… like basically everything about Halloween 
The history of trick-or-treating, and how it became a Halloween tradition
Children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door for treats is a relatively modern tradition—but its origins can be traced to the Celts and even a long-lost Christmas tradition.
We’re currently in a campground right down the street from Bronner’s world’s largest Christmas store where it’s Christmas 365 days a year. The inside store is over 7 acres.
They also have at least 12 life size nativity displays on the outside.
The moon worked out well with this one this evening.
And yes, we left them quite a bit of cash buying presents for everyone.
What I want to know is when dressing your kid up for Halloween became five (or more!) day obligation. My kid’s preschool has a “costume parade day” and a “costume photo day” on two separate non-consecutive days, neither of which is on the 31st. My neighborhood parent’s group has a costume parade on a separate day, distinct from the neighborhood association’s one, neither of which is on the 31st. My office is doing a bring-your-kids-in-costume thing on a fifth non-Halloween day. And then there’s actual Halloween.
Who asked for this?
Ah, Chickenmuth,{*} as my BFF’s BF Loudmouth has it. Lovely spot. Enjoy!!!
{*It’s actually Frankenmuth, Michigan. The profusion of joints where Bavarian style chicken dinners are served nudged wags to call it Chickenmuth.}
Sounds enjoyable AF!
I love Halloween, have since early childhood. My honey & I would buy tons and tons of Halloween-y stuff year round if we could afford it.
Wow. I think my parents would’ve played the “kids aren’t feeling well” card a lot more in this era. 
Sorry these extra events are making the holiday stressful instead of fun. 
Maybe the kids could try the Wednesday Addams approach to costumes…
Halloween in my neighbourhood is really fun. Some of the houses really do it up in style and have some DIY animatronics and little mazes in their front yards. From about 5pm-7pm, there’s a steady stream of kiddos knocking on the door. I basically have to sit there with the door open since they’re lining up to get their sugar.
When my kiddos were smaller, we’d get together in groups with other families and roam the streets together. We’d get to meet all the neighbours and see all the wild decorations. It’s lots of fun. Now, they’re too big to want to go out with us and I have to stay at home handing out candy.
The fireworks later in the evening are decidedly less good.
It’s not just Big Christmas. Costco starts selling Halloween costumes in July, I think. Maybe early August. Either way, it’s ridiculous.
We add to our display every year. We had set a limit of $100 per year. Nowadays $100 doesnt go far at all.
Usually my wife and I have three costumes each: one that is work-appropriate, one for parties, and one for the trick-or-treaters. We’ve been cutting that down to just two and recycling costumes from prior years (we keep them all). My wife sews a lot so she usually makes the costumes, but we’ve been so busy that this year I bought one, which used just about all the budget.
Well not if you waste it all on store-bought skeletons instead of sourcing your own…
Seriously tho, the scariest costume I’ve made to date was the roadkill-based one I did last year.
Um… YouTube Kids? Really?
Great costume though man!
Hey, it was an homage to a character from a kids’ cartoon (Centaurworld). But mostly I put it there because they aren’t allowed to slap targeted ads on videos that way.
When all humanity has died I wonder what any visiting aliens will make of the mountains of plastic skulls and pitchforks
