[KathieI]

Good point Patty. I remember as a kid (a loooonnnnnngggg time ago) we would go trick or treating and everyone was in homemade hobo costumes. Our sacks on a stick were daddy's bandana handkerchief filled with powdered chalk and while walking the neighborhood late at night, we would be hitting each other on the body with our chalk sacks. It was so much fun and our parents weren't worried about us. We didn't need to have wrapped candy either, we also got lots of apples, cookies, and home made candy. It was great fun. I'm sorry for the kids today that have to have so many restrictions because of our change in society.

[Patty55]

The apples were the worst. I remember one time walking up this big long driveway and they gave us apples. We used our chalk and the entire way back down we wrote "BEWARE, APPLES, GO BACK".

[CFrance]

When we were teenagers, we opened umbrellas and covered them with half slips. then we rang the doorbell and got down on our knees. While the adults were oohing and ahhing over the cute little ghosts, we stood up. Got a laugh every time.

Sometimes I wonder if there might be a troll or two on this forum.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by KathieI

Good point Patty. I remember as a kid (a loooonnnnnngggg time ago) we would go trick or treating and everyone was in homemade hobo costumes. Our sacks on a stick were daddy's bandana handkerchief filled with powdered chalk and while walking the neighborhood late at night, we would be hitting each other on the body with our chalk sacks. It was so much fun and our parents weren't worried about us. We didn't need to have wrapped candy either, we also got lots of apples, cookies, and home made candy. It was great fun. I'm sorry for the kids today that have to have so many restrictions because of our change in society.

My husband and I were just talking about all of the above which you mentioned.
We also always were hobos, etc., etc., etc.

Only thing is, we didn't have chalk in our sacks.

We also both received the same exact treats as you mention.
Nothing was "wrapped"........it was all loose candy, apples, cookies, etc.
I helped my mom make "treat bags" with loose candy......

No one worried about us............whether being abducted or harmed.
We lived in THE CITY. We even went to taverns trick or treating.
I'm talking eight years old and up.

I think prison sentences then might have been different and put a scare in any would be perps.........or else people just abided by the TEN COMMANDMENTS in those days.......I truly believe that last thought.

[jblum315]

Sr. Citizen, you truly believe that in the mid-twentieth century people did not lie, steal, or commit adultery? Wow. Wish I had your faith in people.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by jblum315

Sr. Citizen, you truly believe that in the mid-twentieth century people did not lie, steal, or commit adultery? Wow. Wish I had your faith in people.

What???????????

Are you referring to the Ten Commandments mention?

I meant, on Halloween, our parents certainly didn't worry about us being abducted, raped and murdered; kidnapped, etc. when we went out alone in the dark.......on the city streets. Circa 1953 to 1955, etc., etc.

I wasn't thinking of the other commandments, only what related to children going out alone on Halloween......and the fact that our parents did not worry about us.

Nowadays, so many children are harmed in terrible ways.

p.s. Out of due respect, I still think my comments are always being taken "out of context" even others where I've said over and over again how beautiful and attractive we thought the Villages was......and when I posted about the drug sweep in our once nice little town, it was to show that things "change" all over.......I was not being defensive about our town.......just stating facts. All places have things of beauty and all places have not so nice things. We were living in a bucolic atmosphere while raising our family........now we are the elders at 68 years old pushing 70 and times have changed; society has changed..........but back when we were kids, it was SAFE.

Why would that be? Fear of the law?

Fear of being imprisoned?

Fear of God? Thus, my Ten Commandments post.

In a nutshell, our parents let us wander all over and not one person ever bothered us.....................

Now ............lying, stealing, etc. adultery? I'm sure it happened. Just watch BOARDWALK on Sunday nights.
Atlantic City, Chicago, etc.

[Jayhawk]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

Here are some important lessons they might learn:

1) If you want to get ahead in life, and get the candy that life has to offer, you have to misrepresent who you are. You have to pretend to be something or somebody you are not. This lesson will come in handy later in life when they have to apply for a job.

