On some level, I hate Halloween.

I'm thirty. I don't want to get dressed up for work. Unless you are a little kid, have a little kid, or are going to an adult oriented costume party, you shouldn't be getting dressed up. (unless your going as a slutty nurse, and can pull it off...) I'm really tired of it. Plus, i'm not a big fan if candy.

But the main thing that bugs me? When a Halloween USA store comes to town, you know your cities economy has gone to crap. They move these temporary stores into store fronts when legit businessess move out.

And I'm sick of teenage kids coming up on my porch with nothing but a lame mask they bought at the dollar store trying to get candy. Put some effort into it, douche.

Joey

Halloween Rule #1:

If you are male, over 12, straight, and dressed up for Halloween there had better be at least one "Slutty Nurse", "Whore Witch" or "French Maid" accompanying you or the straight part is a lie.

joey48442 wrote: And I'm sick of teenage kids coming up on my porch with nothing but a lame mask they bought at the dollar store trying to get candy. Put some effort into it, douche. Joey

Im 30 and kid-less, and still, in general, love this holiday (and I can pull off a candy striper uniform very nicely with the right lighting thankyouverymuch). That said, the negativity above is an opinion I share equally. I am posting a sign on my front door that the decision to with-hold halloween services will be made solely at the discretion of the management...and that I am the management

And...people that view it as some kind of sacred holiday are dorks too.

Joey

joey48442 wrote: people that view it as some kind of sacred holiday are dorks too. Joey

GRM forum wrote: ...joey48442 *Superdork*

Pot, meet Mr. Kettle...

Im just sayin

When I was young Halloween, was a night for ritualistic murder and hell raising! You'd dress up so no one would know that you were some little kid who could be murdered and hell raised on. But if it happened you'd deal with the scars and rope burns. And we liked it!

If you want to have a REAL adventure, go to a Wiccan Halloween party. BTDT!!!!!!!!!!

joey48442 wrote: But the main thing that bugs me? When a Halloween USA store comes to town, you know your cities economy has gone to crap. They move these temporary stores into store fronts when legit businessess move out.

CompUSA and Circuit City going under was the best thing that happened to Spookytown and Halloween USA. Reminds me of that episode of the Simpsons where Homer has invested all his money in pumpkins.

I'm 33, have kids, and have become single within the last couple of years.

Halloween is an excuse to party. I'll use that excuse, and I'll do my best to make freinds with the girls in their costumes.

BTW...I'll be dressed "like" a mime. Not "as" a mime but like a mime. I'll probably just get obnoxious and holler a lot. I might run into a plate glass window just for fun.

If someone asks me to juggle, I'll probably throw bean bags or tennis balls at them (not bowling pins, though).

[edit: I felt I should clarify I won't be doing any trick-or-treating...I'll be participating in an organized ~40 mile bike ride in costume]

Clem

I understand that it's becoming socially acceptable for people over 10 to participate in Halloween, but when a group of adults in costume are trick or treating with no children with them, that's just creepy.

Even worse are the teenagers with NO dollar store mask, wearing whatever they wore that day, and as they walk up to a front door, they have to stop and pick up candy falling out of the 2 overflowing grocery bags they are EACH carrying.

I love the purity of Halloween. Kids dress up, get candy--end of story.

Christmas is so out-of-control as a desperate retail cash grab (and don't get me started on the whole calling it "holiday" thing ) When stores are bringing out Christmas ("holiday" ) merchandise in early September, there's a problem. None of that w/ Halloween.

I love having the "cool house" on the block where the trick or treaters all comment on how scary/cool my house is.

I dunno--I just like Halloween.

I've really started to enjoy the holiday lately. Girls in skimpy costumes+beer=good. I make it a point not to be home though. Don't want to deal with the trick or treaters.

We have allways celebrated helloween , we put tombstones of tint and sign businesses that have went under over the years . We also make sure we have plenty of candy to rot kids teeth and sugar buzz them so parents go crazy . Buddys having a party in ATl www.ticketheadz.com . This is a great time to let loose and try not to be so grown up . Like a kid again .When was the last time you toilet papered a house or car ? Try it you might get that old crazy insane bark at the moon laugh sensation back .

