge bowl of lollies, chips, chocolate. We had hordes come and loved every one of them. Almost all had parents either with them or at the gate, all had dressed up and had lovely manners and said thank you. I think it's great and you get a real sense of community.
My 2yo went out with some friends and their kids and had a blast, came home with a bag stuffed full of booty which he ate a lot of and we'll drag the rest out over the next few days. I'm not going to rush him along to diabetes or heart disease testing as he's an active kid and it's one day. Parents of nut allergic kids don't let them go. Bah humbug i say, it's fun and i love a dress up and a party! I had a wig, long dress and blood coming out my mouth and told all the kids i ate the last lot hehe. Next year is going to be bigger and better! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 8:46pm
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See now Crafty that is what it's about...not about kids out after dark knocking on our door. We just had the first one....We live on a main street with no sense of community. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com">
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 9:19pm
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We used to go as a big group to pre-arranged houses when I was a kid. I always buy lollies and get all ready for kids but we never have many.
As for my kids, I don't think I'd let them go unless it was pre-arranged, I do find it slightly rude if we don't know the people at all. I like the idea of going to a party instead. We got al dressed up today and I made a treasure hunt for the kids. |
Posted By: M2K
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 9:56pm
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I took my girls to the community centre where they held a dance for pre-schoolers, they had activities for them (making ghost lollipops, making scary paper plate faces, and even a scary walk through passage with ghost and zombies etc). they had a best costume competition, was really cute to watch them dance and play, I prefer to take my girls there than go door knocking. ------------- 
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Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 31 October 2010 at 10:27pm
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I loved Halloween as a kid, but then it was all about dressing up and we never did trick or treating coz it just wasn't about. I like the idea of prearranged houses to go to.
It's all a bit of fun. They look so cute when they look scary coz it is such a juxtaposition..cute yet scary..... When we live near family for sure we will make an effort, my family this year had a halloween supper and made scary food and dressed up with the extended whanau...all fun and another chance to get together. ------------- 
 Oct 11
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Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 01 November 2010 at 9:25pm
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DD has been trick or treating most years since she was five, with a group of school friends. One or two of us Mum's tag along, they just do our street at about 6pm and get quite a lot of stuff. She now takes DS, he loves it too. While I agree that the whole concept of taking lollies from strangers goes against the grain a bit, it's the only time we knock on our neighbours doors and I find you tend to say Hi next time you see them around. Good for communities really. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 02 November 2010 at 9:03am
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We locked our gates with a chain on Sunday night. Older kids tried to get in but realised they couldn't so gave up and told their mates cos noone else tried. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |