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TRICK OR TREATING

WHAT IT REALLY IS

compiled by Dee Finney

9-14-02 - DREAM - I was hired back at Juneau Village apartments in Milwaukee as Manager. It was fancier than it had been in the 90's and there was a solarium between the buildings instead of a courtyard. There were more offices than before and more secretaries. No maintenance had been done for several months - work orders and purchase orders were stacked and nothing done, so Joe K. was hired back at the same time I was, so he and his helpers were swamped with work. The hallways were all newly painted pale yellow. Joe convinced me that we should allow 'Trick or Treating' at Halloween because there were kids living in the building. After he left for the day, I changed my mind about this and went back to the office to make a sign to post in the lobby - 'NO TRICK OR TREATING' because I was afraid that the kids and parents would tack decorations all over the newly painted walls and woodwork. I was looking for a pad of yellow legal paper to make the sign with and saw single sheets here and there, but every sheet I found was already written on. I couldn't find a single sheet of unused paper. One gal's desk had every drawer stuff with candy. Two women came in looking for their mail and we hunted for it and never found it. At one point a huge dark blue trash truck came to the building. The truck had to tip over backwards to deliver something - I didn't see what it was. (It might have been delivering trash containers for us to use) The cute driver invited me to ride with him up the street so I could see what it was like to do his job. So I got in a seat that was behind the driver's seat (he was on the right side). There was a young boy up in front next to the driver on the left. I said, "I've never ridden in a garbage truck before. It's really nice in here."  The cute driver leaned back and smiled at me in appreciation. At the end of the block, the driver said, "As long as I'm this far, I might as well make these other deliveries too," and he drove up into a subdivision that would take at least an hour to go through to deliver his containers. So, I hopped out of the truck at that point and had to walk back to the apartment buildings. It was quarter to 8 p.m. and I didn't want to work past 8 p.m. There were still things going on. I kept looking for a piece of yellow paper and still couldn't find one. I actually didn't find any blank pieces of paper or cardboard anywhere. There was writing on everything I found. A young maintenance guy came back to the building to double-check that the door inside the solarium was locked, but I hadn't been given the keys to the solarium, though there was a huge ring of keys laying right there, I was of no help to him because I didn't know which key it was. Finally, instead of a 'NO TRICK OR TREATING' sign, I fashioned a clay model of a pink bunny rabbit with white ears on the desk, and decided to pin that up in the lobby instead of a sign, which showed the people we were Christian and we weren't going to support 'TRICK OR TREATING'.

