It's time to terrify kids about the evils of candy

[protege]

Perhaps I should clear something up here... I don't condone the vandalism either. But, there are some exceptions to that. For example, anyone who gets their jollies pushing others around deserves what they get. And yes, I'm talking about the idiots who live next door to my parents.

I've posted about them before on CS. They go out of their way to try and make other people feel miserable. As such, most people leave them alone. But, it doesn't stop them from trying to stir things up... Remember, not all of us are as tolerant.

That's why I always try to treat everyone with respect...and why I usually don't get messed with--you never know just who you're dealing with, or how they'll react. To some people though, that's a foreign concept

Anyway, their house has been vandalized many times over the years. Again, I don't condone it, but I see why it happens. It's been egged (including twice in one night; as soon as they cleaned it off and the cops left...it got hit again), TP'd, the car trashed, their "landscaping" rock spray-painted, and other damage. None of it was ever proven, but I'm sure it was at least one person who got tired of their abuse, and wanted to make their frustration known.

[XCashier]

Once for example, this girl with her mother with her knocked on my door and said "Trick or treat." She was dressed in normal clothes; the only indication that she was trick or treating was the fact that she carried a bag with "Trick or Treat Bag" on it. I told her to go home and get changed, cuz I was not giving her sweets when she wasn't in costume.

Her mother then demanded to know why I was being so mean to her pwecious. I replied that since her daughter wasn't in costume, that made her a beggar and I didn't give anything to beggars.

Precisely. If you won't follow the rules, you don't get to play. That goes for everything, not just Trick-Or-Treat.

[Fryk]

Halloween, Christmas . . . For all their headaches, these are, to a large extent, still holidays for children, for children to have fun, and for children to be children.

I take offense to that! Halloween and Christmas are also about adults being able to act like kids.

[AdminAssistant]

These are probably the same people who insisted on giving "practical" gifts like sweaters, socks, and underwear to children on Christmas . . . and then seriously could not understand why the kids didn't seem thrilled.

Maybe it's because I'm from a poor family, but I was thrilled with any present I got, be it underwear, a sweater, or a new toy. My parents impressed upon my sister and me that we should be grateful for whatever we were given, no matter if it was on our wish list or not. If there was a good crop, we might get something really good, like the year we both got TV's. On bad years, we would mostly get practical things, along with maybe one or two toys we really really wanted. Even if we might privately grumble about Grandma only giving us $1 a piece or about the ugly sweaters my aunt would buy us, we still had to say thank you and wear the sweater next time we'd see that aunt.

Nowadays, I want practical gifts, because I'm poor and my folks are poor. I don't want them wasting their money, and if they are going to get me something, then I'd rather it be something I need, y'know?

Sorry, but I think whining about receiving any kind of gift, just because it's not exactly what you want, is bratty to say the least. "Punishing" someone by vandalizing their property is downright criminal.

[BroomJockey]

Sorry, but I think whining about receiving any kind of gift, just because it's not exactly what you want, is bratty to say the least. "Punishing" someone by vandalizing their property is downright criminal.

I agree about the vandalizing, but I shall relate my own story of a less than wonderful gift I received, and relatively recently (about 5 years ago, or so) so they should have known better.

My aunt and uncle gave me a cologne set. I'm sure it was relatively expensive, and I'm sure it smelled nice. But when I opened it, if anyone had been looking at me, they would have thought I received a shot puppy. I managed to pull myself together and give a weak thank you, but I think that was more than they deserved for that one.

Why? I'm horribly allergic to most commercial scents, both cologne/perfume, and cleaning agents. I ended up having to regift it to someone who actually can wear that stuff.

[the_std]

Maybe it's because I'm from a poor family, but I was thrilled with any present I got, be it underwear, a sweater, or a new toy.

Even if we might privately grumble about Grandma only giving us $1 a piece or about the ugly sweaters my aunt would buy us, we still had to say thank you and wear the sweater next time we'd see that aunt.

You were obviously not thrilled with any present you got. You might act grateful, but that's politeness, not actually being happy about it.

Just wanted to point out the problem there.

[AdminAssistant]

Just wanted to point out the problem there.

Whoops!

Yeah, no excuse. My brain is just goop lately. *sigh* How long 'til this semester's over??

