Portland, Tennessee Blog

Go to Church? So my kids can be molested there? Doesnt sound fair to blame ALL churches for the ones that are bad does it? Well if it doesnt sound fair to you that I blame all the churches, then you should stop and realize that you are blaming the people who chose to to bad things and make halooween bad, on me and everyone else who likes halooween. and if you was that much into your church and God you would know that halloween started out as a christian holiday, until PEOPLE made it what it is to day. I dont believe in all that evil stuff and voddo and all that, but I do how ever enjoy halloween because to me it s fun hoilday because I choose to make it that way. I was also wonder all this people who want halloween banded, and it evil blah blah blah. How do ya'll feel about peoples who birthdays are on halloween?

I am a parent and I think it's silly that teenagers can't trick or treat. Things in life are getting so crazy that someone over 12 can't go trick or treating??? Life as we live it is getting worse as the years go by and I think it's sad that at 12 they "Think" their too old to go trick or treating because of our screwed up society! What happened to things being about "The Kids?"

Denise,

very well said!

BBoy,

Do you think there is no evil in churches? Churches are some of the most evil places on the planet.

Just because a place calls itself a church....doesn't mean they represent God....even if they say they do!

BBoy needs to check his history. Halloween was never a Satanic holiday. It has it's roots in Old Ireland with the Celts and Druids and was called Samhain (pronounced SOW-en). Samhain is still celebrated by some "pagan" sects like Wicca. Wicca is not a Satanic religion, either. They worship nature, among other things and teach their followers many of the same principles of "decent" behaviou that Christians embrace. In the early days of Christianity, it was the Church's practice to "absorb" the traditions and holidays of local communities into Christian observances as a way to bring the people to Christianity. Halloween, Christmas, and Easter ALL have pagan elements in them and sometimes the dates were chosen, not for historical accuracy, but because they coincided with a very popular pagan celebration. The tradition of wearing scary costumes came about because Samhain and a similar Roman holiday believed that the spirits of the dead came back to earth at a particular time for a short "visit" and the people wore scary masks, carved jack-o-lanterns (from turnips, not pumpkins) because they believed this would scare the evil spirits away.

What this long-winded explanation is meant to illustrate is that Halloween and it's predecessors was NEVER a satanic holiday. A few sick, twisted people chose to pervert that day by associating their sick, twisted rituals with it, but the holiday itself in NOT evil and was never intended for evil.

Incidentally, I am a Christian, but I do not follow anyone blindly. I do the research, because people are human and have their own agendas and stereotypes.

I take my daughter to McKendree Methodist Church on Portland Blvd. to Trunk-Or-Treat. After I am done there, I usually take my daughter around S. Russell to get candy from various houses.

As far as the guy that said that Halloween is Satanic...that's a little far-fetched, don't ya think??? Halloween, Santa Claus, Easter bunny...it's all about a child having an imagination and building memories of how fun life can be when you are a child. Seriously, get a grip...

I agree with you ORQ, I never could understand why they couldn't wait another week either, the little ones shouldn't have to go out in total darkness, and I gladly welcome them anytime on the 31st or the day before when weather is to be nasty on halloween. But I do understand that a lot of parents work and can't get out any earlier.

I hope everyone has a SUPER SAFE and FUN Halloween, unfortunately I think the rain is going to put a real damper on tonights activities.

First, let's talk "day light savings time," couldn't they push it back one week so the kids don't have to go out in the pitch black!

Trick or treating is for kids of all ages. I allowed my kids to go until they decided that they were "too old" to go out. Things have definately changed over the years. We have always taken out children out as a group. As the children got older (12+) and they had a large group to go with, we allowed them to go (but they carried a cell phone with them--what would we do without cell phones!). AND, we always check everybody's candy as closely as we can!

It's very sad that we can't allow our children to play outdoors like we once did. I used to go play and I would get in trouble when I wasn't home before dark, but my parents weren't afraid that I was missing! When our youngest came along (he's 15 now and has had his own cell phone since he was 12), my wife never let him out of her sight. He wasn't allowed out front unless she was present and was he able to go out back (it was fenced), but she checked on him every 5 minutes. It's a sad world we come to live in!