Halloween Ban Brings Boos In Puyallup October 26, 2004   By Kevin Reece PUYALLUP, WA - After KOMO 4 News first reported that the Puyallup School superintendent had cancelled all Halloween festivities in Puyallup schools, a flood of email and phone calls followed: to the district office and to KOMO-TV. The outrage was almost universal. And if the school board didn't have a good handle on that outrage before Monday night's school board meeting they certainly did after. It started with students in costumes and toting picket signs asking poignant school-kid questions like "what's next Santa?" Inside Ballou Junior High School dozens of the children and parents wore costumes in protest and gave the school superintendent something much less than a Halloween treat. "It's rare for our town of Puyallup to make the national news," said Puyallup parent Bebe Colley. "Unfortunately we did not make it by greatness of achievement. We made it by being ridiculous." "These kids do not offend people by the way they dress," said another mom with her two young children beside her in their Halloween costumes. "They dress because they look up to what they dress as. It's a day for them to pretend to be someone they want to be." And at least one self proclaimed Wiccan agreed with the majority of parents who attended the meeting. Wiccans are the religious group cited in school district guidelines as in need of protection from negative stereotyping. "I want to assure you that Wiccans, Pagans and witches and other members of our faith community on the whole are not offended," said Larry Klingele. There was one brave voice of dissent. An elementary school student who is Jewish told the school board and the crowd of several hundred that she is offended by Halloween and celebrations in school. "You're just missing out on a couple parties," said Allison Schultz addressing the concerns of other students upset by the cancellation of Halloween parties in class. "You're just missing out on coloring your fun skeleton creepy worksheets. It's not a big deal." But for one full hour Monday night parents, students, and self-proclaimed Wiccans, Pagans, and witches, told the school board this was a big deal and that they want the board to reconsider. "If your spirituality or your religion is that fragile keep your kid at home on that day," said another parent. "Let's not remove the culture from our community." When we first reported the Puyallup School District's decision to cancel all in-school Halloween festivities, including parties and costumes, a district spokesperson cited three reasons: that parties are a waste of valuable classroom time, that some students can't afford costumes, and that some members of the community (specifically Wiccans) could find Halloween stereotypes offensive. After an hour of verbal bombardment at the school board meeting the same spokesperson says the decision will not change. "As far as I know the decision was final," said Karen Hansen after the meeting. "The board I'm sure is going to consider the comments that were made but I don't expect a change." "Would you expect an announcement of any kind that there is or is not going to be a reconsideration?" I asked. "I don't believe so," said Hansen. "I don't believe there's going to be a comment on this issue." Fearful of Offending Wiccans, School District Invokes Vanishing Act By Jim Brown October 25, 2004 (AgapePress) - A school district in the state of Washington has banned all forms of Halloween activities, arguing they are a waste of time and disrespectful to witches. The decision by Puyallup School District to ditch its annual Halloween celebration has outraged scores of parents and students. District spokeswoman Karen Hansen says students dressed up Halloween costumes might be "offensive" to members of the Wiccan religion. The district says its decision to ban the festivities is final and irreversible. Tonya Reynolds, whose daughter attends an elementary school in the district, says she was shocked the district would consider taking this action. "This has been a tradition in our schools for years and years," she laments, "and we've already changed most of it over from being a Halloween [observance] to just a harvest festival anyway." She also takes issue with the argument about offending people of the pagan Wiccan religion. "The idea that the costumes were offensive to Wiccans and such? I don't think it ever crossed a child's mind that that was an