[MystyGlyttyr]

I don't think anyone advocated vandalism, but face facts, it's one of the things kids do. "Oh, I never did!" Well, good for you. The vast majority of us did stuff like that because we were kids and we didn't think shit like that through. You're a kid, you get mad, or you're bored, or whatever, and you do stupid things. It happens, whether or not people want to admit to it.

So far as the OP, good idea in theory by the dentist, sort of goofy execution though. Underpaying like crazy, candy is freaking expensive these days. And further, you'd think he'd want them to wolf it all down so he could perform those expensive fillings and whatnot. *snicker*

[Flyndaran]

I don't think anyone advocated vandalism, but face facts, it's one of the things kids do. "Oh, I never did!" Well, good for you. The vast majority of us did stuff like that because we were kids and we didn't think shit like that through. You're a kid, you get mad, or you're bored, or whatever, and you do stupid things. It happens, whether or not people want to admit to it.
...

And as it happens, they should be arrested for vandalism. Being young is not an excuse for criminal activity.

[DesignFox]

Oh please. I'm pretty sure most of the vandalizing comments were made in jest.

I don't think anyone here is seriously advocating criminal activity.

For the most part, it's just like Mysty said. Kids are kids. They do stupid shit. I'm sure some people's houses do end up TP'd or egged or whatever for various reasons which may or may not include having given out "bad" trick or treat candy/stuff. I'm pretty sure random people who do nothing to displease anyone end up with their houses egged or TP'd on mischief night, just because it is mischief night. Who knows. Maybe the kids don't like their hedges or something. It happens. Unless the little shits are out doing permanent, malicious damage, it's all part of the holiday.

Most of the people in my neighborhood took it in stride or scared the kids straight if they caught them (yelled, called cops, whatever...no one got arrested and dragged to jail over some toilet paper or rotten egg for god's sake.)

[Flyndaran]

Oh please. I'm pretty sure most of the vandalizing comments were made in jest.

I don't think anyone here is seriously advocating criminal activity.

... Unless the little shits are out doing permanent, malicious damage, it's all part of the holiday.

Most of the people in my neighborhood took it in stride or scared the kids straight if they caught them (yelled, called cops, whatever...no one got arrested and dragged to jail over some toilet paper or rotten egg for god's sake.)

Eggs damaging my property, littering causing me hours of work, these are crimes that should be treated as such. Advocating them is condoning criminal activity.
I never would have done that crap as a youth, and don't believe anyone but a punk would do it.
The holiday is about candy and costumes, not vandalism!
You can roll your eyes right out of your head for all I care. If anyone did that to my property, I would demand police action.

[Boozy]

I'm with you, Flyndaran.

I would never have vandalized someone's property when I was young. Throwing eggs at someone's house, or smashing the pumpkins they (or their children) painstakingly carved, or destroying their mailboxes....these things are just mean. Kids who possess a sense of empathy for others do not do them, and kids who are too young to have developed this sense of empathy are too young to be out unsupervised.

[DesignFox]

I'm just saying that I think it's an overreaction to involve the authorities if the kids aren't doing permanent property damage. I would think resolving the issue with the kids parents would be a more ideal approach.

I'm not saying kids should get away with stuff. I'm just saying that in a lot of cases, kids will be kids. Shake 'em up a bit. If they don't learn their lesson the first time (repeat offenses) call the cops. There's a huge difference between TPing the tree and causing permanent property damage.

And I do agree with Boozy that smashing people's pumpkins is evil and mean. That was the one thing I used to see as aftermath of mischief night that would anger me.

I never had the desire to do those things as a kid, and even if I did, I was expressly forbidden from doing so. For a lot of years I was not even permitted to leave the house on mischief night (not so much that my parents feared what I would do...more had my safety in mind and not wanting me to end up in the wrong place at the wrong time).

The only TP'ing I took part in was with the marching band...and everyone was involved with that. LOL You also got as good as you gave! It was almost an insult *not* to have your house TP'd.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Never once used eggs. As for silly string and flour and water, the first does not leave any permanent marks and the second will come off with a bit of scrubbing. Neither causes any damage.

I too think it's mean and nasty to smash pumpkins; someone put a lot of work into that to entertain their kids, after all. How would they like it if someone smashed something they'd worked on?

[DesignFox]

Never once used eggs. As for silly string and flour and water, the first does not leave any permanent marks and the second will come off with a bit of scrubbing. Neither causes any damage.
<snip>

That's what I mean. I don't think someone doing what you were doing deserves to have an arrest record.