Do your kids go around your neighborhood??? Church??? The Mall???

there's lots of options available now, and I have noticed less and less kids in the neighborhood going out.

Do your kids???

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

Our neighborhood is packed every year. However, this year the oldest will not be going - she's 13 and in 8th grade and figured it was time to stay home and hand treats out. 11 year will go around the neighborhood and attempt to hit every house!!

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

both 16 year olds want to go trick or treating ... so they will for a little while then come back and give candy out.

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SPJRNTGADL!

I take my son around the neighborhood, its what I did as a child, I think its a good tradition.

A lot of places do have alternatives, but I really don't think trick or treating is dangerous, if you are worried about your kids you go with them. I also don't like when parents drive them from door to door (unless there is a HUGE difference from neighbor to neighbor) let the kids walk its good for them!

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Chicago Bears!!!!
We are the Bears Shufflin' Crew
Shufflin' on down, doin' it for you.
We're so bad we know we're good.
Blowin' your mind like we knew we would.
You know we're just struttin' for fun
Struttin' our stuff for everyone.
We're not here to start no trouble.
We're just here to do the Super Bowl Shuffle.

My kids go everywhere - we to the mall, house to house, church fall festivals, the zoo, amusement parks!! We lived in Florida for 8 years, and there were so many Halloween activities and events that I think my kids thought it was a weeklong celebration!! We love Halloween. They usually wear 2 or 3 costumes a year too!!

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Together They Fell
Together We Stand
Never Forget:
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9/11/01
God Bless USA and our Troops!

We do the neighborhood.. though last year we had my sister take them around because we had a 2 day old baby Now we live in an apartment complex and they're having a celebration on the 19th and then I guess we'll go door to door on the 31st.

10yo doesn't like candy so no motivation for trick-or-treating!
12yo is enormous at 5'9" -- too big for trick-or-treating -- I buy him candy and he's happy.

I think that trick-or-treating is for little kids; maybe 5th grade or under but when we DID go, it was around the neighborhood.

Our neighborhood is packed, too! It is crazy!!!! We love it, though! Multiple families actually do haunted houses in their garages and our HOA gives out prizes for best daytime decorations, best nighttime decorations and best haunted house. We go trick or treating and run in to lots of kids from DS' class. The sidewalks are packed and the kids have a ball. We just put out huge bowls of candy on our porch and are gone for hours....

I just love when the cute little trick-or-treaters come to the door. So darling to see all of them in their costumes.

My 8 & 10 yr olds go in the neighborhood. My oldest DS 17 hasn't gone in 5 yrs. He outgrew it.

Jen

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Mom to Jake, Zach & Meghan
SJCC STREAKS FOOTBALL!!
CLEVELAND BROWNS FOOTBALL!

DH works at HP and every year they have trick or treating at work. So, we take the kids there and it's like hitting over 300 houses in 2 hours! We take the candy we get there and take it home to give out (work Tor t is 4-6). Then if the weather holds up, we take the kids around the neighborhood. It's usually raining or snowing but it was nice last year

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

We stay in on the evil night...

I'm sorry--but just so I don't assume or misinterpret:

You think Halloween is evil?

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

It's a pagan holiday. God’s word is clear. Pagan practices, including Halloween, are to be rejected by His children. He not only forbids inquiring after false gods and practicing their ways, but He outlines the consequences for violating His command.

okey-dokey then....

I guess that my ordained minister father and ordained minister mother must be on the fast track to Hell!
Good to know!

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

lol....

we do "send" our kids out on Halloween to collect the goodies the neighbors have to offer. Actually, it is a pretty fun night here, and so much anticipation is built up around that 2hr. timeframe that the kids have to trick-or-treat. I love seeing all the neighbor kids in their costumes, and it's a nice time to see all the moms and dads too. I really don't see the harm. Our neighborhood has about 90 houses, so most of us seem to know each other.

I will pray for them. I'm not here to quote scripture but if it is helpful for you I would be more than happy to pm you some very good scripture versus that illustrate our beliefs.

