With Halloween coming up (its not a holiday) This thought come to me.

I grew up in St Louis and we were taught that to get your candy you must tell a joke or do a trick.

As an adult I moved my family to central IL (Peoria) and was taken aback that the goblins, ghouls and super hero's just stuck out their bags and expected me to dump a load of Snickers into it and run off. I told them they must tell a joke and they looked at me like I was crazy for wanting them to work for their pay.

I asked my coworkers about this and they never heard of it.

I have heard this is a St Louis thing. Have any of you heard of this? Telling a joke for your candy?

I require them to pick cotton.

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

I require the words, "Trick or Treat", even is it's "Trick or Treat, smell my feet....."

Just standing there holding out a bag doesn't do it.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I think I have time to build a obstacle course for the little buggers, a rope climb up a 16ft wall, mud pit crawl, river crossing on a single rope. If they came complete the course they get a small box or raisins.

I miss being a kid and trick or treating, people having cider and donuts on their porches, home made popcorn balls, fudge and full size candy bars, apples. of course soaping windows, toilet papering trees.

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Carpriver.

It is a holiday, as holiday is "holy day". It comes from 'All Hallows' Eve' , 'All Hallows' Day' or 'Saints' Day' and other iterations and is on the Liturgical Calendar of most Christian churches and celebrates holy lives of people that have passed before us.

No doctrine or argument here, just a definition. I don't want debate nor to be dinged, but if anybody wants to know more, PM me.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I remember a few guys asking for a trick when I was a kid,I'd give em the stink eye and their wives would make em pay up

When I'm living alone, I put up a "no candy" sign. Too many stupid things going on lately. It hasn't been sufficiently "civil" for the kiddies for more than 20 years.

It's another commercial "scam" for the candy makers to sell their wares. (I'm not against Captitalism, per se, but I won't feed a celebration based on what comes from a satanic ritual). A "harvest festival" is a great idea! Couple that with "All Saints Day" (traditionally celebrated on November 1st) and I'll happily join in!

We get so few kids, and most of them are so small that I do not bother. Most kids get so much candy that walking around asking for it seems like too much bother when you could be playing video games. A dying custom.

Halloween is my absolutely most favorite holiday. As stated before it is all hallows eve before all saints day and all souls day. also very favorite days for me on which to reflect on those who have gone before. It is what I call one of my contemplative holidays as we're all gonna wind up on the shady side of the dirt sooner or later.
But back to Halloween. I like dressing up like a scare crow and sitting motionless slumped in a rocking chair as a prop. You can really scare the snot out of people that way BOOKA BOOKA BOOKA!!!
Oh and also I like the Snickers Bars and Twix's too

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Forum consigliere

It's been so long since I saw a trick or treater that I don't know what I'd do. Other than tell them "Sorry."

But I've never heard of "working for your treats."

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John 3:16 .

We are very rural and there are few house in the area. I don't think we have had more that 5 kids total in the past ten years. Kids like to go where there is a high population density so you don't have to go far between houses -- more treats for less travel. However, we do keep a few candy bars handy just on the off chance someone does arrive. I grew up in Wisconsin and never heard of "working for treats".

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Bill

I have a full face mask that my wife absolutely not let me wear since it scares the smaller children, and some of the mom's.

She is such a party pooper when it comes to Halloween!

Sounds like an excellent way to get your trees TP'ed, and the front of your house egged into oblivion!

As I understand it, making someone work for it is counter productive to the tradition. The saying " trick or treat" has its origin in simple extortion. It is similar to "stand and deliver" or "your money or your life". In essence the masked goblins are presenting the home owner a choice. Hand over a bribe, I.e. a treat, or else be subjected to a "trick".

I will put two huge bags on each side of me on the porch.

In one bag is filled with crappola candy and the other, full sized candy bars.

If the kids are rude, pushy or have a 3 day growth of beard, they get the bag of woe.

If they are happy, giggling kids, out of their minds with glee, they get the golden ticket.

I keep a DOT cooler full of beer with me. The dad's wait with me while their kids ransack the neighborhood.

What a night!

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

I only offer candy to the hot moms that escort their kids.

Same goes for Santas lap at XMAS time.
Sign is put up.... No kids allowed.
This lap is intended for mature moms only.

Yes, I make them work for their candy. I turn off all of the lights and make them walk to the nearest store if they want candy.

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James Redfield
LM #497

We never get a single visitor on Halloween, but maybe its because we live on a busy road with no sidewalk, and I keep the lights off that night. But years ago when I lived on base in the military, we would get literally 500+ kids that night. My only requirement was that the child say "Trick or Treat" (unless they were really little ones who could not be expected to speak yet). The ones who wore no costumes, spoke no English (the military base was in San Antonio, Texas) and merely held up a pillow case expected to have candy dumped in for them, would stand there a bit dumbfounded when I would say "You need to say Trick or Treat". Then they would just leave emptyhanded and go on to the next house.

