Re: Halloween Ideas

[3DStudent]

Would it be a good idea to make little baggies of Halloween candy and slip in an EE flyer in? Maybe healthier candy at that. That would be a good way to promote the program. But I'm thinking that little kids wouldn't do the program, or maybe it would be too harsh or complicated for them. But maybe they would say, "Hey what's this?", and the parents would look at it and go to the website.

 

[truth seeker]

Re: Quick Question for Everyone

Would it be a good idea to make little baggies of Halloween candy and slip in an EE flyer in? Maybe healthier candy at that. That would be a good way to promote the program. But I'm thinking that little kids wouldn't do the program, or maybe it would be too harsh or complicated for them. But maybe they would say, "Hey what's this?", and the parents would look at it and go to the website.

Perhaps it's just me, but if I had children, I would never allow them to eat/accept anything from people they didn't know personally. In addition, I wouldn't want to be responsible for handing out anything to someone's child I didn't know (particularly food) - too many things can go wrong.

 

[3DStudent]

Re: Quick Question for Everyone

Hi truth seeker, I didn't mean to cook or make some candy, but just arranging some packaged candy in a little bag with an EE flyer inside too. I don't think I ever had homemade candy while trick or treating, and I'm sure my parents would not have let me eat it unless it was from a close neighbor or relative.

 

[truth seeker]

Re: Quick Question for Everyone

Hi truth seeker, I didn't mean to cook or make some candy, but just arranging some packaged candy in a little bag with an EE flyer inside too. I don't think I ever had homemade candy while trick or treating, and I'm sure my parents would not have let me eat it unless it was from a close neighbor or relative.

Yes, I understood what you were saying about purchasing the candy. I was just throwing in my two cents. :) Perhaps others will feel differently. I guess what I wasn't clear on is if the person making up the goodie bags would know the people they were giving them to or not?

 

[anart]

Re: Quick Question for Everyone

Hi truth seeker, I didn't mean to cook or make some candy, but just arranging some packaged candy in a little bag with an EE flyer inside too. I don't think I ever had homemade candy while trick or treating, and I'm sure my parents would not have let me eat it unless it was from a close neighbor or relative.

Yes, I understood what you were saying about purchasing the candy. I was just throwing in my two cents. :) Perhaps others will feel differently. I guess what I wasn't clear on is if the person making up the goodie bags would know the people they were giving them to or not?

He appears to be talking about Halloween - where almost all children (in the States at least) go door to door to get candy from strangers. Going 'trick or treating' is taking candy from strangers, after all. Did you never go 'trick or treating' as a child, truth seeker? It's FUN! :)

I'm not sure, though, if an EE flyer would work with Halloween candy (or that there is any such thing as healthy candy) ... but we've gone off topic with this discussion. When I think of Halloween, I see decaying leaves underfoot - bare trees - moonlit skies with clouds.

 

[truth seeker]

Re: Quick Question for Everyone

He appears to be talking about Halloween - where almost all children (in the States at least) go door to door to get candy from strangers. Going 'trick or treating' is taking candy from strangers, after all. Did you never go 'trick or treating' as a child, truth seeker? It's FUN! :)

Actually, I didn't. We had Halloween parties though, but I always had/was given the impression that trick or treating was dangerous.

edit: fixed quotes

 

[dant]

Re: Quick Question for Everyone

In the USA, its about mostly children dressing up in costumes
be it a lion, bear, or tiger (just joking) but seriously most kids
dress up as an action figure, or fairy or witch, goblin and so,
on with a candy bag for gathering candy or whatnot from going
door to door to strangers saying: "Trick or Treat!" and will receive
mostly candy, fruits, etc, but not always.

Unfortunately in some cases, there have been "candy" with
added ingredients or razor blades, nails, tacks, or who knows
what the stranger decided to give out - that is why some parents
go to the malls or to "trusted" places to receive free goodies
for their children. There are also "kids" that are much older
that do the same - and again, in some cases do nefarious
things as well... but as far as I can tell, in the majority of cases,
this seems to bode well so far, but I wonder just how long this will
continue to be good/safe for the kids - in this day and age? It gives
me the willies just thinking about ponerized people and psychos that
may be increasing in their numbers?

And then, there are teens/adults who have Halloween parties too, some
rather fun or simply outrageous.

Knock on wood though...