I know it's fun to dress up in costume and all, but please be careful and at least think about what you are role playing.

oh...I'm pretty sure I have a firm grasp on what you believe. And, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, do not PM with anything! Oh, and feel free to pray for my parents....just don't pray for their enlightenment or for them to "understand" what they are doing wrong. Pray for their health or their well-being. I'm pretty sure that their names are already in the Book of Life

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

hey, could somebody please pray that my kids get a lot of chocolate this year? I am so tired of skittles and those sour patch kids things. Hardly seems worth it going begging to the neighbors if that's all
you're gonna get......lol...

OK...you're kidding, right??


No kids...but I love to give out candy, it's so cute to see the all the kids in costume and having fun!

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TLJ ~ Women United in Spirit

i don't believe that the Halloween we celebrate is the same pagan holiday it once may have been.
Now it's just kids (and adults) dressing up, "begging" candy and having fun!

We camp at a state park near our home the week-end before Halloween.
The campground is packed and everyone decorates to the MAX!!!
The park has lots of activities for kids and on Sat. night they close the entrance to the campground and the kids trick or treat.
It is a lot of fun and there are a couple of hundred little cuties coming around.
My daughter and her family camp with us so my 4yo grandson joins in on all of the fun.
His 14 yo brother isn't too into it now.

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Square dancing is friendship set to music!

AWW dont feel alone there Marilynk they are not the ONLY ones on that track to hell. We go to the LARGEST Church on the Island ( Orange Beach Ala) So I guess the 1500 + MEMEBER and all the people that attends the * Fall Fest* RENAMED as TRICK OR TRUNK* Will be in that same line as your parents also. .

And for what its worth Christmas AND Easter and BOTH said to be 1st started by the pagans since the Christians wanted to convert them they came to an agreement to celerbrate them with a Christian belief.

However, I dont care how ANYONE tries to slice or dice Halloween if you have a *Fall Fest* Trick or Trunk* you are still doing a HALLOWEEN Thing. only renaming it to suit what ever it is in order to not call it HALLOWEEN. they are still having it in the sprit of Halloween and the same moth, night oct !

but thats a diffrent thread I guess

Now back to the question at hand.
We dont have any ToT'er here at least not for the last 8 years we lived here, we live on a Major Highway so noone comes here. However, Theres not but a few places that dont have something going on. Our town closes off and they have a fest with tables and people lined up giving out candy and playing games for anyone that wants to attend. it usually has about 3,00-+ people there.
that takes place the weekend b4 Halloween, Halloween night, we go to the firehouse, they have games, hot dogs , chips, drinks, table set up with all kinds of goodies and then the firetrucks take the kids to a closed off road to get candy, after that we go to the Church and do rides, cake walk, they kids play games and at 9 Pm they do Trick or Trunk, usually theres around 50 cars that give out candy to the kids.
So No need in the kids going door to door.

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MyCoupons Is #1 for Holiday Shopping

oh geesh well you better pray for my family too! and I'll pray your house doesn't get egged!
yep were going.. my sisters neighborhood and at the mall, and at our friends neighborhood.. we like to stock up on candy for the year.. one of my favorite holidays!!

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Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

What do you use to get the all the unholy egg off of your front door on All Saint's day?

Rebecca

Oh, my DS would be in Halloween Heaven over that loot. He LOVES all that gummy type stuff. Wish I didn't like chocolate. I'll pray for lots of chocolate your way....send your gummy stuff vibes my DS's way

My kids will go around the neighborhood. We have taken them to the mall before, and done a party with Cub Scouts. That was so much FUN!!! The mall atmosphere just wasn't very festive, IMO.

I love to see the kids in costume. Even the bigger ones, doesn't bother me, as long as they are respectful. I say let them be kids as long as possible. Adulthood comes soon enuf.

I'm giving out chocolate stuff this year, and gum,let them pick. The gum was FREE with all the CVS and Walgreens deals, and the chocolate....well, wasn't

Personally, we don't focus on the negative aspects of Halloween, we just dress up and have fun.

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Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

We just go around our neighborhood, all 6 still go, sure it won't be long till the oldest ones don't want to do it anymore. They were sort of on the fence about it for a while this year. Love going around and seeing all the kids in their costumes, and meeting up with the other parents. Our neighbors pass out candy for us, and we take their little boy with us. The one thing that drives me crazy are the parents that drive their kids house to house......our houses are not that far apart, and they don't watch out very well for all the little ones walking around......

