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Post by 3piggles on Sept 17, 2015 18:40:02 GMT
Did anyone notice it stopped being August 17 days ago? I just realize we were all still discussing things on the August thread. Better late than never, I guess Halloween candy and decorations are out in all the stores, and coupons for money off Halloween candy are showing up in the mail. I'm waiting at least until mid October to buy candy, or I'll eat it all long before Halloween. I have been compiling some cute Halloween candy ideas to make, but those would be for us to eat. Parents won't let their kids eat homemade treats anymore, with so many people putting everything from razor blades to poison in Halloween candy. Sad, as we didn't have to worry about that, and we able to glut ourselves on our candy haul, once a year! I do love the pumpkin spice items that become available every Fall, especially toward Halloween. Everything from coffee to donuts, and I love this season Tree leaves have been turning for a while, though very slowly. We had a mini-drought this summer, less than the average rainfall, so some of the leaves are dying off early. About the time we get the Fall rain, and the grass turns green again, it gets covered with a layer of multicolored leaves. Since hubby is taking a digital photography course, it will give him a lot of subjects to photograph.
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Post by Bean on Sept 17, 2015 20:40:39 GMT
Oh, well spotted - I hadn't noticed at all!
We don't get many trick or treaters here, so usually end up eating anything we buy in 'just in case' ourselves - what a shame! I don't like my kids to do it either - it's not like it's an institution over here, so it just seems weird letting your kids go and ask random people for sweets! We let them go and knock on a few neighbours doors (pre-arranged) one year and they loved it, but it just didn't sit right with us and I know so many older people who dread it because they're worried about pranks. We always had fun Halloween parties when we were kids - dressing up and bobbing for apples. Trick or treating is in its infancy here and I wouldn't mind if it didn't catch on.
I was thinking about letting the kids have some friends over for Halloween, to watch a 'scary' film - Gremlins was my first thought, but will need to check it's appropriate! Can you think of any other comedy horrors aimed at younger kids?
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Post by bazookagoof on Sept 18, 2015 2:37:31 GMT
I was thinking about letting the kids have some friends over for Halloween, to watch a 'scary' film - Gremlins was my first thought, but will need to check it's appropriate! Can you think of any other comedy horrors aimed at younger kids? Gremlins is a bit intense for younger viewers, when I saw it in the theaters, my brother brought a friend (who was about 7 or 8) and my mom had to drive him home, he was so scared. I would recommend the original Ghostbusters, as my daughter has been a fan for years! If the kids like musicals, I also recommend The Nightmare Before Christmas.
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Post by Bean on Sept 18, 2015 7:12:16 GMT
Ghostbusters, good call! My son (10) and his friends are probably ready for something with a bit more bite, but I can imagine my daughter (8) and her friends preferring a gentler ride and I definitely don't want to traumatise any of their friends!
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 18, 2015 19:00:00 GMT
Love Ghostbusters, and definitely think it's good for both age groups. Following the rather twisted plot of otherworldly beings can be a challenge, so you might ask the kids to see how much they can figure out as they go. That might be enough to keep the 10 year olds busy. Last day of our latest heatwave, hopefully. It's been a strange summer, with temps either unseasonably high or unseasonably low. We've had Halloweens when the kids were wearing thermals and winter coats under their costumes, and when it was 90 degrees, and the poor kids were all dying in their costumes. Still they love to wear their costumes; princess for a night, or ninja turtle, they just love it I totally understand about you not wanting the kids going around asking strangers for candy. If it's not a strong tradition there, then no one is really prepared for trick or treating. It's a very strong custom here, and since it's mostly for kids, lots of civic organizations do Halloween parties and parades during the week or two prior to Halloween. There are costume parades, pumpkin boat races (using the huge pumpkins people grow to compete in the country fairs), duck races using rubber ducks with numbers painted on them, and lots of other events. Halloween comes at a rather dreary time of the year, with the days getting short and the air getting cold. It's a great way to keep the kids entertained, and to make it worth buying them a costume
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Post by jolovespiggies on Sept 18, 2015 19:18:23 GMT
I loved Ghost Busters because I thought it surprisingly more scary than I expected. Of course, it won't be long now until Halloween will it? Unfortunately the kiddies don't come around here because it is sheltered accommodation and some of the older residents may be afraid - so we don't get to see them. I used to love giving candy and seeing all their wonderful costumes.
