Hahabogus > wrote in
:

> Nancy Young > wrote in
> :
>
>> "Jessica V." wrote:
>>
>>> I'll use Halloween as an excuse to buy a big ole box of Snicker's
>>> bars at Sam's Club. Chances are that I'll have most all of them to
>>> myself, in the 9 years I've lived here my total number of trick or
>>> treaters has been under 15, not so many kiddies in the neighborhood.
>>
>> (laugh) I do the same, the big box of Snickers, they wind up in the
>> freezer because I can't adapt to the fact that I only get maybe a
>> dozen trick or treaters. I have a horror of running out of candy.
>>
>> nancy
>>
>
> I get less and less kids each year, used to buy more and more
> candy...one year I canvassed the kids to see what they wanted...didn't
> help still got fewer kids.
>

It's amazing what a difference a half century can make. Back in the mid-
fifties, before razor blades or needles or poison in apples and candy,
many houses offered trick or treaters fruit or homemade confections. My
mother used to make caramel apples rolled in nuts, or popcorn balls, or
bags of caramel corn. Neighbors used to offer homemade fudge and
homemade taffy. One elderly lady, who lived far down the street, used to
decorate her basement like a witch's shack and wear a witch costume. She
would invite several kids in at a time to bob for apples, and served us
witch's punch and cookies. In our neighborhood we were encouraged to
"perform" to win a treat, recite a short verse or sing a halloween song.
We went up and down the street on our own, just after dark, no fear from
possible molesters or the like, just goblins. Our costumes were usually
homemade, too, and often quite elaborate. Masks were often the only
purchased item we wore. Halloween was a lot of fun!

--
It's me, Baker!

When the Chips are Down,
the Buffalo is Empty.

baker wrote:
> Hahabogus > wrote in
> :
>>
>>>"Jessica V." wrote:

>>I get less and less kids each year, used to buy more and more
>>candy...one year I canvassed the kids to see what they wanted...didn't
>>help still got fewer kids.
>>
>
>
> It's amazing what a difference a half century can make. Back in the mid-
> fifties, before razor blades or needles or poison in apples and candy,
> many houses offered trick or treaters fruit or homemade confections. My
> mother used to make caramel apples rolled in nuts, or popcorn balls, or
> bags of caramel corn. Neighbors used to offer homemade fudge and
> homemade taffy. One elderly lady, who lived far down the street, used to
> decorate her basement like a witch's shack and wear a witch costume. She
> would invite several kids in at a time to bob for apples, and served us
> witch's punch and cookies. In our neighborhood we were encouraged to
> "perform" to win a treat, recite a short verse or sing a halloween song.
> We went up and down the street on our own, just after dark, no fear from
> possible molesters or the like, just goblins. Our costumes were usually
> homemade, too, and often quite elaborate. Masks were often the only
> purchased item we wore. Halloween was a lot of fun!
>
Loose candy corn was a favorite in the 1950/60's, when my children
were small. Now, every piece of candy is securely wrapped.

I have already bought fun sized Milky Ways, Snickers, KitKats,
Hershey's Kisses and Miniatures, Skittles, M & M's, Tootsie Rolls and
Tootsie Roll Pops, as well mini boxes or raisins, for the kids whose
parents do not allow them candies. I will make up sixty little
packages of two or three fun sized candies, one Lollipop and several
kisses and mini tootsie rolls. Once the packages are gone, I will
have the rest of the candies for the stragglers. The children start
coming around five or six and the last ones come around at about eight
o'clock.

For the grown ups who will come with the kids, there will be home
baked chocolate chip cookies. I used to have a pitcher of apple
cider, too, but now there are so many children living in the building,
it is not possible any more.

Some candy goes to the building staff, who like their treats just as
much as the kids.

Halloween is my favorite Holiday.

BTW, there is a small bowl with fun sized candies next to my entrance
door at all times, in case a child comes to see me. ) Most of the
time, my adult friends will eat the stuff. The kids who used to come
and see me when I first moved here in 1977, are all grown up and have
moved away and the new ones do not know me. (

One time on Usenet, Margaret Suran > said:

<snip>

> BTW, there is a small bowl with fun sized candies next to my entrance
> door at all times, in case a child comes to see me. ) Most of the
> time, my adult friends will eat the stuff. The kids who used to come
> and see me when I first moved here in 1977, are all grown up and have
> moved away and the new ones do not know me. (

If I lived nearer, Margaret, I'd bring my son to visit you -- he
loves nice people and I'm sure he'd be crazy about you... :-)


--
J.J. in WA ~ mom, vid gamer, novice cook ~
"I rule you!" - Travis of the Cosmos, ATHF

Gal Called J.J. wrote:
> One time on Usenet, Margaret Suran > said:
>
> <snip>
>
>
>>BTW, there is a small bowl with fun sized candies next to my entrance
>>door at all times, in case a child comes to see me. ) Most of the
>>time, my adult friends will eat the stuff. The kids who used to come
>>and see me when I first moved here in 1977, are all grown up and have
>>moved away and the new ones do not know me. (
>
>
> If I lived nearer, Margaret, I'd bring my son to visit you -- he
> loves nice people and I'm sure he'd be crazy about you... :-)
>
>
Why, thank you. I live in New York City and if you happen to live
near me, please, do come. Candy for your son and chocolate chip
cookies for you. M

One time on Usenet, Margaret Suran > said:
> Gal Called J.J. wrote:
> > One time on Usenet, Margaret Suran > said:
> >
> > <snip>