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"You can never really pay back. You can only pay forward."

Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes

O-H-I-O

We are pulling my little man in his wagon this year for Trick or Treating. He's going to be a Playful Lion! Too cute!!

Ya'll aren't the only ones.. we don't celebrate it in any way, never have and never will.. as for the 'unholy eggs' on the house comment.. not sure where YOU live but here our neighbors and friends respect our wishes and don't vandalize our home or anything. Guess that is part of what is being in America, freedom of choices...

So in your thinking it is 'ok' to egg someones house when they don't celebrate Halloween? But I am guessing you would be against protesting abortion clinics or running registered sex offenders off your block? Can you see where your 'innocent' comment can come across so strongly. These are our beliefs and if you can't do anything nice about it then don't say anything. I mean I have to read all sorts of comments and talking about 'partners' and situations that I don't agree with but I leave my opinions to myself. Sometimes people who do things in 'trick' on a certain day are nothing more than vandals looking for an excuse.. well if you need one day a year to vandalize someone who doesn't do what you do or think how you think, then go for it. I am sure the judge will take pity on your situation, seeing what day it is. But believe me, there are tons of people who don't celebrate halloween... tons. Just most of them are to scared to say so here because of how they will be responded to. But not me, I am a big girl and I can take on the biggest ugliest bully on the block, I have a 'secret' weapon on my side.. SOME of you know what I mean .. But good luck on your posts.. I know you didn't intend to come across judgemental and brash...

queenofcoupons, I'm glad you said what you did. And sometimes we need reminders to be more tolerant of others and their beliefs.

Most religions include rituals that I find odd, or even creepy -- refraining from participation in Halloween is MILD compared to some expectations in many of the most practiced religions these days. In my own religion, there are some behaviors/acts that I don't even understand, and I practice a very common faith.

My kids go trick-or-treating, but we know that there are plenty of kids who don't. It's not fair to ridicule those who don't.

Thank you for understanding devinmom..

What I would use....A shotgun pointed at the person that done it ..until it is clean spotless. Then they would be turned over to the police.

it is one thing to not celebrate Halloween (or any holiday(s) )--and I respect anyone's right to practice their religion as they see fit. But, to imply that I or any other poster is going to Hell or will be punished because they don't believe the same as you is just far worse than making a joke about unholy egg.

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Well, I am not one of "his children" and I have no "outlines" to abide by so I guess I'm all good If what you say is true (and I am no expert on religion so it very well may be), then I imagine all those churches people are going to in order to "trick or treat" are in BIG trouble huh? I can't imagine the "word" is that clear if so many religious people and institutions celebrate it? Guess I'm just confused????

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

yes we go out I am still trying to figure out costumes it will be either something from prior years or something homemade & its not going over well wtih my kids LOL I am sure after we figure that part out we are gonna have a great time we go to my moms it on super on flat street maybe 2 or 3 miles long then we go back to her house on the other side of the street the kids have a blast

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mom of 3 greats girls

Then maybe you should not ask why she thought it was evil. She gave you her reason..you do not have to agree with it or make fun of it.

Alot of religious groups do not celebrate Halloween such as:
some fundamentalist and evangelical Christians
Muslims
orthodox jews
jehovah witness

As with any religion..some people do as they want.

ahhh...I suggest you go back and read what I typed. I never asked why she thought it was evil or what specifically she believed. I simply asked for clarification of her statement of "we stay in on that evil night". I didn't want to presume anything--nor did I want to mistake sarcasm for a legitimate post. SHE was the one who begin spouting about how evil or "bad" the rest of us were who did celebrate Halloween. I stated that my ordained minister parents were on the road to hell according to what she believed and I left it at that...I never made fun of or asked for a diatribe on what her beliefs were. I simply asked for clarification of ONE sentence.

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Maybe you thought she should not have answered the your question FULLY????
I did not see where she attack you just because she chose to EXPLAIN her reasoning.