In my day, we scoured a square mile raiding houses for candy. Now, I'm scared to let the kids wander off. Haunted Houses are boring, Scary Movies can't hold a candle to the evening news (what won't the Demoncrats blow money on! Next!) and unless you're a kid out trick or treating you're not getting anything out of me.

Let's not get started on the pagan aspects, I'll just laugh harder.

Karl La Follette wrote: We have allways celebrated helloween , we put tombstones of tint and sign businesses that have went under over the years . We also make sure we have plenty of candy to rot kids teeth and sugar buzz them so parents go crazy . Buddys having a party in ATl www.ticketheadz.com . This is a great time to let loose and try not to be so grown up . Like a kid again .When was the last time you toilet papered a house or car ? Try it you might get that old crazy insane bark at the moon laugh sensation back .

Thats fun. If your a business, you've got to do stuff like that.

My Miata makes me crazy enough though...

Joey

cwh wrote: If you want to have a REAL adventure, go to a Wiccan Halloween party. BTDT!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah...an old ex of mine has one every year....we politely decline.

I'm okay with Halloween...probably for the season/weather and my six year old son most of all.

4cylndrfury wrote:

joey48442 wrote: people that view it as some kind of sacred holiday are dorks too. Joey

GRM forum wrote: ...joey48442 *Superdork*

Pot, meet Mr. Kettle... Im just sayin

Its different, cause its me...!

Joey

joey48442 wrote:

4cylndrfury wrote:

joey48442 wrote: people that view it as some kind of sacred holiday are dorks too. Joey

GRM forum wrote: ...joey48442 *Superdork*

Pot, meet Mr. Kettle... Im just sayin

Its different, cause its me and I am a typical Miata enthusiast... Joey

Well said.

Todays reading material; please excuse me if I drone on..

I have something of a love/hate relationship with All Hallow's Eve. On one hand, I enjoy reliving my fond childhood memories of it. On the other, I despise that it has become so commercialized that many folks treat it as just another routine to be carried out by rote.

The turnout in my neighborhood runs in cycles; kids grow up and move away, and some years I get almost no kids at all. OTOH, I now see kids come by who are the children of the children that I tricked a long time ago. I've been at this house so long (25 years), that I have established a bit of a trick or treat reputation (it should be treat or trick, but that's another story). When I'm in the mood, I put on a small horror production that I've honed over the years. Cobwebs, "black" lighting, assorted props, etc. One of the highlights is the soundtrack. I put a speaker up in the window, and when I observe a group entering the yard, they are treated to the haunting sounds of Bach's fugue, Mussorsgy's Night on Bald Mountain, etc. As they enter the porch and reach for the door to knock, the door is already opening (I can see them; they can't see me). Timing is one of the keys to pulling this off, and it doesn't hurt that my front door creaks a bit when opened slowly. I am in costume myself (full length hooded robe and understated whiteface mask), and challenge them to a test of bravery. I change the challenge up from time to time, but one of my favorites is the "guess what's in the urn" test. I have a terra cotta urn about 20" deep that I use; the neck is barely large enough for them to get their arm into it, so they can't see what they are about to put their hand in. Usually I go by the store and pick up a couple cans of cow brains, and pour them into the urn beforehand. If they can identify it as guts, they get a double dose of candy. If they reach in, but can't tell what it is, they get the usual amount of treats. If they refuse to reach in, they get maybe one piece, or nothing. It may sound cruel, but most of the kids seem to like it. Girls get a pass, but little boys are fair game when it comes to slimy stuff. As for the unadorned teenagers, I skip the test, and just drop a couple of pieces in their bags and shut the door. What they later find out is that I reversed the trick on them. I generally buy the candy ahead of time, and can't resist eating several pieces myself. I don't throw the wrappers away, though.. I save them and re-wrap them around pieces of gravel and pebbles from the yard. This is my homage to Sparky ("I got a rock.") Shulz, who had as much fun with Halloween as any old guy ever did.

Maybe all this is overkill for a 50-something guy, but it's only once a year, so if I'm in the right (mischevious) mood, I just have fun with it.

Y'all stop by this year, and see if you can guess what's in the urn. If you are lucky, you might just get a rock..

dimeadozen wrote: Even worse are the teenagers with NO dollar store mask, wearing whatever they wore that day, and as they walk up to a front door, they have to stop and pick up candy falling out of the 2 overflowing grocery bags they are EACH carrying.

