I'm not offended by Halloween, only by the idea that it gives vandals an excuse to go out and cause grief to people. I'm too scared at Halloween to put pumpkins or other decorations on my front porch anymore as several have been stolen or destroyed. So why invite trouble. I don't even participate in trick or treat night anymore, I keep my porch light out. It was mostly older kids (teenagers) that would come around and some were not even in costume, just standing there holding out their bag for a handout.

Our town now holds an afternoon trick or treat party in the city park and at the different stores downtown. The kids and parents parade down the sidewalks going from store to store. There are games and prizes and lots of goodies. It just seems much safer this way and for the past few years it has grown larger with more participants.

Other than this I am not offended in the least by anything "ghostly". Not superstitious either.

Janet

Personally, I loved Haloween when my kids were little. We would traditionally go to a big party at friends where adults and children dressed up. We'd take the kids trick or treating and come back for food and fireworks. It was great fun for everyone. A lion costume I made (I am not much of a seamstress) for my older son was later worn by his brother. It's since been the costume of my older grandson and recently my younger grandson. I hope one day my son, who's costume it was in the first place, will have a son to wear it. During these years, I was, among other things, an old lady, a baby, and Ronald McDonald! Happy Halloween everyone. McT

I guess I see Halloween as a fun holiday, for adults and kids alike. I just now came online to try to find a couple haunted houses for us to go to in a week or two. The powers that be closed the best one around. It was called "Terror in the Woods" We always went to that one. They gave 1.00 off admission for a donation to the food pantry, and believe me, the place attracted thousands of visitors, so the donation was huge. They sold food and souvineers too, if you were so inclined. It was the only Haunted House I have ever been to that took you through an old farmhouse, then outside around the property. It took quite awhile to get through, the spooks and scares were apleanty, and it was well worth the visit.

When I was a kid it was a big deal to go to the school sponsored Halloween party. My mom always worked very hard at making all of my costumes, and I always hoped I would win the prize for best one. Though I never did, I still had fun. They always did the thing where they blindfolded you then made you feel things like spaghetti and called it brains, or grapes and said they were eyeballs.

We don't do anything like this at my school. The Kindergarten students are allowed to dress up at the end of the day and have a parade. That's it. We have to many students whose parents have very strong feelings against Halloween. So the only stories I can read students when they come into the library are pumpkin stories. In the meantime Halloween and Ghost stories are the number one books checked out throughout the school year. Kids can't get enough of them. So this year I decided I am going to read whatever I want, and if some student can't listen to it then they can sit in the lower level of my library. They can look at books while the other students listen to Skippyjon Jones and the Mummy.