We're Not In Kansas Anymore...
Or in 1988 for that matter. You know how I know? Halloween has changed my friends! And it's depressing if you ask me. I'm a sucker for holidays. No matter what, I'm right there decorating the house or throwing a themed party or what have you. So now that my two are old enough to get dressed up and appreciate the trick o' treating aspect of Halloween, I was thoroughly excited and looking forward to tonight. We got all dressed up (myself included) and, along with skeptical-paranoid-overprotective hubby, set out for the neighborhood.
Here's why things are different:
1. Last week, Chatterbox got a note home from school that the students weren't to wear any Halloween costumes to school today. I assume it was so as not to offend those that don't celebrate the holiday and to remain politically correct in these hyper-sensitive times. Whatever.
2. Tonight, we met up with some neighbors and made the rounds only of houses that we knew. Remember the good old days when you and your siblings or friends walked the neighborhood going door to door until your candy bag was overflowing? And then you came home, dumped your loot onto the living room floor and set back out for Round 2??
3. We hid the candy the girls collected on our rounds and replaced it with candy that I bought to give out to the neighborhood kids. This was hubby's idea. I had just planned on carefully checking the candy that the kids brought home, throwing out anything suspicious or homemade. But like I said, I live with skeptical-paranoid-overprotective hubby so he wasn't having it. And of course the girls were none the wiser and munched away contentedly on Mommy's safe and secure Costco candy stash.
4. It's 9pm and it seems that the trick o' treating time is over! My doorbell has stopped ringing and I still have a bunch of candy left to handout. Now I distinctly remember going until 11pm some Halloweens. I guess nowadays it's all about going trick o' treating at your local mall or zoo at 4pm and calling it quits after collecting a reasonable amount of animal crackers, boxed raisins and pretzels packs. BO-RING.
But what are you gonna do? Better to be safe than sorry. All I know is that the good old days are gone. No more homemade rice krispie treats from Ms. Dunwoody around the corner and no more gorging on assorted sweets lest your parents be accused of contributing to the nation's child obesity epidemic.
We're not in Kansas anymore. Or at least we're not in Montreal where I grew up.
I bet they're still out trick o' treating there.
Here's why things are different:
1. Last week, Chatterbox got a note home from school that the students weren't to wear any Halloween costumes to school today. I assume it was so as not to offend those that don't celebrate the holiday and to remain politically correct in these hyper-sensitive times. Whatever.
2. Tonight, we met up with some neighbors and made the rounds only of houses that we knew. Remember the good old days when you and your siblings or friends walked the neighborhood going door to door until your candy bag was overflowing? And then you came home, dumped your loot onto the living room floor and set back out for Round 2??
3. We hid the candy the girls collected on our rounds and replaced it with candy that I bought to give out to the neighborhood kids. This was hubby's idea. I had just planned on carefully checking the candy that the kids brought home, throwing out anything suspicious or homemade. But like I said, I live with skeptical-paranoid-overprotective hubby so he wasn't having it. And of course the girls were none the wiser and munched away contentedly on Mommy's safe and secure Costco candy stash.
4. It's 9pm and it seems that the trick o' treating time is over! My doorbell has stopped ringing and I still have a bunch of candy left to handout. Now I distinctly remember going until 11pm some Halloweens. I guess nowadays it's all about going trick o' treating at your local mall or zoo at 4pm and calling it quits after collecting a reasonable amount of animal crackers, boxed raisins and pretzels packs. BO-RING.
But what are you gonna do? Better to be safe than sorry. All I know is that the good old days are gone. No more homemade rice krispie treats from Ms. Dunwoody around the corner and no more gorging on assorted sweets lest your parents be accused of contributing to the nation's child obesity epidemic.
We're not in Kansas anymore. Or at least we're not in Montreal where I grew up.
I bet they're still out trick o' treating there.
This entry is cross-posted at DC Metro Moms Blog.
Mamalaw is a group blog about three moms and wives who just happen to be lawyers too. We have seven kids between us which means that we have no shortage of funny stories, touching moments, reasons to rant and the occasional kernel of parenting wisdom. In our "spare time," we founded 
5 comments:
It has changed. Half the house had their lights on, but were not offering any candy. How rude.
And I do remember filling my pillowcase with enough candy to last me to the next Halloween.
Yea, my kids' school does Pajama Day every year on Halloween. They have dress up days for everything else, but the kids can't wear costumes on Halloween? Boo.
It's sad that it has to be so different. I remember roaming the neighborhood with a pack of friends and none of our parents had to worry about us.
And we didn't even have cellphones!
I L-O-V-E your sarcasm! I almost hit the floor at "animal crackers, boxed raisins and pretzels packs".
No one trick or treated around here. Hell, if we decorated and left on the porch light we probably would have no kids come over. Bahumbug!
ok - so i have to say we have lots of fun in our neighborhood - never once thought about replacing the candy (won't mention that to hubby cuz then he will ruin the good fun we've been having over the last few years). we got a group of four families together and stopped at every house until the kids had enough (took about an hour). Then we came home, they threw their candy on the floor and started gorging .... I was able to interrupt the gorge with delicious pizza from Claire's Gourmet and hot chocolate topped with marshmallows. The big kids sipped martinis and cracked jokes - we may not be in Kansas, but I would say my Halloween is starting to feel like Mardi Gras :-)
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