issue, nor an adult's," she says. "I think they're being very outlandish about the whole thing." The Puyallup mom says it seems the rights of Wiccans supersede those of non-pagans. "A Wiccan now has more rights than [me] -- they're protected, yet I am not. We need to be very sensitive to all of their needs and all their concerns, but not mine," she offers somewhat sarcastically. "What about my concern that this is tradition; that this is what our schools have done, this is what our children have done, this is what our parents have done for years and years?" Reynolds asks. "And because all of a sudden we have this irrational fear of being politically correct, we're going to change all of our traditions?" Since the district has been sued in the past, Reynolds believes it is afraid of not being politically correct on every issue. But, she says, that attitude has to end. © 2004 AgapePress all rights reserved. Definitely no Halloween in Puyallup schools Monday, October 25, 2004 PUYALLUP, Wash. – It's a story that has grabbed headlines and put Puyallup in the national spotlight. The school district has canceled Halloween, but Monday night, hundreds of parents and kids were fighting back. It's become an emotional issue in Puyallup. Many showed up in costume to protest the school district's decision. Among the 300 at the school board meeting Monday night, many of the kids and parents were in costumes, and some said they were witches. The controversy was sparked by the superintendent's decision to cancel Halloween parties during school hours. While the school board says the ban is really all about the quality of education, some parents say its political correctness gone too far. Still, there were a few voices supporting the administration. But despite shouts for a vote to reconsider, the board let the policy stand. Witches May Be Offended? By Dave Gibson (10/25/04)  If you have any doubt that liberals in possession of room-temperature I.Q.'s are running our public school systems...I may be able to convince you. The school district of Puyallup, Wa. has banned Halloween celebrations in all of their schools. Children in Puyallup will not be wearing their costumes to school this year, no parties, no candy, and no fun. Halloween has been banned because the Puyallup School District is afraid that the traditional celebrations could be offensive to real witches. Real Witches! District Spokeswoman Karen Hansen explained: "Witches with pointy noses and things like that are not respective symbols of the Wiccan religion and so we want to be respectful of that." One of the official school guidelines for celebrating holidays in Puyallup is as follows: "Use of derogatory stereotypes is prohibited, such as the traditional image of a witch is offensive to members of the Wiccan religion." A shocking Puyallup School District internal email claims that "the Wiccan religion is a bona fide religion under the law, and its followers are entitled to all the protections afforded more mainstream religions. Building administrators should not tolerate such inappropriate stereotyping (images such as Witches on flying brooms, stirring cauldrons, casting spells, or with long noses and pointed hats) and address them as you would hurtful stereotypes of any other minority." "Any other minority"...So the Puyallup, Wa. School District believes that a child wearing a witch's hat or pretending to fly around on a broom, is equivalent with black schoolchildren being called nigger! Very interesting. Perhaps, the Puyallup town council should ban the local Wal-Mart from selling devil costumes, so as not to offend any satan-worshippers. Why not also ban the sale of plastic fangs?...I am certain that they do not wish to offend any real vampires. When I was a kid, many of us made our own costumes. Every year, there were a few kids who dressed up as bums. They wore old, torn clothing and rubbed shoe polish on their faces to appear dirty. I remember one of my friends walking around drinking soda out of a paper bag all day. I can only imagine the liberal ire which one would now raise by such an impersonation. No doubt, some leftist school official would claim it to be offensive to whinos! When the people given the awesome task of teaching our children believe that real witches deserve the same lawful protection that Jews or Blacks have...It is easy to see that we are very close to a collective mental breakdown. We are definitely living in the End Times!