Oh my gracious. Please,with all due respect, Halloween is not evil, people who chose to do evil things on Halloween are the problem, Children dressing in Elmo and Big Bird costumes are not going to rot in hell for getting a few snicker bars. Good lord help me now.

There you go bboy! Way to bring us all into the light....(I do hope yor understand I am being sarcastic)

Halloween is satanic. It should be banned, just like alcohol. Mr. Callis has tried to stop all this alcohol, and hopefully he will try to stop trick or treat. We should not let ANYONE participate in obviously evil activities. Children should not be subjected to any of this. No wonder our society is going to hell in a handbasket. Please, go to church.

Lets not get defensive Debra..I was not being an "attatck dog". I just dont understand why people have a problem with older kids trick or treating? I do think it is crap not to let older kids trick or treat.We have to grow up fast enough and so why not let them enjoy themselves why they can.

With regards to children not coming out to play, I think it's a sign of the times and how afraid we have become. We are constantly bombarded by the media with stories about missing children, child molesters, etc. so we are terrified to let our kids out of our sight anymore. And if both parents work, the younger kids are stuck in day care till 5:00 or 6:00 pm and the older kids who come home after school cannot go outside while their parents are gone and by the time everyone gets home it's a frenzy of cooking dinner, homework and bed-time rituals. It's sad - I have 3 boys and there's a very large age difference between the older 2 and the youngest and there are things my older 2 did that I would never dream of letting my little one do. (of course, the older ones will disagree with that!)

Regarding the decline in trick-or-treaters. I think some of that is again fear because of past media reports about isolated incidences of someone poisoning candy. Some has to do with religios aspects. A lot of Christian denominations teach that Halloween is somehow satanic. I grew up in Ohio and this did not seem to be an issue - I found it more so when we moved to the south about 17 years ago. Not once growing up did I ever hear anything about Halloween being satanic or evil. We were just kids having fun. It's a shame that our kids' fun now adays is derived not from going out to play with other kids, but from sitting with their faces in the TV, Computer, or playing video games - all of which have themes these kids are exposed to that are far worse than Halloween!!!

I agree with you SG and Debra. I was also raised that I couldn't go to Trick or Treat after I was 12 years old. Mama said I was too old but she did let me take my younger brother. I love Halloween and I really enjoy watching my grandkids have fun. I can also understand the 8:00 curfew. It seems that from 8:00 on is when the mischief will start and I think the younger kids should be home and getting ready for bed. (Kids still have bedtimes don't they?) I for one turn my porch light off at this time. I'm usually about out of candy anyways.

I have to agree that I don't think it acceptable for a young adult to go out with a group and put on a ball cap and come to my door trick or treating without any younger ones. They are taking candy away from me that I have bought for young children who are enjoying the holiday. That is just the way I was taught. I didn't go trick or treating after 12 years old and I was devastated that I couldn't go, but I then started enjoying giving out the candy to the younger ones. The holiday has become as fun for adults as children and that is great, but by the same token, these young adults don't seem to be "in the spirit" if they won't even dress up when they go trick or treating!
Also, trick or treating does start rather early around here and the few times I wanted to take my kids to just a few more houses around 8:00 all of the lights are off and hardly anyone is out as they have all finished and gone in. Admittedly, I think maybe it it a little late towards 9:00 for trick or treating, but I always want to try to get "just a few more in" for the kids. It is a school night after all...darn it!

This year will be our first year really trick or treating, my son is 2 and will be dressing up with his best buddy as Cowboys & Indians..my son is the indian and I made the costume myself,I am so proud :) it is all really quite fun having a holiday to look forward to and decorate for,reguardless of age. We just moved into a subdivison as well,and I have stocked up on candy in hopes of trick or treaters of our own :)

As for the curfew and age limits..I am not sure I quite agree with the time frame. My husband won't be getting home until 7pm and will have to shower and eat before we can take our son around the block as a family,so that puts us at walking out the door around 7:45..a cut off time of 8pm doesn't seem fair for the working parents who don't get home until late..and the teenagers who trick or treat,enjoy being kids!!!! have fun while you can and don't let adults tell you that you are too old to enjoy Halloween. They are just party poopers who have forgotten what being a kid feels like. :) I do not have a problem at all with giving a few snicker bars to an 18 year old...they are enjoying Halloween and having fun. Who cares how old they are???