FWIW,
Dan

 

[truth seeker]

Re: Quick Question for Everyone

In the USA, its about mostly children dressing up in costumes
be it a lion, bear, or tiger (just joking) but seriously most kids
dress up as an action figure, or fairy or witch, goblin and so,
on with a candy bag for gathering candy or whatnot from going
door to door to strangers saying: "Trick or Treat!" and will receive
mostly candy, fruits, etc, but not always.

Unfortunately in some cases, there have been "candy" with
added ingredients or razor blades, nails, tacks, or who knows
what the stranger decided to give out - that is why some parents
go to the malls or to "trusted" places to receive free goodies
for their children. There are also "kids" that are much older
that do the same - and again, in some cases do nefarious
things as well... but as far as I can tell, in the majority of cases,
this seems to bode well so far, but I wonder just how long this will
continue to be good/safe for the kids - in this day and age? It gives
me the willies just thinking about ponerized people and psychos that
may be increasing in their numbers?

And then, there are teens/adults who have Halloween parties too, some
rather fun or simply outrageous.

Knock on wood though...

FWIW,
Dan

Well not to go too much further off topic, but just to give some context - I do know what trick or treating is. Growing up in NYC and having a mother that tended towards fearfulness, we didn't go trick or treating. As you said above though, the whole candy scare did happen when I was a child. At that point, I was under the impression that many who did participate, stopped. In my mind somehow, it became something that was done in either suburban areas or amongst people who knew each other. So while I am aware of it, it's something that I don't think about immediately.

 

[anart]

Re: Quick Question for Everyone

Well not to go too much further off topic, but just to give some context - I do know what trick or treating is. Growing up in NYC and having a mother that tended towards fearfulness, we didn't go trick or treating. As you said above though, the whole candy scare did happen when I was a child. At that point, I was under the impression that many who did participate, stopped. In my mind somehow, it became something that was done in either suburban areas or amongst people who knew each other. So while I am aware of it, it's something that I don't think about immediately.

Growing up in NYC might explain it. I grew up in the rural southeast and loved 'trick or treating'. I still give out candy every year, with my carved jack-o-lanterns and skeletons on the porch, to the little kids who show up at my door - it reminds me of a simpler time, when normal people could go out and meet neighbors or even folks quite far away from their own neighborhood if only for a minute while their kids get all spooked and excited. It's fun (aside from the fact that the candy as it is is poisonous enough!). The kids are polite, the parents wave from the sidewalk and say thanks. I know most parents 'inspect' the candy before letting their kids eat it, but I think the scare-mongering over Halloween candy was another way to break down social ties and community and instill fear.

I read a while back that the 'razor blade in the apple' story most of us remember never actually happened - I'll try to find the source for that though - can't say for sure right now.

 

[truth seeker]

Re: Quick Question for Everyone

Growing up in NYC might explain it. I grew up in the rural southeast and loved 'trick or treating'. I still give out candy every year, with my carved jack-o-lanterns and skeletons on the porch, to the little kids who show up at my door - it reminds me of a simpler time, when normal people could go out and meet neighbors or even folks quite far away from their own neighborhood if only for a minute while their kids get all spooked and excited. It's fun (aside from the fact that the candy as it is is poisonous enough!). The kids are polite, the parents wave from the sidewalk and say thanks. I know most parents 'inspect' the candy before letting their kids eat it, but I think the scare-mongering over Halloween candy was another way to break down social ties and community and instill fear.

I read a while back that the 'razor blade in the apple' story most of us remember never actually happened - I'll try to find the source for that though - can't say for sure right now.

I agree. Especially with the part in bold. It definitely had that effect on me! While I really like the idea of trick or treating, that whole episode really colored my view. If that wasn't bad enough, kids/teenagers started pelting eggs which I can tell you from personal experience is physically painful! At or around that point, I pretty much avoided Halloween.

I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the whole candy/fruit issue was just an urban myth. Perhaps I'll also see if I can find out what really happened with that.

Thanks for bringing up this topic 3D student. I hadn't thought about this stuff in years! It's given me the opportunity to really look at this programming.

As for the idea of putting ee flyers in with goodie bags, maybe it's a good idea. If you're giving out treats anyway, why not just put a flyer in? If the parents are checking the bags, they'll come across it.

 

[3DStudent]

Trick or Treating was always fun. We'd go around with friends and have everyone's parents behind us. Our parents would look at the candy to make sure it was ok and not opened or anything. I guess I live in a relatively decent area compared to the city. Trick or Treating was something to look forward to. I do think that it has declined a little, and they focus more on the malls or organized Trick or Treatings.