After completing two years at Tidewater Community College, Dave Gibson became a Virginia Beach Deputy Sheriff. He has since left the department and now owns a small business in the city of Chesapeake, Virginia. An active volunteer in many animal organizations, he has worked at the Virginia Zoo, the Norfolk SPCA, and currently works for the K-9 New Life Center based in Virginia Beach.

Halloween bedevils some U.S. churches   Mon Oct 25, 2004 By Dahleen Glanton Tribune national correspondent Every weekend in October through Halloween, thousands of people converge on this rural town to take a trip down the Tribulation Trail.   Reuters Slideshow: Halloween   The wooded path behind Metro Heights Baptist Church leads them through scenes of a battleground in Iraq, to a world ruled by the devil and to a meeting with Christ, who invites Christians into heaven and sends sinners to hell.  As in a typical haunted house, the scenes are scary and graphic. Though the trail is centered on Halloween, it is not meant to celebrate the holiday. The trail and a growing number of events like it are meant as an alternative to Halloween--as a depiction of real-life wickedness.  Some evangelical Christians have waged a battle for two decades to erase Halloween from American culture, saying the observance glorifies evil. The debate on whether Halloween is a secular or religious event has received renewed energy this year because it falls on a Sunday.  Christians across the country, particularly in the Bible Belt, have flooded local government offices with requests to forbid Sunday celebrations or move them to Saturday so they won't conflict with the Sabbath.  "It's a demonic spirit day," said Deborah Griggs, 36, of Newnan, Ga., who does not allow her three boys to celebrate Halloween. "God should get the glory on Sunday and Saturday as well. Halloween should be canceled altogether."  Halloween has its roots in Europe in the pre-Christian Celtic festival of Samhain, during which it was believed ghosts of the dead revisited Earth. When Christianity took over and All Saints' Day (or Allhallows) was set on Nov. 1, the night before that became known as Allhallows Eve, or Halloween.  Commercial success  In modern times, the holiday has been transformed into a highly commercialized event in this country, celebrated by children and adults and generating more than $7 billion a year. For most people, it is simply a day or night of fun and a cause to dress up in silly costumes.  But many Christians, as well as some Jews and Muslims, choose not to observe Halloween because it conflicts with their religious values. Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition, has said they should "close Halloween down" and that children who dress up as witches are "acting out Satanic rituals."  The issue rose to the forefront in the 1980s with the return of evangelicals to the political arena, and became a part of the broader movement dealing with school prayer and abortion, said Charles Haynes, senior scholar for the First Amendment Center in Arlington, Va.  "Some evangelical and conservative parents asked, `If we can't have Jesus in [the schools] in December, why can we have witches and ghosts in October?' They see it as a religious issue, but it does not have much of a legal basis," Haynes said.  "No court is likely to see the secular use of ghost or witch images as a religious imposition," he said. "But that does not mean it's right to do it. Halloween has become a big public-relations issue, especially in schools. And districts that have the least problems have learned to compromise."  While city officials have not tried to legally dictate when Halloween celebrations can be held, many municipalities, such as Bowling Green, Ky.; Phenix City, Ala.; and Grand Rapids, Mich., have responded to the pleas of residents and made it clear that Saturday is the preferred day.  In Columbus, Ga., Mayor Bob Poydasheff got several such requests and announced during a City Council meeting that residents should consider celebrating on Saturday rather than Sunday.  "The mayor felt it would be a good thing to encourage people, without mandating anything, because many churches in the community have services on Sunday evening," said Ed Wilson, the mayor's assistant. "We wanted to avoid a conflict."  Theologians say there is no single perspective on Halloween, but some Christians see the observance as a tribute to paganism and the devil. The anti-Halloween movement has attracted a large following, particularly in the South, the cradle of the fundamentalist evangelical movement. "The more rigorous fundamentalists seem to have the most concern that Halloween affirms the reality of the devil and Satan," said Charles Lippy, a religious studies professor at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Separating fantasy, reality "One of the problems is that adults may have more of a problem than the children in separating reality from fantasy," Lippy said. "Kids who dress up as princesses or devils seem to know full well that is not who they are, and that it is a game and exercise in imagination." For years, some Christians have lobbied schools to discontinue Halloween parties, and when they refused, they kept their children home from the events. On Halloween night, they stayed inside with their porch lights off and their curtains closed, signaling to trick-or-treaters that they were unwelcome. But in recent years, religious opponents of Halloween have become more active. Many schools and churches hold harvest festivals as an alternative to Halloween parties. Many families have decided to open their doors to trick-or-treaters, but along with the candy, they hand out religious tracts, little pamphlets that teach children about Christ. More than 3,000 "hell houses" like Tribulation Trail have sprung up across the country. The idea of scary but faith-based alternatives to haunted houses took root in the 1970s at Rev. Jerry Falwell's Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Liberty's event, called ScareMare, presents frightening scenes of death to pose the religious question: "What will happen when you die?" The "hell house" idea has grown in popularity despite criticism of graphic portrayals of people dying of AIDS, abortions, gang shootings, drunken drivers and teenage suicide. On Tribulation Trail, there is a large picture of singers Britney Spears and Madonna  kissing as one example of the decline of family values. The idea of alternative haunted houses has been promoted in recent years by Keenan Roberts, who created "Hell House" near Denver in 1995 and began marketing it to other religious organizations across the country. Several churches now sell kits. "There was a lot of heat in the 1990s, but some of our critics just ran out of gas. We have not changed one thing about how we go about what we feel needs to be communicated," said Roberts, pastor of Destiny Church of the Assemblies of God in Northglenn, Colo. "We tell people that sin always brings about devastating results. But when you get tired of sin, Jesus is there knocking on the door waiting to forgive you," he said. At the end of the Tribulation Trail, counselors are available to talk to those who want to learn more. A minister prays for the group and hands out Bibles. Sometimes, volunteers said, people's lives are changed. "The devil has a counterpart for everything God does. Halloween is one of them," said Elaine Law, 45, who volunteers as a counselor. "We are here until 1 a.m. If we can save one person, it's worth it."

