Do you put out candy for the trick-or-treaters?

rachel6543

Thu, Nov 01 2012, 2:24 pm

We get very few trick or treaters in my neighborhood. When my son goes to bed (6:30-7pm) I just put a note on the door "Baby Sleeping, please don't ring bell or knock. Help yourself to treats below" and I leave a bowl of treats out.

If you don't want to give out candy or leave a bowl of treats out, you can always just leave a note on the door "Sorry, out of candy."

imasinger

Thu, Nov 01 2012, 3:11 pm

We live OOT on a street that is so popular that people drive from 20-30 minutes away to trick-or-treat on it. We give out candy (usually 200-300 pieces, and then run out and have nothing for the next 50-100 visitors), because we think it's mentschlich.

I might not do it next year, though, because my 10 year old, who has Asperger's has a very difficult time understanding boundaries, and why it's OK with me to admire costumes and give a piece of candy, but not to jump out and yell "BOO" at the kids.

Plus, everyone feels deprived that I buy all this candy and there aren't any leftovers for them -- even when I save out a few pieces for each child, they still are resentful. Sigh.

marshmellow

Thu, Nov 01 2012, 3:57 pm

yes I do. I don't see what it has to do with whether it being a Jewish holiday, a non Jewish holiday, Jewish kids or non Jewish kids. There are all kinds of festivals of all the different religions, and halloween is just a day for kids to dress up and have fun
All the children want is sweets, and one must give them. - It's a mitzvah to make children happy

greenfire

Thu, Nov 01 2012, 5:29 pm

I used to give but my block is now transient & all these teens pop out of cars from who knows where & grab it all up within 5 minutes ~ so I stopped

I do recall as a little girl sneaking away with my sister to be like the other kids & get candy from everyone in our neighboring apartment building ... omg we weren't even dressed in costume & it was like look at all this loot ~ had my father found out he would've killed us

I have 2 black kitties and people seem to be afraid of them ~ anyhoo ... I also have a witches hat & how I would have loved to sit with them on my porch geared with broomstick & all saying 'come here my little pretty ~ BOO !!!' Twisted Evil

[alas 'twas too cold because of the storms]

greenfire

Thu, Nov 01 2012, 5:40 pm

I think nowadays hardly anybody knows & think it's all about fun & candy - but once you're on a computer you can do the research yourself ...

Quote:

Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of "All Hallows' Evening"),[5] also known as All Hallows' Eve,[6] is a yearly celebration observed in a number of countries on October 31, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows (or All Saints). According to many scholars, it was originally influenced by western European harvest festivals and festivals of the dead with possible pagan roots, particularly the Celtic Samhain.[6][7][8] Others maintain that it originated independently of Samhain and has Christian roots.[9] Halloween is celebrated as a religious festical by Wiccans who refer to it as Samhain.[10]

Typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (also known as "guising"), attending costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

All Saints' Day (in the Roman Catholic Church officially the Solemnity of All Saints and also called All Hallows or Hallowmas[3]), often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November by parts of Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honour of all the saints, known and unknown. In the Western calendar it is the day after Halloween and the day before All Souls' Day.

In Western Christian theology, the day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven. It is a national holiday in many historically Catholic countries. In the Catholic Church and many Anglican churches, the next day specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. Christians who celebrate All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day do so in the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful spiritual bond between those in purgatory (the 'Church Suffering'), those in heaven (the 'Church triumphant'), and the living (the 'Church militant'). Other Christian traditions define, remember and respond to the saints in different ways; for example, in the Methodist Church, the word "saints" refers to all Christians and therefore, on All Saints' Day, the Church Universal, as well as the deceased members of a local congregation, are honored and remembered.

All Saints' Day (in the Roman Catholic Church officially the Solemnity of All Saints and also called All Hallows or Hallowmas[3]), often shortened to All Saints, is a solemnity celebrated on 1 November by parts of Western Christianity, and on the first Sunday after Pentecost in Eastern Christianity, in honour of all the saints, known and unknown. In the Western calendar it is the day after Halloween and the day before All Souls' Day.

