Halloween Afterthoughts

Cindy loves Halloween.  She loves dressing up in her Goofy costume, buying candy, carving pumpkins, etc.  For me, it's not that big of a deal.  Actually, I'm having to get used to trick-or-treaters again.  For most of my ministry experience, I've been part of a church that hosted some kind of event on Halloween.  So, I haven't been at home.  Greater Gresham hosts the Fall Family Festival, but we did ours on Friday evening this year.

Thinking back on this year's Halloween I have a couple of thoughts:

1. Why do we spend so much money dressing up as someone else and asking/ for and giving away candy?  According to mint.com - "This year, more consumers plan on dressing in costume spending a whopping $2.5 billion on costumes, alone. Consumers are even indulging pets in the fun with an estimated $310 million being spent on pint-sized pet costumes."  This doesn't even count the amount of money spend on candy, rehab for children coming off of sugar highs, and therapy for parents trying to deal with kids hooked on mounds of candy.
2. What's with high-schoolers and parents trick-or-treating?  C'mon people!!  It's for the kiddos!  I had one girl that was bigger than the dad escorting his kids to the door.  Even  he was surprised.  And she wasn't even as polite as the children.
3. I just don't get the entitlement attitude of some of the kids.  Last night more than one child looked in their bag with some level of disdain after I dropped some candy in it.  It's like I dissed them or something.  Get over it kid.  I don't owe you anything!  It's FREE candy.  Take it and your entitlement attitude, get a job, buy your own candy, and give it out as YOU like.
4. "Pick a couple" doesn't have the same meaning it used to.  Sometimes we would have the kids pick two pieces of candy.  We would say something like "Pick a couple" or "Take a couple."  More than once Cindy and I encountered a trick-or-treater that, for some unknown reason, thought "a couple" meant an entire handful.  WHAT?!  It means TWO.  When did the definition change?

To be honest, there were plenty of children and parents that were appreciative, smiling, having a good time, and  very friendly.  So what I experienced last night was not the norm, it's just what stood out in my mind. I just think things have changed quite a bit since I was a kid.

What's your thoughts about Halloween. 

Man, I feel old!
Mike