Halloween Trick Or Treating Canceled At Local Mall POSTED: 4:31 p.m. EDT October 23, 2001 RALEIGH -- Raleigh's North Hills Mall has cancelled its annual trick-or-treating tradition this year "just to be on the safe side." A mall spokesperson says the event was canceled in response to recent events and a widely circulated e-mail hoax warning people to avoid malls on Halloween due to the possible threat of a terrorist incident. The trick-or-treating traditionally took place at the mall on Halloween night, and the mall offered a haunted house in the week leading up to Halloween. That haunted house will be open again this year, but at an off-site location. The decision to hold the haunted house off-site was made long before September 11, mall officials say. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Black Cats Go Into Hiding'-MSNBC (10/15/99) MILWAUKEE, Oct. 15 - They're cute and cuddly, but if you want to adopt a black cat, this isn't the time of year to do it. In fact, at the Wisconsin Humane Society, you can't until after Halloween because the society's worried that black cats could become targets of torture. The Wisconsin Humane Society believes these cats are vulnerable to torture this time of year, given all the tales about black cats being bad luck, misfortune and evil. Halloween Brings Tricks, Threats To Black Cats'-by Marian Uhlman, Philadelphia Inquirer (10/15/99) As Halloween approaches each year, George Bengle braces for a phone call asking him to investigate a torture of a black cat. He has turned up grisly remains - such as cats with severed heads or missing limbs - several times in 11 years as an investigator with the Women's Humane Society in Bensalem. The problem "is out there," he says, especially during this time of year. So strong is the fear that harm might befall black cats in the weeks leading up to Halloween that many animal shelters across the country prohibit their adoption until November. They see the black-cat moratorium as preventive care. Black cats are particularly vulnerable to cruelty because of age-old myths connecting them to misfortune and evil, according to animal experts. Those myths are revisited each year when the black cat becomes featured as a Halloween symbol. As such, they become the target of youthful pranksters and satanic worshipers, Bengle said. "I am very, very careful because I know people want animals for witchery things," said Phyllis Ruley, who runs the adoption program at the Frazer Animal Hospital in Chester County. "I am very leery, and I am skeptical of everyone." Fraidy Cat"-by Kris Jensen, Northscape Herald (10/17/99) Let's hope Poe's fiction really was fiction. Because around this time of year, bad things happen to good cats. Especially if they're black. Long considered by the superstitious to be witches in disguise, black cats bear the brunt of Halloween madness at the hands of pranksters. The myths, the mystery and the moment can propel people to do things around Halloween that wouldn't occur to them otherwise, and that's when your cats are in danger. Concerns with cults or Satanic worship in these parts are lower than in some other areas of the country, police said, but that doesn't mean your black kitty is safe in the yard. Vickie Wang, veterinarian at All Pets Hospital, is grateful she hasn't ever had to treat any incidences of Halloween-related animal abuse. "Personally, I've been very fortunate not to come across animals that have suffered at the hands of pranksters or some dark mysterious cult syndrome," she said. To keep it that way, she strongly recommends cat owners keep their furry friends indoors, especially as Halloween approaches. As Halloween nears, the Humane Society of Grand Forks won't adopt out any cat that is black, white or even a combination, said shelter supervisor Evie Horton. "Every year about a week or so before Halloween, we stop adopting out any cat that is all black, all white or black and white," Horton said. "It doesn't happen right here, but this is the time of year when Satan worshippers use these animals for sacrifices. "

Halloween: The Truth Behind the Mask What is Halloween? It's a time for Trick or Treats, Ghost stories, Pumpkins, Jack-O- Lanterns, Black cats, Costumes, Parties? Right? That is what I used to think. You probably thought that Halloween was a time for children dressed in cute costumes of witches, ghosts, and devils coming to knock at your door yelling "TRICK OR TREAT!" That's not all there is to it. There is much more to Halloween, much more! A warlock in the Church of Satan, a priest in the satanic brotherhood and the high priest of a Wicca coven for almost 15 years, says that he and his fellow Wiccans would call up dead spirits such as Jesus, George Washington, King Arthur, Merlin, Aleister Crowley (a Satanist who called himself "The Great Beast") who would appear and talk in normal like conversations on Halloween during their ceremonies. He said that they used to cast spells on the countryside giving the spirits access to possess whoever they pleased. They especially cast spells on the children going about "Trick or Treating". Someone in the coven would often dress up as a demon/god or as Samana the prince of darkness (otherwise known as Set or Satan) and become possessed by the personality of the represented beast. The Celtic year ended on 31 October, and it was Druidic practice at that time to celebrate a joint festival. On this day the Druids honoured the Sun god and the lord of the Dead. The Sun god was thanked for the harvest; the lord of the Dead was appeased with SACRIFICES of horses and HUMAN BEINGS. The sacrifices were also intended to frighten away evil spirits: the Druids believed that departed souls roamed abroad on the night of 31 October, often playing tricks and indulging in various supernatural antics in order to frighten the living. Halloween may have become trivialised for the majority of westerners but its roots remain satanic. How much can one play with fire without becoming burned? Costumes, decorations, and treats are increasingly involved with the occult, supernatural and even satanic themes. Even if in years past one might have participated in Halloween innocently, today we need to be aware of the dangers of the occult and Satan worship. The same occultists who honour Halloween as a High Festival are again torturing and sexually molesting children and offering human sacrifices in scenes reminiscent of the vilest paganism.