WoHooo there!! Sometimes people on here are like attack dogs!! I didn't say a thing about parents that dress up and go out with their kids. I'm glad they do. I always went with mine when they were little. I'm talking about the older kids around 18 that go out my themselves. I think trick or treat night should be for the young ones to enjoy. That's my opinion and I don't think it's crap or silly.

ja,
My husband and I have been talking about that too lately. About how things are so different now than when we were kids. We also live in a small subdivion on the outskirts of town, I have a son who is 13 and even his friends at school aren't allowed to play. He asks them for their number and they say they aren't allowed to give it out, he asks if they want to come over but they aren't allowed to. I have even offered to call their parents myself so they can meet me or whatever but never hear back from them. I was just hoping he'd find some friends in our own neighborhood but it doesn't look like that's going to be the case.

P.S I wonder if my neighbors think my husband and I are strange too, We only talk to the neighbors on both sides of us because the rest of neighbors down the street aren't very friendly LOL When I walk the dog they all look at me like I'm a freak and never say Hi (even when I do). Or maybe it's just because I'm actually walking my dog on a leash instead of letting her run the neighborhood like they do HAHA Things just aren't like they used to be.

Ok that is crap that older kids can not trick or treat! Why may I ask do you feel there should be an age limit? Silly! If they enjoy it let them hey I am 32 and enjoy taking my kids.I hate to come up on a house and someone turn a kid away.

SC,

I have noticed this as well in my subdivision. We live in a very small subdivision on the outskirts of town, I have 2 children, a 9 year old son and a 7 year old daughter. There is one other little boy that lives at the end of the street, that rarely ever comes out to play. His parents are rather strange in that they don't much talk to poeple and seem real distant.

My son is a very social little boy. And with the limited number of children in my development, I have him in Karate and Boy Scouts. He is also friends with several of the boys in the Portland Junior Youth Football league, and by daughter is a cheerleader of PJYFL, so he gets to socialize with the players on saturdays. He won't play he says football is to "Violent".....LOL.

So this is the way we make sure our children interact with others since we can't seem to get the little boy at the end of the street to come out to play much.

It's not the same as it was when I was a little boy. I would leave the house first thing in the morning, head outside and not come back in until dark. Boy, how things have changed.

I live in a subdivision too but never get any trick or treaters. We have lots of kids in the neighborhood but I don't know where they go to trick or treat because it isn't in our own subdivision. Actually the kids in our neighborhood never even come outside to play, my son has gone and asked quite a few kids about playing with him outside but they all always say their parents won't let them....seems kinda strange to me, unless I just live in a strange neighborhood LOL

One of the big reasons we moved up here was the friendly atmosphere and the neighborhoods full of kids (and the good schools too). We were hoping my son would make a few friends in our own neighborhood but so far NOPE. The parents all seem afraid to let their kids interact with other kids, is this just my neighborhood or do other people have that same problem?

Now Debra, that's a little "Grown up " of you.

What is wrong with an adult or "18" year old trick or treating. Is there some rule in the Halloween rules handbook that says if your 18 you must not participate in trick or treating?

I am a 42 year old man and I love dressing up on halloween and going out with my kids. I don't trick or treat, BUT I think it would be fun. Just because your grown up, doesn't mean you can't still be a kid once in a while.

Unfortunately, I do not see as many children trick or treating as much as I used to. It does make me sad.
I have always been a believer in trick or treating for my children. I take all of my children out and we visit houses as well as some of the churches. I do admit that we go to more subdivisions and around our house and visit grandma's house.
I enjoy it as much as the kids!

I live in a subdivision and I don't get nearly as many children as I have in the past especially if Halloween falls on a week day. Alot of the churches have Trunk or Treat and they always get alot of children. I know the Nazarene and Portland First Free Will Churches are doing that this year. There should be a curfew of 8:00 and an age limit of 12 years old for Trick or Treat night. I hate when I go to the door and there stands someone 18 years old with a candy bag.