We don't have any sidewalks or street lights, and most of our roads are lined with drainage swales, AKA giant ditches. Since most of the kids around here don't get home from school until 4:30-ish, weekday ToTing would involve darkness.
The whole thing really annoyed me when we first moved here. Then I actually took 3 young children ToTing during on our first Fake Halloween and saw what a madhouse it is, even during the day.
Since most of the houses around here are spread far apart, the kids really only ToT along the main road. 2,000 or so families worth of children along a 2 mile stretch for 3 hours. It's CRAZY. I have come to appreciate the seemingly ridiculous policy.
For the past few years, we've also had a Trick or Trunk at the lake parking lot. As a person who grew up having hundreds of children coming to the door for candy, I like having this chance to be a part of the fun. Back at the house, I think we've had about 6 Trick or Treaters in 4 Halloweens.
Sadly, not many people are into the giving aspect of Halloween. Despite this being the best weather we've ever had for the event, we were one of about 10 cars providing candy for 300 kids in less than two hours. We all had a great time but, yeah, I am bitter. I've always seen Halloween as a "take a penny, leave a penny" kind of thing, ya know?
So, we did our thing. Nobody froze for a change. The kids went off and made sand castles once their stashes were confiscated. And then we went to the Halloween party.
Our social committee does such a great job with this party. I could have done with one or two fewer plays of The Cha Cha Slide, but I guess every DJ has his favorites. The kids noshed on "brains and eyeballs", "witches fingers", "pig snouts and whiskers" and the like, and managed to get to "dirt in a cup" and plenty of other creepy, sugary garbage before withdrawl kicked in.
By the time we were getting ready to leave, C was very unsteady on his feet. A few times, he simply rolled around on the floor, babbling incoherently, with a giant smile on his face. It was a Good Day.
But why in the world did I agree to take the kids to Grandma's for real Halloween?!
4 comments:
I still don't like PA's fake Halloween. It just seems... so... un-American or something.
Anyway, your kids are cute!
And you were so lucky to get good weather. It was 60-something degrees here yesterday and E picked out an adorable genie costume. I made her get a nude long-sleeved body suit to wear underneath it because it's very likely that she coulsd freeze this Friday.
Lol. Um, yeah. M's costume was actually a flimsy little short sleeved dress. I made her wear black leggings and a black leotard underneath. If it had been colder, she *still would have froze.
Instead, C kind of baked in his felt costume w/sweats underneath. Oops!
Great photos, Carrie, and, if you hadn't guessed it, I *love* that little Darth Vader costume. :)
I don't know about this fake Halloween thing. Has PA gone to pot since I moved out?
Any place would go to pot without you, Judy! ((( )))
Still, I enjoy not having to fish my kids out of ditches in the dark!
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