TRICK OR TREATING  - HOW IT GOT STARTED We are not saying that Jack-o-Lanterns, wearing a costume, bobbing for apples, black cats, or bon fires in themselves are evil. But we need to be aware of what they symbolize during Halloween. The activities of Halloween do not have innocent origins.  The Jack-o-lantern: Hundreds of years before Christ, on Halloween night each Druid dressed in hooded robes and has slung over his shoulder on a cord, a large, hallowed-out turnip with an oil lamp burning inside. Carved into the side of the hollow turnip is a face, in an attempt to ward off evil spirits. "Trick or Treating": The Druids of old adhered to strange dietary restrictions, and on the night of the Festival of Death they go from home to home demanding these peculiar foods. If the people comply, they pass on in silence; if their demands are not met, the people and their home are cursed with trouble, sickness and death. The story behind trick or treating dates back to the earliest times, when people wore masks when droughts or diseases or other disasters struck. They believed that the hideous masks could frighten off the demons who brought about their misfortunes. The pagan festival of Samhain came at a time of year when the weather was turning chilly and the cold, envious ghosts outside were constantly trying to trick mortals into letting them in by the fire. People who went out after dark often wore masks to keep from being recognized. Similar practices went on throughout Europe. In parts of England the poor once went to houses singing and begging for soul cakes or money. Until very recently children would dress up as ghosts and goblins to scare the neighbors, but there was no trick or treating. Around 40 years ago people began to offer treats to their costumed visitors Spanish people put cakes and nuts on graves on Halloween, to bribe the evil spirits. The Irish brought Halloween to America in the 1840's although the custom of trick-or-treating is thought to have its origins in a ninth-century European custom called souling. On November 2, All Souls Day, early Christians would walk from village to village begging for "soul cakes" made of bread with currants. The more soul cakes the beggars would receive, the more prayers they promised to say on behalf of the dead relatives of the donors. It was believed that the dead remained in limbo for a time after death, and that prayer, even by strangers, would expedite a soul's admittance into heaven. Bonfires: Bonfires originally came from the nights of human and animal sacrifices where they would throw the remains of the bodies into the fire. The next morning all that was left were the ashes and bones. Thus the name of these fires were called "bonefires". The orange flames lit up the black night. Over time the custom changed and children became the beggars. As they went from house to house they would be given apples, buns, and money and other treats to insure that the ghosts or goblins didn't play tricks.

BLACK CATS Cats were -and still are- regarded as magickal creatures throughout the ages. The Egyptians revered the cat as an aspect of the goddess, Bast, and they mummified cats with all the ritual, pomp and circumstance that befitted such regal animals. Cats are depicted as drawing the heavenly chariots of various gods and goddesses in other cultural myths as well. Possibly because of their decidedly nocturnal habits, felines have become associated with the night, stealth and mystery. Who knows where the supposedly domesticated cat wanders in the night, what he/she is up to and why they seem to look so satisfied when they stroll back into the house in the morning? Quite frankly, they have steadfastly refused to answer any questions posed to them on the subject. This code of silence has caused the cat some historical hard knocks. During the Inquisitions or "Burning Times' of the witchcraft trials and persecutions, cats were often tortured and killed along with the accused "witches." It was thought that witches could change into (shape-shift) cats or that cats could be possessed by evil spirits. The howl of a cat on the prowl has undoubtedly frightened more than one nocturnal traveler on a darkened footpath and the fact that cats seem to delight in sneaking up on folks hasn't helped their public relations image one bit either. It was the superstitious clerics and witch-hunters of the past-and present-that would toss a cat into the same fire as the Witch. It was the very real working and affectionate bond between cat and Witch that drew the suspicions of those who sought 'devils' everywhere and so could find them anywhere. Sad to say, that superstitious and paranoid mindset has survived in some religious faiths right up to the dawn of the twenty-first century.

