I hate Halloween. 2011 Edition.

Re: I hate Halloween.

No visitors for me last night, or any year. I keep my porch light off, and my door looks like it might be the back door to the other apartment that fronts on the street.

The how-to-pronounce-the-holiday conundrum doesn't appear to be strictly regional. Here's my theory:

Those of us who grew up attending churches where we recited the Lord's Prayer in unison every Sunday learned to say "hallowed be thy name." Some traditionalists gave the word its full three syllables, as King James would have: HAL-low-ed. The rest of us said HAL-load. Nobody said "hollowed be thy name"; that sounds sacrilegious. Now Hallowe'en (from All Hallow's Even) begins the same way, so we said it the same way. And that's how my dictionary says it should be pronounced, the first syllable rhyming with Pal.

Those of us who didn't say the Lord's Prayer on a regular basis encountered the word Halloween and sounded it out. The first four letters formed the word Hall, rhymes with Tall. So that's the way we said it, like Holloween.

 

Re: I hate Halloween.

That's a hell of a good costume.

 

Re: I hate Halloween.

We probably ended up with 125-130 kids or so. About average for our neighborhood.

Re: Whorish costumes. Our next door neighbors daughter 9she's 20) was dressed (barely) in what could only be described as town slut. (short, short top...short, short skirt...high heels and thigh highs) I could not believe it. However, as I was expressing outrage at how anyone could dress like that, my wife said: "Would it make a difference if you hadn't known her since she was 10?"


Hmmmm

 

Re: I hate Halloween.

Mrs. Huggy handed out the candy and said we ran out at 7:30. She estimates we had about 175 kids. I took seven-year-old Huggy Jr. out (he was a pirate) and we went around for about 45 minutes or so when he'd decided he'd had enough because it was pretty cold and windy by the time 7:30 rolled around.

Our neighbourhood was teeming with kids but there didn't seem to be as many houses giving out as we'd seen other years. Huggy Jr. did all right and got plenty of Reese's Peanut Cutter Cups - which he doesn't like but dad treats like crack - as well as plenty of mini 3 Musketters, one hell of an underrated chocolate bar.

 

Re: I hate Halloween.

I missed out on the best part of Halloween: half-price candy. Target was all out, except for some cans o' candy corn. The Stop & Shop near my office had an almost equally pathetic selection. I might walk over to Pathmark in the morning, but I fear I'll just be disappointed again.

 

Re: I hate Halloween.

I got some Smarties for the office and some Pixy Stix for me.

 

Re: I hate Halloween.

Mmmmmm ... Reeses.

If gluttony is so wrong, I don't want to be right.

And as for my cat ... it is an it. It used to be a she.

 

Re: I hate Halloween.

Bought six bags of "fun size" candy bars. Had one knock on the door. Anyone want some Baby Ruths, Butterfingers or Paydays, come on over. Otherwise, I'll just get fat(ter).

 

Re: I hate Halloween.

I knew I forgot to do something this morning...

 

Re: I hate Halloween.

old_tony does not, apparently, live in Springfield.

 

Re: I hate Halloween.

I enjoy Hallowe'en for just one reason: My 10-year-old son.

Brett has Asperger's syndrome (a mild form of autism), so he reacts to things much different than normal kids.

I walked -- no, I just tried to keep up with him -- down a few streets. Aside from panicking every time he darted across the street without me (scares the shit out of me), he is a joy to watch.

He runs -- I mean RUNS -- up to each door and excitedly rings the doorbell. "Trick or treat" greets everyone who answers. "Thank you" always follows the treat.

Then, running back down, he yells, for many blocks to hear, "Daddy!! I got a (fill in the blank)!! As if it's the first time he ever saw a Snickers or a pack of M&M's.

Then, at the end of the night, come the words I have come to love more than any other:

"Thank you, Daddy, for taking me (fill in the blank)."

Gawd, I love that kid.

 

Re: I hate Halloween.

pretty damn cool, Harley