What's wrong with this? This is everything we've wanted these kooks to do.

No costumes, no pumpkins, no candy. . .

I saw a sign at a local church of a "Trunk or treat" event, didn't know what it was and wasn't about to ask. Sounds like I was right to do so.

They seriously expect people to show up for this crap?

Says AFAA President and Founder Lisa Horne, "Fun is not spelled C-A-N-D-Y..."

Maybe, but I'm pretty sure it's not spelled T-R-U-N-K either.

Ha ha ha ha ha!

And:
Lifeless: What's wrong with this? This is everything we've wanted these kooks to do.

I agree completely.

oldernell: There was an article in the Atlanta paper about a guy and his daughter who wont give out candy, but home made silly putty instead. I hope their house is still standing on Nov 1.

Hmmm......

I could see uses for that.

Silverstaff: No costumes, no pumpkins, no candy. . .

I saw a sign at a local church of a "Trunk or treat" event, didn't know what it was and wasn't about to ask. Sounds like I was right to do so.

They seriously expect people to show up for this crap?

The "trunk or Treat" events vary from congregation to congregation. Most usually allow non-violent character costumes, which is a sensible restriction. Banning candy seems to be unique to the particular group in the article.

Where's this mythical city of Tuscon I keep hearing about?

/Tucson, I know where Tucson is
//"Fall festivals" being advertised at a lot of churches here
///but we don't even have Fall here

"Fun is not spelled C-A-N-D-Y..."

Maybe, but I'm pretty sure it's not spelled T-R-U-N-K either


LMAO!!
how ghey is that idea? i mean cant you say....give the kids candy they are not allergic too? or am i missing something?

Sure it's a bit lame, but I can understand why they'd want to do *something* for kids who can't really take advantage of normal trick-or-treating.

Try to imagine what it must be like for kids with real ( not imagined or "trendy" ) allergies to dairy, nuts, soy or wheat at Halloween. It's got to suck. Why not try to give them a way to participate too?

Wow, the comments on that article are filled with overprotective soccer moms defending their little snowflakes and their super rare allergies that will cause them to die if they even hear the word "peanut."

Listen, if your kid really has that sort of disease, that sucks. A lot. But I cannot believe that there are hundreds of kids in one town that would all drop dead if they ate a peanut. When was this ever the case in the past?

Tucson isn't that hot; they have elevation on their side. Phoenix, on the other hand...

Silverstaff: I saw a sign at a local church of a "Trunk or treat" event, didn't know what it was and wasn't about to ask. Sounds like I was right to do so.

My mom lives in a 55-and-up community, so the trunk-or-treats are popular in her area as the biggest neighborhoods are gated and off-limits to kids.

"jihadists" is the new Godwin "nazi"?

/muslims are scary

A well-placed car bomb could solve a lot of problems all at once.

mod3072: A well-placed car bomb peanut butter cup could solve a lot of problems all at once.

Food allergies, aka "How to turn your kid into a whiny little pussy".

Think about it. For those of you older than about 25, how many kids did you know growing up who had food allergies? I knew one girl, who was allergic to eggs. I never met anyone allergic to peanuts. I'm not saying that food allergies don't exist, but they are rather rare.

I support old school Halloween.

- I don't give out candy on any night other than Oct 31
- I don't give candy to anyone not wearing a costume
- My decorations have generated complaints from local church groups and inquiries from the local paper
- Jack-o-lanterns are not carved prior to Oct 31
- No cute or artsy Jack-o-lanterns
- If you don't threaten me with tricks, you don't get treats

My wife has refused to allow me to set fire to the scarecrow at midnight. Apparently the neighbors think I'm creepy as it is.

TFA : Says AFAA President and Founder Lisa Horne, "Fun is not spelled C-A-N-D-Y..."

I agree, it's spelled being let loose on the neighborhood in a costume, in the dead of night, to extort treats from property owners with the traditional threat of mischief if they don't pony up.

Meh, I've always thought kids with food allergies that can "kill them in seconds if a micron of peanut gets on them" should be sent to an island so they can't breed with the rest of the population.

This event is fine by me.

I think it's funny that my co worker doesn't let his 3 sons go out on Halloween because of religous reasons. I mean come on let your kids have fun and get free candy.

In the year 2200 or so it would be funny if there was some weird disease that was 100% fatal that could only be cured with extracts of peanut oil, but all peanut crops were eradicated and purposely made extinct by that time due to the soccer mom lobby.

Jolly ranchers, smarties, and pixie sticks are allergy free. Just sort threw the damned candy and their kid will be fine. sheesh

palladiate: In defense of Trunk-or-treating, a few years ago we were vacationing at the NC outer banks during Halloween. Our 5-year-old wanted to go trick or treating, but houses out that way were a good 1/4 mile apart. A local Methodist church was doing an trunk-or-treat, and we took her.