Hugs JO xx
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Post by bazookagoof on Sept 19, 2015 3:44:06 GMT
All this talk about people putting nasty stuff in candies reminds me of one of my last Trick or Treating nights of my childhood- I think it was 1982 or 1983, and my brothers and I had just finished our walk and were heading home, each loaded down with unimaginable goodies. We had even traded different sweets, so we would have nothing we didn't like. I couldn't wait! As soon as we walked through the front door, my mom told us there were reports of kids ending up in hospitals from razor blades in apples and needles in candy bars. While I watched in unbelieving horror, my parents took my fat bag of candy and dumped it all into the trash. Now that I think of it, this probably explains why I've been a candy freak all these years. I'm 43 and still love candy. I blame that fateful Halloween episode decades ago. On a brighter note, I notice we've been having some rather nice weather these past Halloweens. I love seeing the various costumes, and it's great when you don't have to walk around in a heavy winter coat that covers your outfit. Yes, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays!
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Post by Bean on Sept 19, 2015 9:16:43 GMT
Oh no! That must have been gutting to have your stash dumped in the bin! There are some things you can still look back on and feel that crushing feeling you experienced as a kid - I bet that's one! Is it really anything other than an occasional random occurrence that people would put anything harmful in the Halloween sweets? I can understand it not taking much to put parents off letting their kids eat random sweets even where it hadn't happened loads, but it's awful to think any significant number of people could bear that sort of ill will. There used to be great home made costumes over here with people having parties at home and telling spooky stories and eating gross looking foods etc, but now it's mostly about the shop bought tat which isn't anywhere near so cool! We did a party for the kids one year with loads of gross looking foods - took us ages but they loved it all! Fella saw these finger hot dogs which look fun!
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Post by jolovespiggies on Sept 19, 2015 19:12:19 GMT
I would have cried and screamed if that had been me Bazookagoof love, all because of some sick person, what is supposed to be a happy time for children was totally ruined. I am a candy (sweeties) addict and chocolate well, as any of the girls on here will tell you, I am dreadful. It is astonishing and not a little alarming isn't it Bean love that there are so many sick minds out there?
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 19, 2015 20:25:55 GMT
Since my last trick or treating event was back in the early 1960s, I never had my candy tossed, but by the 70s, hospitals were offering to x-ray candy. I guess for your mom, that was too much work, or maybe the hospitals charged a lot for the x-ray process. I don't think the hospitals actually took an x-ray, but just ran the candy through the machine, so they could see what was there, probably actually a CT-scan. That didn't stop people from poisoning Halloween candy, which was why the homemade treats stopped being accepted for trick or treat. They're still fine for home parties, or for foods made for organization parties, but parents go through all the candy, toss anything that's homemade and anything with a wrapper that's open in any way. We used to go out in our bed sheets with eye holes cut out, and carrying a pillow case for the candy. Those were the only costumes we ever had, and we had them every year. The really fancy costumes, and whole stores dedicated to costumes, didn't come about around here until the 80s. I think they were in metropolitan areas before that. It's not that the vast majority of candy is tainted, Bean, but that once one person does it, others seem to feel compelled to copy it. Every Halloween we have news segments on how to recognize candy that's been tampered with, where candy could be x-rayed, etc. So while it's possible no one in this state gets tainted candy, it's better to be safe than sorry. Once daughter was out of school, and no longer having Halloween parties, I turned my baking and candy making to painting pumpkins for the front steps. Now, we just bundle up, sit out on the front steps, and enjoy all the kids in their costumes
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Post by jolovespiggies on Sept 20, 2015 18:16:57 GMT
I still love candy now and some of the things that you would really only associate with children liking too like candy sticks. I had so many favourites as a child which they cease to made now, the sweet industry has become relatively boring and streamlined with bigger companies swallowing up smaller ones who used to make the more fancy and individual stuff.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 20, 2015 20:30:09 GMT
The little candy companies do seem to have been bought by the big corporations. I suppose it saves money, and makes the candy more affordable, but you're right, the selections are a bit boring. I'm miffed that I have to order my chocolate Christmas orange online, or give up my tradition. There are candy stores, and it may be worth a trip to one, on an off day of course, just to see if they have anything interesting. A friend in Ohio found one store that still sells root beer barrels, a root beer flavored hard candy in the shape of barrels. My father loved those, and we used to take them to the movies instead of buying theater candy. I haven't seen those anywhere in years. I also get sticker shock when I see the current cost of candy we used to buy for pennies, as kids. Another down side of getting old, we remember when so much cost so much less!
The cold front finally came through. It was 70 degrees and humid when we went out to walk this morning, but it was down to 66 and much dryer, by noon. We've had the windows open all day, and it's been great! So nice to see the backside of the heat and humidity!
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Post by Bean on Sept 21, 2015 10:39:44 GMT
One of my crushing childhood memories is from when I was about 6 - saving up the tokens from some crisp packets to send off for as promotional gift - it was some sort of medal. My parents were always stingy about letting us eat junk so it took me ages to get enough tokens, but eventually I got there and was so chuffed.