I thought it would be cool to show up at the door nude...the first kid tells his mom..look, he really needs to iron his costume! Done with that idea.

I hear ya brother

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

My Grandma made the Trick or Treaters do something for theirs treats, sing a song, turn a cartwheel or tell a joke. And she always had full size Hersey bars. Doesn't seem possible that was like 60 years ago.

Be sure that when you go to the door you are armed.



Seriously. Adults generally accompany children in our neighborhood.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I have never been in an area to give candy out. When my girls were little(trick or treat age) we were in Philadelphia. I grew up in rural Maine all my life, except for these 5 years. Needless to say I'm not, and never will be a city girl. I was terrified of the city, and most people there, so for Halloween I bought my girls candy,costumes and scary movies and we made the best of it at home. After moving back home, they got a few years of trick or treating, but I had to drive 25 minutes to an actual town. The nearest house to me is a good 10 minute jog, lol the kids would really be working for the candy out here. For those of ya that think the girls missed out, due to me being to over protective, they didn't, they still talk about the "fun Halloween nights", and I doubt they would trade them in...

Congrats to you. Your girls did not miss a thing. It's not about providing kids all the opportunities to "do things". Its about loving family interaction and building memories.

People in Louisiana seriously celebrate their holy days. Mardi Gras is centered around the observance of Lent.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

My theory is, simple, ya don't say Trick or Treat ya don't get anything. Sometimes with the real young ones I'll feed them their lines

It's a "treat" that they come by.

Little kids all smiles and giggles dressed up in their costumes. Proud parents walking along. These kinds of things are good for the neighborhood.

All the lights will be off and I'll be hiding in the backroom.

Plenty of YouTube videos out there of the motionless scarecrow getting throat punched by an unsuspecting trick or treater . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

When someone comes to my door for a treat on Halloween, I give them a treat. It's that simple. I go out the week before and find good stuff that I'd want my grandson to be given and I give it out. We buy plenty of it so that we will not run out. If there's any left over, it results in a nice little something for me. Cool! sincerely. bruce.

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<><

I'll give the little guys a handful of what the older kids just get one. I do require them to say "Trick or Treat" or at least ask them "What do you say?"
I live in a decent neighborhood but we still get few kids anymore, a couple dozen is about all we see anymore, usually the neighbor's kids or grandkids whose parents used to trick or treat us.
I decided along time ago that it wasn't worth getting my vehicles messed with or any hassles regarding giving the kids a hard time, it seems the older kids have better things to do. I feel sorry for the kids whose parents drive them around to collect candy all over town. My dad had me give up trick or treating when I went to Junior High, I remember thinking it was a little unfair but it wasn't worth the battle. My neighborhood buddies kept it up into their early teens, but at least they dressed up as something, like a beatnik or something easy like a bum.

I love Halloween. I love to see the kids dressed as spooks and goblins. I like to have 2 bowls of candy. One is good stuff, chocolate, like Hershey's miniatures, and the other is Bob's peppermints, the fast dissolving, good kind. If the kids are small they get one of each, older, then just a chocolate. If they're too old, then just a peppermint. I buy stuff I like to eat. What I don't like is the young parents with an infant in a stroller. Like, yeah, the candy is for the baby. I don't see anything sinister about Halloween, I loved it when I was a kid, and the local carnival at the Fire Dept. always has a big turnout. If you think it's some kind of demonic plot, get a real life.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

My ex wife's dad is from St Louis. He used to say they did that too.

Same here, they have to sound off if they want some goodies...

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"Shall not be infringed"

"You want me to tell a joke, mister? Okay. There was a young lady from Wheeling..."

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Oh well, what the hell.

Working for the treats wasn't a custom where I grew up, and isn't here to this day.

Halloween isn't anything special to me, especially since we never get trick-or-treaters in this seniors' apartment complex. But I like the Mexican Dia de los Muertos custom that follows it--a celebration of those we have lost, a tribute to dead loved ones. Not really quite the same as All Saints Day, as I understand it. Last year it was too soon after my brother's death, but this year I'll observe it to celebrate his life and those of my wife and parents and some dear friends I'll do it my own quite way, which may or may not conform exactly to the way it's done in Mexico. Hey, I'm an old Irish gringo, but it's the thought that counts.

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Oh well, what the hell.

I don't participate-haven't for years-I know too much. In Florida, at least, there are many very bad things that happen around this "celebration."