Topic: Halloween is almost here!

[Blair]

This time of the year, kids all over are getting ready to dress up, go out, demand candy, and then go home and pig out. The same is true for some adults as well.

But what about you? What sort of stuff do you do getting ready for or during Halloween?



Personally, I was never a big Halloween person that I can recall. I've never been much of a decorator or one that cares about handing out candy (even though I still do it.)

[DJ Doena]

My first contact with Halloween was E.T.. In recent years it has become a bit bigger in Germany but generally speaking it's still a very normal day and you don't see too many costumed people.

Also most people are not prepared for children ringing their doorbells and children don't do it.

It's just not one of "our" holidays.

[Dragonfire]

I have decorated before..I like doing that.  Didn't get any done this year though.
Where I live, we don't get trick or treaters.  In the last several years, the mall has had a trick or treat night and I've gone just to sit and watch.  I've seen some cute costumes..and some that are..well...bizarre.  I don't know if they are doing it this year or not.  On Halloween, I have another work related class..so if it is that night, I won't be able to see any of it.

[dfmorgan]

My first contact with Halloween was E.T.. In recent years it has become a bit bigger in Germany but generally speaking it's still a very normal day and you don't see too many costumed people.

Also most people are not prepared for children ringing their doorbells and children don't do it.

It's just not one of "our" holidays.

Much the same here.

[addicted2dvd]

I pretty much just watch horror movies and Halloween TV episodes. I don't do much on the decorating. That is Brittany's job. But I can say that most people that have come into my bedroom thinks I have it decorated for Halloween. But that is just the normal decor! 

[Tom]

When growing up, Halloween was only known for me from American TV series (like Roseanne) and movies. I never celebrated it.
For me, the next day after Halloween has meaning: "Allerheiligen" ("All Hallows"). That is the day we visit my grandfather's grave and there is a religious ceremony. The only thing which has anything to do with church, that I still do.

[Blair]

I grew up in a large town and now live in a small one, but there is one thing that hasn't changed other than the ratio getting worse: a lack of "spirit" in the event for so many. You have the few groups of kids close by that walk door to door then run up with their parents nearby, "Trick or treat!" showing off their outfits and a smile, holding out their small plastic pumpkin-shaped containers or bags and each of them saying "thank you" at every door. Often this gives the parents the opportunity to show off the newest trick-or-treater in the family gripping a bag barely big enough to hold 5 pieces of hard candy. Once these kids have made it through a block or two, they go home.

But then there is that other, much larger number of kids that come in groups via cars from other parts of town (making their way to every house possible before the night is over.) They walk up and crowd the door, often even trying to push inside, each wearing nothing that even resembles an attempt at a costume (ok, so they can't afford one... at least maybe some ribbons and aluminum trinkets could have been slapped on.) They each stand there with a bored or sad look holding a large garbage bag that drags the ground due to the weight of all the candy acquired so far, never saying a word except maybe for seeing the candy, "I want that one!" and trying to reach for it. Then they walk off quickly -- sometimes even before the candy has hit the bottom of the bag -- still without a word, not even bothering to walk the 40 steps to the next house but instead back to the car to be driven there. More than two-thirds of the kids that come here the past few years are in the second group. I'm not sure if I am even going to give out candy this year for that reason.

[Dragonfire]

I know that people take their kids around to all the different areas around here too... Even when I was still in school I remember hearing kids talking about going to all the different places.  Several of the towns around here have trick or treat night on a different night..so there are people that go somewhere different every night.  Even with what they do at the mall, there are some that try to keep going back to the same stores over and over..and some adults that have an infant. 

There have been some teenagers walking around then too in outfits that weren't trying to get candy.  They just wanted to dress up.  There were a few families where everyone was dressed up too.  At least with it in the mall, they don't have to worry about the weather if it is cold out.

[Jimmy]

Marie your banner is funny... It looks like you have seen the two same movie over and over today

Of course I know it isn't the case, but the images are the same for the four Tremors movies and the Monsters TV show discs...


BTW were you forced to buy Rock of Ages because you must write a review on Epinions? The trailer for that film was so bad and awfull (for what I've read the film is a complete waste of time ridding on the incomprehensible success of Glee). I'm an eighties guy and I was so insulted when I've seen what the kids of today imagine my adolescence was.