# Halloween losing it's tradition?



## She_wolf (Jul 19, 2009)

I am not sure if this is even an issue but it's something that struck me...today while I was happily handing out candies to the children I noticed that less than half of them said trick or treat...some even just open their bags got the goods and simply walk away like I OWED them...WOW!!!
What exactly is going on here is trick or treat a phrase no longer needed? Has the holiday changed so drasticlly where even the phrase "trick or treat" is obsolete... I guess soon enough children will be coming over in their plain clothes and demand candy from us...if at all....it's just sad I love Halloween...and as commercialized as it already is I would hate for it to be like x-mas...where it just turns into another plain holiday that urges...(excuss me) FORCES!!!! you to spend money on people you don't even like.


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

I found that many of the kids did not say "trick or treat" tonight but I blame that on being distracted with all of the props.
Whenever a kid came up to me and opened their bags I said "You have to say it or you don't get it". After that, they either said "trick or treat" or "thank you". I was happy with either response.
I'd also like to add that I didn't see a single teenager dressed in plain clothes this year.


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## hallloweenjerzeboy (Mar 3, 2009)

I noticed that as well I get a lot of Trick or Treaters are getting fatter and fatter and lazier and lazier. We used to walk the entire town and love every minute of it. Now these lazy lil bastards have their mommy and daddy drive them to each house even if they are on the same block and they barey even get out when they are in front of the house. I am 28 years old and not married or have any kids yet but I assume I will be in the next 5 to 8 years or so. I will never allow my chilf to be a lazy mess. For the people who are parents now. What is ot that allows you to let your children act this way.


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## Jack Reaper (May 27, 2006)

Not all is lost.....I had one little girl, dressed as a princess, tell me Happy Halloween as I opened the door.............trick or treat as she opened her bag...and then thank you as she walked next door.

Didn't have and plain clothes teenie boppers at all.


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## mroct31 (Nov 10, 2007)

I also think that the props are very distracting and many of the kids are so caught up that just opening their bags is sometimes an effort!


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## Wyatt Furr (Jun 5, 2006)

I noticed ,if they didnt say trick or treat,they said happy halloween.But just about all said thank you.I found if they were quiet, once I smiled and said Happy Halloween,they almost always smiled back and said the same.I complimented on a few costumes and that always got a big grin. Lots of "neat house" ,"cool decor" kinda thing too.


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## Daddy's Little Corpse (Sep 7, 2006)

I just had this conversation last night with a friend who drove her daughter 30min to our house, just so she could have a little Halloween. Apparently her neighborhood had NOTHING. Well, for the most part, with the exception of me and one house over, our neighborhood had nothing. You don't even get jackolanterns on the front step-- some tangible sign that "hey, we have candy!" It's like the ToT's have to forage for houses if they aren't already trunk or treating or going around the safe and shiny confines of the mall (which is probably why most people don't bother in the first place). We both had the "wander for candy with a group of friends or your parents till your feet fell off" trick or treat stories. But yeah, half of them were in lazy costumes being hauled around by their parents-- nevermind the fact that it was raining, because it's been that way for a few years. I feel like my Dad-- "we worked for our candy!!" 

For the most part we don't even get compliments. At least not from the kids. They don't pay ANY attention which is why they're so good at stepping on things and knock things over (even when there's a blatant path to keep them from doing so!) in there tunnel vision for candy. The adults are the ones that say Happy Halloween and "good job". I guess eventually it'll translate to their hellspawn....

I dunno. It's really frustrating all around.


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## madmomma (Jul 1, 2009)

Most of my TOT's were distracted by the props, especially all the motion sensor ones I had on my porch. Only a few didn't say trick or treat, almost all said thank you. I too was surprised that 99% of the teenagers were dressed in actual costumes! Very impressed. They were ALL courteous. Lots of compliments on my yard. That was my treat!


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## berzerkmonkey (Oct 31, 2006)

hallloweenjerzeboy said:


> I noticed that as well I get a lot of Trick or Treaters are getting fatter and fatter and lazier and lazier. We used to walk the entire town and love every minute of it. Now these lazy lil bastards have their mommy and daddy drive them to each house even if they are on the same block and they barey even get out when they are in front of the house. I am 28 years old and not married or have any kids yet but I assume I will be in the next 5 to 8 years or so. I will never allow my chilf to be a lazy mess. For the people who are parents now. What is ot that allows you to let your children act this way.


Wow. You're really putting the blame on the wrong party here. It isn't the kids that are being lazy, it is the parents! They're the ones that pile the kids in the car and truck them around from house to house, not the other way around.


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## Spanky (Oct 8, 2007)

Ditto Bezerkermonkey, kids don't magically know Halloween traditions, the must be passed on from the parents. I made my kids say trick or treat and thank you at every house.


