[Ansteorra] What happened to Halloween (was Lead *Rant*)

[Lisa]

Actually, I'm in my late 30's and I remember walking around in the
neighborhood by myself trick or treating.  Lots and lots of candy, some of
it homemade like candy apples and popcorn balls.  None of it was ever
checked and it was all delicious, as well as safe.  I do remember though
sometime in my youth the fear of homemade treats popping up, possibly in
reaction to the incidents you mentioned.  We didn't worry about it because
in our neighborhood, everyone knew everyone and it wasn't a concern, but I
do remember parents no longer taking their kids out of the neighborhood.

Later on, when I was in high school, it really hit home as a classmate ate a
piece of candy that his niece had gotten out while trick or treating and had
to be rushed to the ER as the candy was apparently rolled in crushed glass.

Now as an adult with children of my own, I am very careful who and how my
children trick or treat, and appreciate the "harvest festivals" that are put
on now.

Elizabeta

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Silverhands" <silverhands at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 29, 2006 10:42 AM
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] What happened to Halloween (was Lead *Rant*)


>
> On Oct 29, 2006, at 7:46 AM, Robin Craig wrote:
>
> > You know, its not only warning labels, it affects our traditions
> > too.  To my knowledge, no one ever put razorblades in candy apples or
> > poisoned popcorn balls on halloween. Yet, the tradition of trick or
> > treating is now becoming a tradition of going to the mall instead
> > because of this fear.  Last week I saw a show on the news about the
> > threat of child molesters and halloween and I thought to myself,
> > don't parents go with and supervise their kids while trick or
> > treating?  Mine did. Even when I was older.  I may not have liked it,
> > but if I wanted the candy....
> >
> > -Robin Anderson of Ross
> >
>
> When I was a kid, none of those things were problems. Kids went trick-
> or-treating, typically on their own block but sometimes ranging
> further afield -- maybe walking to the next block over, or taking
> your bike to the other side of the neighborhood. It was safe -- not
> because there were lots of precautions, but because there was no need
> of them -- and it was fun.
>
> In 1974, Ronald Clark O'Bryan -- a whack job in Pasadena (a suburb of
> Houston, where I grew up) -- murdered his son for the insurance
> money. He chose to do so by putting cyanide-laced Pixie Stix into his
> son's Halloweed candy bags. This killed his son, but it also
> effectively killed Halloween trick-or-treating in Houston (if not the
> whole state) for several years. Right about that same time, another
> whack job decided to put razor blades into some candied apples --
> again, it turned out, hoping to injure their own child(ren?).
>
> When Halloween trick-or-treating re-emerged, it was closer to what it
> is now (block parties, parents accompanying their kids, trick-or-
> treating at the mall, carloads of kids and teenagers cruising other
> neighborhoods than their own, etc.) than it had been before. But just
> keep in mind: those aren't "ancient traditions". Things have only
> been like this for about 30 years (give or take). If you're in your
> 30's now (or younger), then "it's always been that way". If you're in
> your 40's (or older), then you remember when it changed.
>
> Michael
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