Those are the ones that you say "come back when you're not too lazy to dress up" to.

I grew up living across the street from a graveyard. Before I was born my father used to go into the woods just behind the graveyard and light a bonfire, then spend the evening dancing around it in a monkey mask waving various implements.

The best thing I ever saw him do was when I was little he bought a large siren to use as an alarm for his shop. Before he installed it he set it in the bushes outside our front door on Halloween and wired it to a switch inside. That thing was friggin' loud and I watched a lot of potential treaters drop their bags when it went off.

NYG95GA wrote: Todays reading material; please excuse me if I drone on.. I have something of a love/hate relationship with All Hallow's Eve. On one hand, I enjoy reliving my fond childhood memories of it. On the other, I despise that it has become so commercialized that many folks treat it as just another routine to be carried out by rote. The turnout in my neighborhood runs in cycles; kids grow up and move away, and some years I get almost no kids at all. OTOH, I now see kids come by who are the children of the children that I tricked a long time ago. I've been at this house so long (25 years), that I have established a bit of a trick or treat reputation (it *should* be treat or trick, but that's another story). When I'm in the mood, I put on a small horror production that I've honed over the years. Cobwebs, "black" lighting, assorted props, etc. One of the highlights is the soundtrack. I put a speaker up in the window, and when I observe a group entering the yard, they are treated to the haunting sounds of Bach's fugue, Mussorsgy's Night on Bald Mountain, etc. As they enter the porch and reach for the door to knock, the door is already opening (I can see them; they can't see me). Timing is one of the keys to pulling this off, and it doesn't hurt that my front door creaks a bit when opened slowly. I am in costume myself (full length hooded robe and understated whiteface mask), and challenge them to a test of bravery. I change the challenge up from time to time, but one of my favorites is the "guess what's in the urn" test. I have a terra cotta urn about 20" deep that I use; the neck is barely large enough for them to get their arm into it, so they can't see what they are about to put their hand in. Usually I go by the store and pick up a couple cans of cow brains, and pour them into the urn beforehand. If they can identify it as guts, they get a double dose of candy. If they reach in, but can't tell what it is, they get the usual amount of treats. If they refuse to reach in, they get maybe one piece, or nothing. It may sound cruel, but most of the kids seem to like it. Girls get a pass, but little boys are fair game when it comes to slimy stuff. As for the unadorned teenagers, I skip the test, and just drop a couple of pieces in their bags and shut the door. What they later find out is that I reversed the trick on them. I generally buy the candy ahead of time, and can't resist eating several pieces myself. I don't throw the wrappers away, though.. I save them and re-wrap them around pieces of gravel and pebbles from the yard. This is my homage to Sparky ("I got a rock.") Shulz, who had as much fun with Halloween as any old guy ever did. Maybe all this is overkill for a 50-something guy, but it's only once a year, so if I'm in the right (mischevious) mood, I just have fun with it. Y'all stop by this year, and see if you can guess what's in the urn. If you are lucky, you might just get a rock..

Awesome...Except for some small kid has to spend the rest of the night walking around with brains on his hand...I imagine that wold start to stink.

Joey

NYG95GA wrote: ...Usually I go by the store and pick up a couple cans of cow brains, and pour them into the urn beforehand. ...

/News Anchor/ "Once again the mysterious post-halloween outbreak of mad cow disease has reared it's ugly head in Macon, GA. Authorities are puzzled why it's limited to one neighbourhood year after year and vow to get to the bottom of it this year." /News Anchor/

Bob

Ah, I left out that detail. I do offer them paper towels to clean off their hands, but in my experience, most of them have have already wiped them clean.. on their costume!!

Having been a little boy myself, and knowing what little boys are wont to do, I figure they stick their hands in much worse stuff every day.. I know I did!

I would make an even-up trade, Halloween for Octoberfest

When I was 13, I skipped trick or treating for the first time (and never did it since except last year at 5:00 with my now 17 month old) to scare the crap out of kids. Our recycling guys would turn our bins upside down after they were collected to save them from being filled with water and junk. Lazy people left theirs out for a few days. I rigged ours up with a RC car (an RC10B2, If I remember correctly) chassis on the inside such that it had about 1" of ground clearance, but sitting on it would just compress the springs. I sat inside our family hauler with tinted windows and waited. I could outrun a lot of kids with that thing - a lot of fun.