> >>BTW, there is a small bowl with fun sized candies next to my entrance
> >>door at all times, in case a child comes to see me. ) Most of the
> >>time, my adult friends will eat the stuff. The kids who used to come
> >>and see me when I first moved here in 1977, are all grown up and have
> >>moved away and the new ones do not know me. (

> > If I lived nearer, Margaret, I'd bring my son to visit you -- he
> > loves nice people and I'm sure he'd be crazy about you... :-)

> Why, thank you. I live in New York City and if you happen to live
> near me, please, do come. Candy for your son and chocolate chip
> cookies for you. M

Unfortunately, we live clear on the other coast, otherwise I
would definitely take you up on that. Although Barb claims you
have a dark side, I'm sure she's just exaggerating... <kidding>


--
J.J. in WA ~ mom, vid gamer, novice cook ~
"I rule you!" - Travis of the Cosmos, ATHF

baker wrote:

> It's amazing what a difference a half century can make. Back in the mid-
> fifties, before razor blades or needles or poison in apples and candy,
> many houses offered trick or treaters fruit or homemade confections. My
> mother used to make caramel apples rolled in nuts, or popcorn balls, or
> bags of caramel corn. Neighbors used to offer homemade fudge and
> homemade taffy. One elderly lady, who lived far down the street, used to
> decorate her basement like a witch's shack and wear a witch costume. She
> would invite several kids in at a time to bob for apples, and served us
> witch's punch and cookies. In our neighborhood we were encouraged to
> "perform" to win a treat, recite a short verse or sing a halloween song.
> We went up and down the street on our own, just after dark, no fear from
> possible molesters or the like, just goblins. Our costumes were usually
> homemade, too, and often quite elaborate. Masks were often the only
> purchased item we wore. Halloween was a lot of fun!

I still remember some of the people who used to make things like that when I
was a kid out trick or treating. They were the first places that we hit. As
I mentioned in a previous post, living in the country we don't get many kids
and when my son was young the only kids who came were his friends and two
other neighbour kids. I used to make candy apples or caramel corn balls.
Then I found out that the parents wouldn't let them eat them, which surprised
me because we only gave them to kids we knew well. Some time in the next few
weeks I will go out and buy three or four chocolate bars that I like and if
anyone shows up that's what they get, but if we get the usual number.... 0...
I won't have too much on left over to eat myself.

On Wed, 06 Oct 2004 12:11:35 GMT, baker > wrote:
>It's amazing what a difference a half century can make. Back in the mid-
>fifties, before razor blades or needles or poison in apples and candy,
>many houses offered trick or treaters fruit or homemade confections. My
>mother used to make caramel apples rolled in nuts, or popcorn balls, or
>bags of caramel corn. Neighbors used to offer homemade fudge and
>homemade taffy. One elderly lady, who lived far down the street, used to
>decorate her basement like a witch's shack and wear a witch costume. She
>would invite several kids in at a time to bob for apples, and served us
>witch's punch and cookies. In our neighborhood we were encouraged to
>"perform" to win a treat, recite a short verse or sing a halloween song.
>We went up and down the street on our own, just after dark, no fear from
>possible molesters or the like, just goblins. Our costumes were usually
>homemade, too, and often quite elaborate. Masks were often the only
>purchased item we wore. Halloween was a lot of fun!

Not even a half century. This was my Halloween experience, too, in
the mid seventies to early eighties. The Tylenol scare changed all
that in my neighborhood and school.

Tara

Tara > wrote in message >. ..
> On Wed, 06 Oct 2004 12:11:35 GMT, baker > wrote:
> >It's amazing what a difference a half century can make. Back in the mid-
> >fifties, before razor blades or needles or poison in apples and candy,
> >many houses offered trick or treaters fruit or homemade confections. My
> >mother used to make caramel apples rolled in nuts, or popcorn balls, or
> >bags of caramel corn. Neighbors used to offer homemade fudge and
> >homemade taffy. One elderly lady, who lived far down the street, used to
> >decorate her basement like a witch's shack and wear a witch costume. She
> >would invite several kids in at a time to bob for apples, and served us
> >witch's punch and cookies. In our neighborhood we were encouraged to
> >"perform" to win a treat, recite a short verse or sing a halloween song.
> >We went up and down the street on our own, just after dark, no fear from
> >possible molesters or the like, just goblins. Our costumes were usually
> >homemade, too, and often quite elaborate. Masks were often the only
> >purchased item we wore. Halloween was a lot of fun!
>
> Not even a half century. This was my Halloween experience, too, in
> the mid seventies to early eighties. The Tylenol scare changed all
> that in my neighborhood and school.
>
> Tara

The Tylenol scare, like the stranger abduction scare, is a case of
hysteria causing a whole culture to change. As in your experience with
the parents who wouldn't accept home made treats from friends,
people's hysterical fears have caused them to respond in ways that are
irrational. The odds of razor blades or drugs etc. are small, much
smaller than the odds of getting hit by a car while crossing the
street. The odds of a kid getting abducted on the way to school are
also quite small, but now no middle class kid walks farther than a
couple of blocks to school anymore. Parents feel they have to drive.
(And suburban walking has gotten unsafe, because of few sidewalks,
enormous highways, aggressive drivers, not necessarily evil
abductors). Meanwhile kids get more and more obese and unfit, and
everybody wrings their hands. It was those milk cartons in the 80s,
with the missing kids. People began to believe they were more unsafe
than they really are.

Although we live in Oakland, California, with its tough reputation, we
know all our neighbors and feel very comfortable here. If one of them
gave us a homemade treat we would definitely eat it. But I won't
bother giving them out - the large part of kids who come to our door
are from surrounding blocks, and we usually don't know them. We'll do
purchased candy like everybody else.

Leila