OTHER DANGERS OF HALLOWEEN Horror stories about razor blades in apples, Ex-Lax laxative given instead of chocolate to trick-or-treaters, or the dangers on the street should also be mentioned. STRANGER DANGERS A child who walks alone on Halloween is vulnerable to predators. Be sure your child travels with a group of other kids (or with you or another trusted adult)- never alone. Never let a stranger get within arm's reach. Remind your child to practice the rules of stranger safety and teach your youngster to approach only those homes of families you know well and whose porch lights are turned on. CANDY SAFETY The candy received while trick-or-treating can also be dangerous. Follow these few simple rules when sacks of treats are brought home. Instruct your child never to eat Halloween candy until you have inspected it. Throw away any unwrapped candy, fruits or drinks collected by your child-it could be tainted. Choking on small candy is a danger, so keep such treats away from children less than six years of age. If you have children less than six years old, lock the candy up and pass it out at your discretion. Give out small amounts to lessen the chance that the younger children get a hold of it.

ALTERNATIVES TO HALLOWEEN TRICK OR TREATING Don’t send your child to school the day of Halloween if someone insists on joining the ritual. If the teacher has scheduled any type of activity in relation to this pagan ritual, simply don’t send your child that day. Write a short letter or note to the teacher and principal explaining why you don't want your children to participate in this ritual and why you will not be sending your child on that day.  Keep the note simple. It doesn't need to be so long that you feel guilty for standing up for yourself. Turn off the lights, close the windows and educate your neighbors with a polite note on the door mentioning that you are not participating in this pagan ritual. Turning off the lights will give the message that your home is not interested in Halloween. Closing the windows will help to block out the noise of the children participating in the ritual.  Watch fun videos or read books that evening to safeguard you and your family. This will also aid in blocking out the noise of children outside. Organize a huge party at home with gifts, games and fun or with your local community Make a miniature haunted house with a milk carton. Other ideas include a way to make homemade face paint. Let children make neat Halloween houses by covering small paper milk cartons with chocolate frosting, graham crackers, candy corns and other goodies such as candy worms and gum sticks. Make homemade face paints by combining 1/2 teaspoon of cold cream, 1/2 teaspoon of water and a teaspoon of cornstarch. Add just a bit food coloring to create an entire palette of colors. Paint a bunch of gourds white and let children create their own ghosts by drawing faces on them with black markers.

RULES FOR TRICK OR TREATING IF YOU DECIDE TO GO OUT IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS 1) Young children should always go trick or treating with an adult. 2) Halloween costume should be light colored or have reflective strips on the front and back. This is to ensure that drivers can see you. 3) Visit houses with lights on, especially houses with Halloween decorations. 4) Visit only the houses in your neighborhood, especially the homes that you and your parents know. 5) Always be polite. And don't forget to say ‘THANK YOU'. 6) Never run in your Halloween costume. You could trip and hurt yourself. 7) Walk on the sidewalk or on the side of the street. Look twice before crossing any road and whenever possible use a crosswalk to cross the road. 8) Halloween masks should have large eyeholes to ensure proper vision. It is best not to wear a mask but to use face paint. 9) Never pick up candies from the street. They might be poisoned candies or the treats of another kid. So, don't touch them. 10) For no reason should you enter a house, especially the home of a stranger. If you need to use the washroom then it is best to return to your home. 11) Eat only wrapped candy, and nothing that's homemade or anything like an apple. 12) NEVER eat anything before your parents have had a chance to examine all your treats. 13) Do not wander away from your neighborhood. You might get lost. 14) For no reason should you enter a stranger's car. Other important rules: #1) Dress warmly. Halloween is a night to have fun not to catch a cold. #2) Have a flashlight with you. #3) Go to the washroom just before going trick and treating. #4) Make sure that your costume doesn't drag behind your feet. You could trip and hurt yourself. #5) Always carry spare Halloween bag just in case that yours breaks. It would be a pity for you to lose all those treats. #6) Trick and treating should end roughly before nine o'clock. Never ring a doorbell after that time. #7) Bring some Kleenex, wipes or a small wash cloth with you. #8) Always use the front door, never go to the back of a house. #9) Don't walk across the grass but use the walkway to the front door. #10) Even if the lights of the house are on, never ring the doorbell more than twice. #11) Have fun and take care of yourself and your friends.