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## ithurt (Jun 23, 2008)

i think it is a sign of the times. when i was a kid (70's) we never had cartoons oustide of saturday morning. so when the great pumpkin was on mid week at night we were so happy and glued to the tv. now there are channels dedicated to just cartoons. with all of this multimedia surrounding us nothings is sacred or special. I try to explain to my brats why christmas eve is more fun than christmas, I think they get it. I try to teach them that sometimes withholding things (self discipline) makes the payoff even better


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## Spooklights (Jul 4, 2006)

I noticed that most of the parents made sure their kids said "trick or treat". One little girl, about 7, didn't say anything at first, so her Dad prompted her; "What do you say?". The little girl responded with "Please", which was awfully cute. Her Dad then told her the proper phrase, and she was all set to go. But you're right; these things get handed down from parents to children. Kids don't learn things by osmosis, they have to be taught.


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## fick209 (Aug 31, 2009)

I found the tot's in my area to be wonderfully polite. Almost all of them said either "Happy Hallloween" or "Trick-or-treat", and only 2 did not say "Thank You". They were all very respectful of the props and the workers, not 1 worker got punched or kicked this year


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## Gothic Nightmare (Jul 19, 2007)

I get a few obnoxious teens but nothing too bad. Most are great. The best this year was a little 4-yr. boy that dress like a clown because he heard we were doing an (evil) clown / circus theme this year. His Mom said he was so excited he couldn't wait to get here. He was one of my first tot's. He left with lot's of candy.


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## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

I think when you have a 3 axis skull right next to your candy dish the TOTs get a little awestruck and forget all the norms of Halloween. Of the 600 TOTs we had, there was only one douche bag. He said it wasn't cool and it wasn't scary, but it was the 2nd or 3rd time I saw him, so who is a liar? I then made an announcement to the 30+ people waiting in line that if your costume was a douche bag, you need to go home and change it because it's not allowed.

Not every kids says trick r treat, but usually one in a group of kids will say it, and we always get thank yous. I think if you have rude kids you might just be living in a small pocket of Halloween cultural ignorance.


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

Some of my TOTers failed to say trick or treat either, but that was usuaully because they were either telling me how much they loved my decor or gaping at the props. I couldnt fault them for that.

As to fat and lazy, amen brother, and not just the kids either.


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## SecondNightmare (Sep 8, 2009)

Alot of people in my area seemed to get into the holiday, although there were a few who just wanted their candy.

I wish I had an actor in my haunt give out candy because crammed vans would pull up to my house and empty me without any intention of wasting their time on my haunt.

Most of the 200 people who actually went through my haunt were really friendly and into the holiday. They (and their blood-curdling screams!) made everything worth it.

Next year, I'll stock up on peppermints and cough drops for kids who don't want to go through the haunt .


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## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

SecondNightmare said:


> Next year, I'll stock up on peppermints and cough drops for kids who don't want to go through the haunt .


I stand outside your haunt all night. I love peppermints and ricola. 70+ years ago that was the best candy, well maybe that stuff with cocaine in it was de best, but i haven't tried that.


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## toymaker (Aug 7, 2009)

For the most part the TOTers said trick-or-treat (we only had 20 or so and thats rounding up) there was a group of 6-7 tweens who just stood there until they got candy, they did say "thank you" so at least they were polite


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## Wildcat (Nov 3, 2007)

I have to say my first couple years was like most. Lots of the smaller tot's that weren't asking about a prop did say trick or treat but the older ones wouldn't have if I hadn't let them know that's the only way they get anything.
Now no matter what the age they almost all say it.


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

It's up to us to carry on the traditions....to hand over the ropes to the younger ones and point them in the right direction. My son started at 2 and has never stopped and now he makes his buddies say "Trick or Treat!!!" and "Thank you!!" at every house if they forget. He is 11 and ready for his black belt in karate so they tend to listen to him!


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

I make them tell me trick or treat or i will just stand there untill they do. Or i will say what are the magic words, and they get the hint and say it. All in fun of course. I did have many many people tell me happy halloween.


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## Day of the Dead (Aug 3, 2009)

I don't think many people had a chance to say anything at my house before we scared the **** out of them!  

Although, I do seem to remember those who actually made it up to the candy saying thank you.


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## ScreamingScarecrow (Oct 1, 2008)

back in the day people wouldn't even come to the door to give you anything if you didn't scream "HALLOWEEN APPLES" or "TRICK OR TREAT"!
We had lots of kids and adults most of which where to busy congratulating us on a job well done to intone the magic words. 
and for the record I make my kids walk to get their candy!


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## Dr Morbius (Sep 21, 2004)

I had a mixed bag...MOST wore costumes and said "Trick or Treat!" ...some were plain clothed teen-bums that got a can of green beans DROPPED into thier bags making a noticiable "CRUNCH!" sound..heheh..

There was one very sad visitor. A 40+ aged woman plain clothes, no kids who said "Twick or Tweet" like she was a child and then said "Dank wew" when she left. Very weird, I figured she was jobless or something so we gave her a candy...kind of creepy actually. She didn't smile at all.


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