In Western Christian theology, the day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven. It is a national holiday in many historically Catholic countries. In the Catholic Church and many Anglican churches, the next day specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. Christians who celebrate All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day do so in the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful spiritual bond between those in purgatory (the 'Church Suffering'), those in heaven (the 'Church triumphant'), and the living (the 'Church militant'). Other Christian traditions define, remember and respond to the saints in different ways; for example, in the Methodist Church, the word "saints" refers to all Christians and therefore, on All Saints' Day, the Church Universal, as well as the deceased members of a local congregation, are honored and remembered.

finprof

Thu, Nov 01 2012, 8:46 pm

DH is very against Halloween so I just turned off the lights but several people rang our bell anyway. I felt bad so today I went and bought candy (@ half price), bagged it up and put it in the mailboxes of our neighbors w/ kids w/a note that said, "Happy not Halloween" from us. I'm not sure if that was the best solution but it felt right.

shoeboxgirly

Thu, Nov 01 2012, 8:51 pm

My mum is very very very against halloween, and I'm no big fan, but I did buy some sweets in case my non-Jewish neighbours came by. I like my neighbours and want to maintain a good relationship with them. They didn't knock on my door and now I've got a few bags of sweets...oh well, more for me then.

marina

Fri, Nov 02 2012, 1:08 pm

My little kids give out candy at the door and are happy to make the other kids happy. Then they are happy to eat the leftover candy. Sometimes we happily feed meshulachim candy.

My older daughter goes trick or treating with her friends. She hasn't converted to paganism/ Wicca/ Christianity just yet, I'll let you know when that becomes a problem.

Overall a happy occassion.

marina

Fri, Nov 02 2012, 1:09 pm

Also, do help me understand how masses of children going "sukkah hopping" to demand candy from everyone on the block is all that different than trick or treating.

Oh, yes. I forgot. Because demanding candy on sukkos is surely a religious inyan, making the entire event meaningful. Yep.

ElTam

Sat, Nov 03 2012, 10:37 pm

Quote:

I think it is menshlicht and a kiddush Hashem to put out candy. Your kids will grow up knowing it is not something they are a part of because they don't dress up and collect candy. I think it is a way of showing your neighbours you are a nice person.

The worst that can happen is that you give someone a positive experience with an Orthodox Jew

This. And Marina, when we sukkah hop, we TAKE candy to the people we go visit. (I say "we," okay, the truth is, I pack up the treat bags before Sukkos but when they go sukkah hopping, they go with their Abba and I'm asleep in my jammies.)

marina

Sat, Nov 03 2012, 11:40 pm

That's nice Eltam- I've never heard of that minhag. But you can come hop at my sukkah anytime Smile

ValleyMom

Sun, Nov 04 2012, 12:51 am

We hand out kosher candy. Why should neighborhood kids be disappointed....

Tue, Nov 06 2012, 12:29 pm

My neighbor asked her Rabbi and was told to give out "mipnei darkei shalom" so she gives and I was told that as it has roots in paganism it is ossur to give so I don't.

greenfire

Tue, Nov 06 2012, 12:37 pm

you can come sukkah hopping to me ... however, I will make you sit & eat so you make a brocha ~ now it's all worthwhile ~ אמן !!!

ally

Tue, Nov 06 2012, 2:35 pm

marina wrote:

But you can't even make a leishev basukkah on candy.

Tue, Nov 06 2012, 6:08 pm

abby1776 wrote:

Growing up living out of town, we gave out candy. My parents attitude was its not a Jewish Holiday, we dont celebrate it just as we dont celebrat Chrstmas or Easter, but we can be neighborly and give out candy.

This! Growing up not-Orthodox in a mostly non-Jewish area, I did go trick-or-treating throughout my childhood. It was fun, and historical roots notwithstanding, not in any way part of a pagan holiday for us.

Having the porch light on means you're part of the fun, and very very few lights were off on Halloween. There was something strange, creepy and anti-social about the few dark homes in the neighborhood.

No, I don't "do" Halloween, and my child has never gone trick-or-treating, but I do try to be neighborly and participate in what is essentially a community party for kids. The light is on, and we do give something to anyone who comes by.

For me, it's not in the same category as x-mas or Easter - I don't go to community tree lighting ceremonies, or give Easter baskets to neighbors. On those occasions, I remain respectfully separate from the religious celebrations (and the related cultural activities) of my Christian neighbors.

de_goldy

Tue, Nov 06 2012, 10:28 pm

marina wrote:

Also, do help me understand how masses of children going "sukkah hopping" to demand candy from everyone on the block is all that different than trick or treating.

I have NEVER heard of that version of Sukkah hopping.