Does anyone else see the immoral values in trick or treating?
By pinklemonade
@pinklemonade (486)
October 22, 2009 6:35pm CST
I always used to be upset when I was younger and all my friends would go trick or treating on Halloween and I was never allowed. I thought it was unfair and my mother was very mean but now I feel so lucky to have been brought up the way I have.
I believe it's nothing more than asking for things off people who might not be able to afford it and feel pressured into giving you things and for what? Absolutely no reason whatsoever. I feel it gives the wrong impression to kids - that you can knock on peoples doors for things and it's also really dangerous when parents don't supervise their children and it's dark.
My gran at the time was incapable of doing much for herself and some kids came and left flour and eggs over her house and she was too ill to do anything about it. I think it's a horrible message really.
I don't like to celebrate Halloween anyway being a Christian. My mother decorates our house but only to make up for the fact that we never went trick or treating and things. We don't see it as a special occasion.
Anyway, I like thinking about all the people I didn't pressurise or guilt trip into giving me sweets. I feel especially sad when I think about the recession and how people are finding it hard to put things together for Christmas, let alone random kids knocking on their door.
1 person likes this
13 responses
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
23 Oct 09
My kids just go to the houses that are lit up & decorated to participate. There's no guilting involved. It's as fun to GIVE the candy as to receive it. If someone can't or doesn't want to participate then they should just not decorate & leave their porch lights off. As for the ones who egged the house, that was just meanness.
1 person likes this
@phoenix1344 (698)
• United States
23 Oct 09
I've never veiwed Halloween that way before. And I dont think I even can? I think halloween is fun for kids to go around and as alot of people have said on here its fun for those to give out the candy too.
I think everyone pretty much knows not to trick-or-treat at dark houses and I trick-or-treated every year up until I was 18 and I never ever felt like I was guilting then for candy? So from the perspective as a child, I never felt they needed to give me anything. It was just fun going door to door in costumes with friends.
And as for your grandmother, I am very sorry she was egged on halloween. That isnt right but I don't think you should compare that horrible act with trick-or-treating. Yes, there are teens that do the wrong thing but they most certainly were not trick-or-treaters.
@pinklemonade (486)
•
23 Oct 09
They were kids who were unaccompanied by an adult going trick or treating. My gran can't get out to buy sweets and things and that's why she got that for her house.
@phoenix1344 (698)
• United States
23 Oct 09
I'm sorry to hear that. But you have to understand that kids who trick-or-treat like that are the minority of the holiday. Very similiar to other holidays like New Years. There is more drinking and driving and dangerous things happening on those days, should we decide not to celebrate because of them?
Same with christmas time. People become selfish and desperate near that time while people are trying to get their gifts together. People also come up and ask for money more, more crimes are committed, but should be stop celebrating christmas?
There certainly is more good in these situations but there will always be the minority of bad people/kids who make everyone look that way.
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
23 Oct 09
I don't think of it that way. It's a nice tradition that kids get to be dressed up once a year in a silly or scary costume and get some candy out of it. Kids need to have fun, why spoil it for them? Not everybody hands out candy anyway. That's not a big deal. As long as you know your neighbors well and where the kids are trick or treating then I say let them be kids.
@voldrox (7191)
• India
23 Oct 09
Hi Pinklemonade!
Well here in my country we don't have that, but i know what all Halloween is about, i have only seen the children asking at the doors in the movies, i wonder how it is in real life, but honestly believe it is a little strange, i not talking about religious point of view but even then children going asking for something something and they being expectant to get something from everyone, and especially that was sad to hear those children left flour and eggs at your granny's home, we can't always share material things with everyone, Halloween day there will always be some children knocking at the doors asking for things that sometimes we can't give, be it such small things as chocolates or whatever but it this thing is not funny when children grow expectant to receiving from everyone, and of course there is a case where always children can knock on to someone doors who don't like visitors and all, so cases like these are often there and so i would rather not go knocking on people's door, it is okay to go and have some fun with just our neighbours and people we know, that is completely fine, but not go here and there everywhere.
... i hope you are doing great!
@good2go2001 (915)
• United States
23 Oct 09
Our children dont go trick or treating either. Its just that we started a different tradition when the kids were very young and they really dont question it. Halloween night is family night, we watch a special new movie , make a special treat like roasted pumkin seeds , have a small amount of candy and just spend time together. I think it is scary in this day to let your kids go get candy from strangers you never know what could be in it. Some years we turn on our porch light and let the kids hand out candy to other kids and this year just due to money issues we will be having our light off.