Normal kids, normal costumes, carnival games, a bouncy house, nice people, lots of freakin' good food, and car trunks full of candy. The kiddo must have hauled in 4 pounds easy.

Then again, these are Methodists. They believe the way into heaven is to bring a covered dish.

I've always liked Methodists.

Approves

palladiate: Then again, these are Methodists. They believe the way into heaven is to bring a covered dish.

Methodist: Catholic-lite, all the ceremony, 1/4th the guilt. But yeah, Your statement is crazy true.

/raised Methodist
//devout Deist

The hierarchy of Halloween treats is as follows.
Candy bars
Packaged candy like Skittles
Hard candy
Tootsie Rolls
Candy corn
Toys
Toothbrush/Floss
Erasers

Nobody wants your goddamn five cent Halloween erasers no matter how cute you think they are. As a child I was happier getting nothing than those useless pieces of crap. Have you ever tried to actually use them? They don't work, just smear everything and tear the paper.

In what universe does "optional costumes" = "outlawed costumes"? :P

The article doesn't say a damn thing about pumpkins either, it just has trunk decorating rather than say, pumpkin painting or carving. Sounds like subby's main problem with the event is lack of candy (which is reasonable objection enough, I suppose).

"Chuy, you're going to have a magical life. Because no matter where you go, it's always going to be better than Tucson."

palladiate: TNel: Halloween because of religous reasons.

Yes, because the phrase "All Hallows Evening" isn't related to some Christian holy day or anything.

Which is celebrated on ...... drum roll please .... November 1st not October 31st.

palladiate: In defense of Trunk-or-treating, a few years ago we were vacationing at the NC outer banks during Halloween. Our 5-year-old wanted to go trick or treating, but houses out that way were a good 1/4 mile apart. A local Methodist church was doing an trunk-or-treat, and we took her.

Normal kids, normal costumes, carnival games, a bouncy house, nice people, lots of freakin' good food, and car trunks full of candy. The kiddo must have hauled in 4 pounds easy.

Then again, these are Methodists. They believe the way into heaven is to bring a covered dish.

I can get behind that.

/Then again, I'm United, which is the mostly-Canadian church that's part methodist.

palladiate: TNel: Halloween because of religous reasons.

Yes, because the phrase "All Hallows Evening" isn't related to some Christian holy day or anything.

Remember in ye olden days, All Hallows Eve was meant to counter the fall festivals where country folk paid homage to the old pagan gods? And that the Jack-O-Latern was to ward off Satan or his minions?

If you're anti Halloween, then you're against old Christian Mission practices.

I don't get the outrage here. These food allergy people did exactly the opposite of what would be offensive behavior. They didn't try to ban trick-or-treating. They didn't try to get a city ordinance preventing halloween, They didn't try to get Snickers bars banned in stores. Basically, they didn't do anything that would in any way infringe in everyone else's enjoyment of the holiday.

A group with special needs decided to host their own event that better catered to their special needs and didn't bother anyone else in the process. That's *exactly* what a special needs group is supposed to do. If anything these people deserve a [Hero] Tag.

By telling them that they should enjoy the holiday in the manner that *you* do, you're the "jihadist," not them.

trifoldhat: Jolly ranchers, smarties, and pixie sticks are allergy free. Just sort threw the damned candy and their kid will be fine. sheesh

Haven't you heard? Just walking past a house that gives out wrapped Snickers bars is enough to send little Johnny Snowflake into an anaphylactic fit.

An open letter to soccer moms with allergic kids: I'm truly sorry that your child has a crippling immune system reaction to things common in our diet and environment. If he risks death every time he walks into the school lunch room, maybe you need to get him an environmental suit or keep him at home rather than sucking the joy out of everyone else's lives. I know you want little Johnny to have a normal, happy life but if a peanut can kill him then he's not going to be safe unless he can carry and use his own epi-pen. Ever. Again, I know it sucks and I'm honestly sorry but I'm still giving out Snickers bars this year.

bigbadideasinaction: /Then again, I'm United, which is the mostly-Canadian church that's part methodist.

I thought was being a Unitarian. Which usually doesn't even have much if any mention God in their services.

/Used to live next to a Unitarian church with 3 gay ministers
//the drag queens in their sunday best never disappointed me

Mr. Coffee Nerves: My neighbor hands out sandwich bags with 25 pennies and a Chick tract in 'em.

I give out full-size candy bars and sell eggs for $1 each.

I would sell the eggs for 25 pennies and a Chick tract (what ever the hell that is).

TNel: Chick tract (what ever the hell that is).

Aren't those those annoying little Jesus freak booklets?

KatjaMouse: TNel: Chick tract (what ever the hell that is).

Aren't those those annoying little Jesus freak booklets?

Yeah I just googled it, I hate people that take religion so serious.