Thanks for bringing up this topic 3D student. I hadn't thought about this stuff in years! It's given me the opportunity to really look at this programming.

No problem, I just thought that with the many people who come to the door, it would be a good opportunity to give out an EE flyer.

 

[Laura]

Ark and I would dress up in costume and give out the candy. Most kids go around with their parents so I see nothing wrong with giving a flyer to the parents if they are there after dispensing the candy in it's original packaging from the store.

 

[Infiniteness]

Re: Quick Question for Everyone

I know most parents 'inspect' the candy before letting their kids eat it, but I think the scare-mongering over Halloween candy was another way to break down social ties and community and instill fear.
I read a while back that the 'razor blade in the apple' story most of us remember never actually happened - I'll try to find the source for that though - can't say for sure right now.

This reminded me about the pin prick attack stories. The claim is basically about how "Aids-infected blood is being injected into unsuspecting moviegoers and young people dancing in bars or at raves." I believe that this was also another fear mongering story released to break down social ties.

Here is an article about it, http://www.snopes.com/horrors/madmen/pinprick.asp

Edit: Misspelled word

 

[Gimpy]

Re: Quick Question for Everyone

Well not to go too much further off topic, but just to give some context - I do know what trick or treating is. Growing up in NYC and having a mother that tended towards fearfulness, we didn't go trick or treating. As you said above though, the whole candy scare did happen when I was a child. At that point, I was under the impression that many who did participate, stopped. In my mind somehow, it became something that was done in either suburban areas or amongst people who knew each other. So while I am aware of it, it's something that I don't think about immediately.

Growing up in NYC might explain it. I grew up in the rural southeast and loved 'trick or treating'. I still give out candy every year, with my carved jack-o-lanterns and skeletons on the porch, to the little kids who show up at my door - it reminds me of a simpler time, when normal people could go out and meet neighbors or even folks quite far away from their own neighborhood if only for a minute while their kids get all spooked and excited. It's fun (aside from the fact that the candy as it is is poisonous enough!). The kids are polite, the parents wave from the sidewalk and say thanks. I know most parents 'inspect' the candy before letting their kids eat it, but I think the scare-mongering over Halloween candy was another way to break down social ties and community and instill fear.

I read a while back that the 'razor blade in the apple' story most of us remember never actually happened - I'll try to find the source for that though - can't say for sure right now.

I grew up in the Midwest, and Halloween was the one night a year we would go from one end of town to the other, and come home late with large hauls of sugary goodness. Our parents didn't have to come along, because we knew everybody. The only time we went with adults was during UNICEF for Church, and that was because an adult needed to drive us. The schools would have carnivals, costume contests, and even a talent show. It was a lot of fun. Its been very sad to see communities pulled apart by urban legends and movie stunts over the years. Every time I've asked a law enforcement person about these razor blades in apples stories they tell me its a myth....but people are still too scared to let their kids go out, unless its supervised in a mall.


When we lived in the city, our neighborhood was a bit rough. But we put out hay bales and did a yard scene for Halloween each year, and we had two five gallon buckets of candy ready when the Moms came around. By the end of the curfew for our area, all the candy was gone! It was amazing. :D That's the one thing I really miss about living in the city. Halloween was still fun in our neighborhood.

When and where possible, I've dressed up for Halloween for work, and since Hubby and I were married on Halloween, we like to dress up and go out for dinner in costume.

I don't think it would hurt anything to give a flyer for EE to the kids along with the candy. Its one treat for the little ones, and stress reliever for the parents...and they need that.

 

[3DStudent]

Just to update this thread, I did hand out some flyers during Halloween. I was low on color ink so only had 16 printed out. I actually went to a town Halloween event where people set up "stations" like a yard sale and give out candy; instead of walking to people's houses. Trunk or Treat it's called.

Surprisingly, there were many hundreds of people there. I asked some people in lines if they wanted a flyer and got quite a lot of "No"s. So the remaining ones I gave out while the kids collected candy. Parents were willing to take anything free it seemed while their kids were getting candy. Perhaps it was the atmosphere of receiving something that made them more receptive.

I saw someone giving out business cards, and I thought this was a good idea. They're compact and you can get 250 for about 4 dollars online. The only thing is, I don't know when I'd have the opportunity to give out hundreds of cards to people.