I asked a simple Yes or No question....I had no further expectation for an explanation. I don't care WHY a person has their beliefs/opinions that they do--because it's their right to have the feelings/beliefs/opinions that they do. Now, had I asked "WHY"--would be a different story. I didn't. I simply asked to make sure I was understanding her statement. YES or NO was the expected answer.

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

You did not say to answer only yes or no. Like my Mother says do not ask a question unless you want hear the answer... otherwise don't ask.

Dear LORD!

The question was "do you think Halloween is evil". Not "why do you think Halloween is evil?" or "please explain your beliefs regarding Halloween."

I asked the question that I wanted to hear the answer to--and the answer for most people would have been YES or NO. Not some sermon on beliefs....

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

<<<<I'm sorry--but just so I don't assume or misinterpret:

You think Halloween is evil?>>>>>

MarilynK, I have to agree. You seemed respectful in your original question, but it seems now like you were just baiting. I think the poster felt you were merely looking for clarification, and had no idea you were going to hang her out to dry.

I'm sure you've heard of people who feel that Halloween is evil before. You usually seem to have met all kinds of people, and you typically have a strong, but fair position. This time I think you blind-sided the poster with the opposing viewpoint to yours.

IMHO, anyways.

ok...whatever.

The poster is a fairly new poster, thus I didn't know her posting style, nor did I have any indication of her beliefs before now. She's the one who made some pretty inflammatory statements--not knowing the audience to which she was speaking. You don't insinuate that people are going to hell or will be punished for celebrating Halloween when you do not know to whom you are speaking or their beliefs.

You can think I "blind-sided" her if you want and nothing I say will change your mind. So, presume/assume all you want. I asked a simple question, expecting a simple answer.

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

My egg comment was a joke...rowdy kids egging the door of the person who does not give out candy. I'm sure you have heard of it. It goes along the lines of TPing someone's house. Not something an adult would do, so I don't really get the comment...

"What I would use....A shotgun pointed at the person that done it ..until it is clean spotless. Then they would be turned over to the police."

You would point your gun at a child? Now, that is evil!

Rebecca

Geez kids, don't cast an evil spell on the neighbors who don't give out king size candybars...they didn't realize they could have gotten them free after super double coupons -- so it's not really their fault.


I don't think that Halloween as it is celebrated today is pagan at all...and even if it was, what is right for your family and your beliefs is quite different from another's beliefs--and it doesn't make your belief better than anyone else's. I think it could have been worded differently so that it didn't appear to be on the offense, but rather a statement of fact for your family.

But if you are in the mood for praying---I have a long list for you.

As far as the going to hell--- I, too, am on the fast track... matter of fact, Satan has a chair with my name on it next to the ring of fire and he said he would give me unlimited Starbucks

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SPJRNTGADL!

Yes...because my front door is one that I designed and has special made ..spent over $4000.00 for my front door. Not evil..just protecting my stuff from bratty punk kids.
I spend my time and money not on things for other kids to tear-up.
Up here in the mountains..shotguns are common.

they might be "common" but that doesn't make it legal or right; two wrongs don't make a right--no matter if you live in the mountains or if you live in the city...and ESPECIALLY not in Communist (err Commonwealth) of Virginia.

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SPJRNTGADL!

Of course, not everyone thinks it is right...but I do.
It is still legal in Virginia to own guns (as long as you are not a convited criminal) and protect your property.
I do Wonder why the crime rate is very low in this part of Virginia.

ummm...No, what you described in your post does not equate to protecting your property. What you describe is holding someone at gun point until they clean it to your satisfaction. Most states have laws against that--I believe unlawful detention is what is called.

Now, if you see the little punks raising their arms to throw the eggs and you point the gun at them to protect your property--that's a horse of another color.

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Mental that one, I'm telling you. ---Ron Weasley, "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

Good thing you edited your post forest... you wouldn't want to be accused of a personal attack.

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SPJRNTGADL!

if egging by kids or punks as you call them, is a problem... build a fence or get a dog or something. I don't think that holding a gun to someone is "ok" unless you are a member of law enforcement AND the situation warrants that.

I don't care if you live in Detroit or if you live in Hicksville, Ohio.

It's called small claims court.

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SPJRNTGADL!