@rjl1989 (190)
•
23 Oct 09
Exactly! It's basically getting your kids to go to your neighbours houses and say give me sweets or ill do something mean to you, even if they have no intention of doing anything mean, it's still effectively begging.
Why is this celebrated? I think it only ever became common when companies realised they could make money out of it.
I think in some ways it teaches children they can get things by demanding them, or threatening people, which is wrong. And sweets aren't good for anyone either. I dont think it should be celebrated.
@sudiptacallingu (10879)
• India
23 Oct 09
Being an Indian, Halloween is not an native concept to me. I don’t know about the religious part coz I don’t see Halloween being celebrated by Indian Christians either, yet Christmas and Good Friday are celebrated in a big way by all, irrespective of religious faith. However, I know the concept of Halloween, having seen it in so many movies and read about it in books. You might have a point there about disturbing people who are not keen to participate but overall I see it as having some childhood fun and good memories. Nieghbourhood kids are often a rowdy bunch and Halloween or no Halloween, they are sometimes more than a handful. From breaking window panes to creating a ruckus, you know how kids will be kids…even here in India we have this festival of Holi on which day, you can spread colour just on anybody whether they like it or not! Its part of tradition, its part of growing up years and for one day a year, I don’t think anybody should mind much if whatever they give of their own volition, is acceptable to the kids.
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
23 Oct 09
It is always good to have someone elses perspective. Halloween in our home is another holiday we have fun as a family with. We have many fond and fun memories. Many of our neighbors decorate there homes as well. We do go around the neighborhood. People who want to give out treats hae their porch lights on. Those who don't keep theirs off. So I don't think anyone feels pressured.
@olydove (1209)
• United States
23 Oct 09
Well you could look at it that way I suppose but me I've always thought of halloween as being a fun day. The fact that the kiddos get to dress up and have fun, and I go with them in my neighborhood where we know most of the people.
It's a general rule that if the houses porch light is not on we don't go there. That usually means they are not handing out goodies.
As for the people that can't really afford it,.. well two things.
1: They can turn off their porch light and choose not to participate
2: I myself can't afford a whole lot and am unable to give in normal occasions throughout the year so to me I feel good contributing to the happiness of little ones and I have fun doing it. I really don't think it's about guilt trips. The lady that we work for sometimes is 74 years old, and she absolutely loves it when the kiddos come over. It's not like the kids are expecting a whole bag of candy for each child.
We don't really celebrate halloween for the reasons it's technically meant for, we celebrate more because it's considered a fun day for the kids, and with all the negativity and bad in the world it doesn't hurt to celebrate fun!
@eileenleyva (27560)
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
The trick or treat fever had caught up in my country. Halloween events fill the malls where families converge for this festive occasion. I myself feel aghast why children have to dress up with monstrous costumes. It is as if we glorify evil. And the children don't learn to discern what is good and what is ugly. Halloween is supposed to be a time to remember those have passed away and glorify the saints who lived exemplary lives. Why the trick or treat is beyond me. And you are correct. Probably this annual idiocy must cater to the haves who has nothing to do. On second thoughts, maybe they should come up with a trick or treat for the benefit of people like your gran.
@LovingLife139 (1504)
• United States
23 Oct 09
You know, I've never actually thought of Halloween like that. I honestly don't like holidays much at all. The only holidays I do like are Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day, because they give me something to look forward to and have good, moral reasons to celebrate them.
I agree that Halloween is a dangerous point of the year. Then again, many kids don't trick-or-treat alone or on dark streets. But it still opens a door of unfortunate possibilities.
Many holidays exist in the present day mostly for economic stimulation. I wouldn't have gotten as excited for holidays as a kid if I hadn't seen all the pretty decorations at the stores. I am also a Christian and it bothers me to see how stores are set on selling Santa stuff for Christmas to guide attention away from the meaning of Christmas. I don't celebrate any holidays simply because the meaning has been lost and celebrating holidays in the present day means buying a bunch of meaningless, materialistic gifts for people you hardly know.
You're onto something here. 
@SallyAnna (142)
• United States
23 Oct 09
We where only allowed to trick or treat at family and friends house. My parents wouldn't allow us to go from house to house. I didn't mind at it was like going to 6 or 7 halloween parties in one night! I still go to their houses and so do my children and they are grown. Now, I go out of repect for my aunts they are old and look forward for any excuse to get a house full of company.
@solared (1207)
• United States
23 Oct 09
Do I see anything wrong with trick or treating no, do I see something wrong with dress up like demons,devils an ghouls yes, while its not a holiday I like forward to at all, I think some people take it way to far.
I would say kids should wear cute outfits nothing else.
Adults shouldn't trick or treat they should attend parties, an not dress like something spawned from hell, thats my own opinion.