2) Sugar/candy is a valuable commodity so get as much of it as you can (collect it...save it... hoard it).

3) Candy is a psychotropic tool: Eat some to cheer yourself up when you're sad, or eat some to celebrate when you're happy.

4) It's okay to take candy from strangers.

5) Parents take their wellbeing seriously.



What they might not know is that 1 out of 10 kids have a disease called "Non-alcoholic fatty-liver disease". It happens mostly to kids who are overweight but they don't have to be overweight to get it.

I bet you get invited to a lot of parties.

[Lovey2]

SMH, once again!! I'm quite certain most of us had the enjoyment of "playing" Halloween for many years, well before we had the tendency to over analyze everything, and we all turned out all right...well,OK, maybe SOME exceptions, but you get my drift. 1 day a year is NOT going to erase all the values and good habits taught (hopefully) the other 364! Jeez...

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by Denise Frayne

SMH, once again!! I'm quite certain most of us had the enjoyment of "playing" Halloween for many years, well before we had the tendency to over analyze everything, and we all turned out all right...well,OK, maybe SOME exceptions, but you get my drift. 1 day a year is NOT going to erase all the values and good habits taught (hopefully) the other 364! Jeez...

You are correct.......just as the majority of us have said.

We enjoyed Halloween safely without incident and had fun.
It didn't harm us in any way.

We looked forward to it the entire month of October, comparing notes, walking home from school........

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

You are correct.......just as the majority of us have said.

We enjoyed Halloween safely without incident and had fun.
It didn't harm us in any way.

We looked forward to it the entire month of October, comparing notes, walking home from school........

In a sense, you are correct. Very seldom is there any immediate harm from Halloween or any other holiday. However, childhood habits are being formed that will last a lifetime. People will say, "we all turned out okay!" Really? I'm not so sure about that.

But if I tell people how they might not be okay, they will either tell me that being a little less healthy is worth it, or that it's unavoidable because it's genetic. You can't win this agrument with people who are addicted and in denial. (I'm not talking about you personally, just people in general on this board.)

Whether it's "fatty liver disease", diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, heart disease or whatever, nothing matters because having "fun" is what really matters more than anything else.

And, of course, whatever holiday it is (take your pick), it's only once-a-year.

P.S. It has been estimated that the average kid consumes 3 cups of sugar during the halloween festivities.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

In a sense, you are correct. Very seldom is there any immediate harm from Halloween or any other holiday. However, childhood habits are being formed that will last a lifetime. People will say, "we all turned out okay!" Really? I'm not so sure about that.

But if I tell people how they might not be okay, they will either tell me that being a little less healthy is worth it, or that it's unavoidable because it's genetic. You can't win this agrument with people who are addicted and in denial. (I'm not talking about you personally, just people in general on this board.)

Whether it's "fatty liver disease", diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, heart disease or whatever, nothing matters because having "fun" is what really matters more than anything else.

And, of course, whatever holiday it is (take your pick), it's only "once a year."

Maybe so, but you were talking about more than just health in your OP. And I don't think kids dressing up on Halloween teaches them that misrepresentation brings rewards. That's just absurd and way over-projecting, IMO.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by CFrance

Maybe so, but you were talking about more than just health in your OP. And I don't think kids dressing up on Halloween teaches them that misrepresentation brings rewards. That's just absurd and way over-projecting, IMO.

I wasn't totally serious with #1. But, who knows, for some people there might be some truth to it. There are all kinds of people in the world and neither one of us can speak for all of them.

What did you think about the fact that 1 out of 10 kids has "fatty liver disease"? If I had left out #1 would you have paid more attention to it?

[Patty55]

Originally Posted by Villages PL

What did you think about the fact that 1 out of 10 kids has "fatty liver disease"? If I had left out #1 would you have paid more attention to it?

Nope

[Villages PL]

Search: How much sugar does the average person consume every year?

The average person consumes 150 lbs. of suger per year.

Part of that comes from Halloween. The average kid consumes 3 cups of sugar during the Halloween festivities.