Just call me the Neighborhood Curmudgeon!
Christine the Curmudgeon read this in yesterday’s Annie’s Mailbox column:
Dear Annie: I find trick-or-treating annoying. I was raised in a religious group that didn’t celebrate Halloween. My mother hated having to answer the door constantly and took out her anger on me. I once suggested we stop opening the door or put up a sign saying, “No Trick-or-Treating here, please,” but she wouldn’t. I think she was afraid they’d throw eggs.
My brother and I still find it irritating. I don’t want my doorbell ringing all night. I don’t want to get up and open the door over and over. I’m sure I’m not the only one. Think of those who are disabled or have just brought home a new baby or are caring for a sick child. Answering the door all evening is an unwanted imposition. I also resent these kids coming onto my property asking for candy.
I think it’s just plain wrong. What can I do to keep them away? I don’t want them to graffiti my property or toilet paper my trees. I can grab them if they do, but if the police are busy, they might not come and then I’d be stuck with the kids indefinitely.
Could you put up some kind of warning in your column asking parents not to let their kids trick-or-treat unless they know the homeowner? — Elizabeth, N.J.
Dear N.J.: It’s too bad you can’t enjoy greeting children with a smile and brightening their day once a year. Most parents supervise their kids and prefer they stay within familiar territory. And most kids will skip unwelcoming homes where the lights are off or the treat is a breath mint. But if you are concerned about becoming the neighborhood curmudgeon, put out a generous basket of candy on your front steps with a big sign saying, “Please don’t ring bell. Take a piece of candy. Happy Halloween.” Refill it once or twice at your leisure. When the basket is empty, the kids will know the cupboard is bare.
I find trick-or-treating annoying, too. Not for any religious reasons, just that I don’t like people pounding on the door. I also don’t like the kids in this neighborhood – they do stuff to annoy me all the other 364 days of the year, why should I reward them with free candy on this one day? Most of them could use an appetite suppressant more than they need candy, anyway.
So now I’m trying to decide what we’re going to do this year. It especially sucks that Halloween is on a Saturday, and that means that the greedy little buggers will start knocking on the door as early as 8AM. At least when it’s during the week, we can escape it in the evening.
The “Annie” advice is lame. I don’t know where these woman live, but in our neighborhood, parents DO let their kids run about unsupervised. And they DO knock on doors even when the lights are out. Most of them are teen thugs who don’t even bother to wear costumes. They make too much noise all year long, they throw garbage on our porch, they harass us – yet we are expected to “greet them with a smile”?
Sorry, not gonna happen! I can’t wait until Halloween is over!
