I hate Halloween, with its imported US custom of ‘Trick or Treat’ (otherwise known as extortion).
In essence, I come home in the evening, wanting to relax. The doorbell goes. If I answer it I’ll find some oiks mumbling ‘trick or treat’.
At this point, I am supposed to give them something which will increase childhood obesity and make their teeth fall out. I will also have had to go out and buy this stuff - there is no way to have the right amount. Either I’d run out and feel guilty for latecomers, or have tonnes left over and have to eat it myself - I have no willpower in this regard.
If I refuse, then I’m liable to get eggs thrown at my house which I have to clean up.
Either way, I’m out of pocket.
It’s a ghastly idea, really horrible - and one that is relatively recent in my experience. It certainly wasn’t commonplace in the 70s and early 80s.
It’ll be Carol Singers next month. Don’t get me started on ruddy Carol Singers and their two lines of ‘We Wish you a Merry Christmas’….
All Posts
2 Comments
I do hear you and I certainly understand your complaint. Being Canadian, I’ve gotten quite used to the practice and I don’t find it nearly as onerous as you do. However, giving out loads of candy for free is certainly annoying.
My wife and I have come up with a solution that works for us (though, as the saying goes, your mileage may vary). What we do is give out a small amount of candy and then include comics (found very cheap - usually around 25 cents each). This way the kids aren’t just getting candy. They are getting something to read, too. Your choice of reading material could be different, but comics are a good “reader breeder.” They certainly help with literacy and all of that. It doesn’t hurt that kids, especially younger ones, are quite excited by them. ‘Course, you do need to pick carefully so as not to offend anyone but that’s not that difficult.
(now, in the interest of full disclosure I should add that I’m an artist and I work in the comics field. But that doesn’t mitigate the point about giving out something instead of (or in conjunction with) candy)
Love the Wasps photos on your Flickr account, by the by.
Von
It’s not so much the cost as the principle of the thing ‘give us something or we will egg your car’.