I was always an independent little thing, so insisted on following the instructions, writing the envelope and getting a stamp and posting it myself etc - no help was required and my parents were fine with that. However, as soon as I plipped it in the post box (which was 30 seconds up the road) I realised I hadn't actually put the piece of paper with my name and address in the envelope, and had just posted an envelope full of tokens to them. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! I'm still gutted now!
I think if I felt there could be any malicious intent with people trying to give kids tainted candy, I'd not be sending them round to collect any from people they didn't know - rather than gathering it up and binning anything suspect! It can't really be good for kids to be made extra aware that people might do awful things and have their parents rifle through their stuff with sabotage in mind? Maybe it's such a big thing over there it just becomes part and parcel of it all, but it seems bizarre to send your kids to strangers' houses if you feel there's a genuine possibility they could be trying to hurt them?
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Post by jolovespiggies on Sept 21, 2015 18:38:06 GMT
Yes Piggles love, I really miss the smaller candy makers even though they were a bit expensive. You used to be able to get a sweet which tasted like a pear drop only it was soft chewy candy on the inside and a shell on the outside. They were gorgeous but I haven't seen them since the 60's. I am always perusing sweet shops on line to see if any of my favourites have been re-introduced. I don't know what root bear tastes like but it is good to know that you can still get those little barrels and they haven't stopped making them.
Oh Bean love, I would have written a follow up letter telling them that the envelope with the tokens and no name or address supplied was yours, they would have been able to connect the two and you may still have been able to get your medal.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 22, 2015 0:06:26 GMT
There is so much pressure on parents to make trick or treat a really fun time firvtheckuds, not going is out of the question. I only took daughter to people we knew. I think most people in the condo village are decent, so it's safe to go around here.
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Post by Bean on Sept 22, 2015 8:20:30 GMT
That sounds like it's the best plan, join in with the fun without any element of suspicion about what people are giving your kids! I do love all the dressing up and spooky fun, I think I've become a bit of a grouch when things get too commercialised - no reason you can't ignore all that and still have some good simple fun though!
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Post by jolovespiggies on Sept 22, 2015 18:35:00 GMT
It is nice when you live in a safe environment like that Piggles love and it is fun for the kids and adults too. The last time I had any trick or treaters at my door was when I lived in Shropshire and they always had a very long suffering adult with them LOL! I love all the dressy up bit too Bean hun.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 22, 2015 21:15:21 GMT
When we were kids, we covered our whole end of the city without concern. Since the issues started, I think most parents of small children restricted them to trick or treating where they knew the people. We've been here for 10 years, and often recognize the kids who have grown up since we arrived. The people here are generally very friendly. If anything, I'd worry about the older kids, teenagers who go to cool areas to trick or treat. They don't know the people in those areas.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Sept 23, 2015 18:48:28 GMT
Oh for those times again Piggles love.
Hugs JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 23, 2015 19:56:17 GMT
I know, Jo. But it wasn't all better then. Despite all the problems with sexting and Internet porn, having instant communications has saved a lot of lives. I do wish people wouldn't abuse the process, such as talking so loudly in stores, we can't get away from their side of a telephone conversation, people who never turn off their phones, even in movies, etc., or people who always answer or check their phones, even if they're in the middle of a meeting or conversation. Rudeness has become epidemic with some phone users. I also think having such great availability to the Internet has hurt the local libraries. I used to do all my research in libraries. Now I just google what I want to know, get it all in one long list, and I'm all set. We used to know where all the good restaurants were in our areas, but we didn't know where they were in other places. Now, we can google a list of whatever type of restaurant we want, get ratings and even comments. Keeps us from having to wait for an hour to get a table, or finding the restaurant was too pricey for our tastes. Remember the sticker shock of opening the menu and seeing some of the prices for the first time! The prices are still outrageous, but at least we can find out what they are in advance, and avoid those restaurants. Other aspects of Fall in New England is the corn maze. Originally mazes were cut through the rows of gone by corn stalks. Now, some are made using bales of hay to create the mazes, as there aren't as many corn fields as their used to be. There are also hay rides on big, horse drawn hay wagons, usually to a destination that has a campfire and where hot chocolate and treats are served. It's also pick your own apples time at most of the orchards, and the stores are starting to fill up with pumpkins. Pumpkin carving time is coming. Some towns/cities have huge pumpkin carving festivals with thousands of carved and lighted pumpkins. There are actually contests between cities for the largest number of carved/lighted pumpkins. It's called Pumpkinfest, and brings lots of people to the host towns with lots of revenue. www.pumpkinfestival2015.org/ So Halloween isn't the only Fall event around here.
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