Spamage

[wordinista]

Dear Little Child Who Just Rang My Doorbell and Got The Bejesus Scared Out Of You By My Patchwork Cujo,

Uh, did I miss something, or did they change the whole "Only Trick or Treat at the Houses Where Porch Lights Are ON" rule?  I'm sorry, but there have been too many Halloweens where I have spent a small mint on candy, only to have it gone un-trick-or-treated.  Or whatever.  Please do not look at me like I am the Grinch that stole your Fun-Sized Snickers when I tell you as politely as I can, while my dog is barking like a moron in the background, that we aren't doing candy this year.  THINGS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BUSY.

Also, what was that costume?  A demonic pirate cheerleader?  Bzuh? 

Grouchily yours,
Bunneh

Comments

[jazzy-fay.livejournal.com]

Here, bloody here! You should try the politely explaining bit with three great danes not only barking like mad, but also trying to shove you out of the doorway so they can personally greet the intruder. Fun. And of course, rather than taking a hint, the child has to stand there staring at the dogs. But seriously, you're right. When I was young enough to trick-or-treat, the rule was that you only went to the houses with the porch lamp on. The other houses a)didn't have candy or b)had scary old people that would yell at you for being on their porch.

Of course, I do have my own private stash of tootsie-rolls, but I'm not sharing. *shifty eyes*

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

I'm trying not to laugh at the mental image, there. Darwin was bad enough; I can't picture trying to hold back something as big as a Great Dane, never mind THREE Great Danes!

[jazzy-fay.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's not easy. They mean well, but they're not exactly the most polite creatures around.

[therhoda.livejournal.com]

I'm jealous we got candy bars and everything and havn't seen a single tricker treater. Well it is sad it wasn't even a cute little munchin at the door.

[darkfrog24.livejournal.com]

I don't think the porchlight thing was ever a rule, Niamh. Did you try taking down your decorations?

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

........what decorations?

[darkfrog24.livejournal.com]

Ooooh. So you dressed your house up as a non-house, turned off all the lights and they still came?

(sigh) Sure, you don't have to give out candy if you don't want to, especially not if you have had no-show years, but you're an X-men fan! Can you really blame a costumed freak for hoping?

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

Oh, I usually do pick up candy, despite the no-shows. But there's been so much other stuff going on that it just kept slipping my mind. I figured we were safe being without decorations and the unlit porch light.

Evidently I was wrong!

[darkfrog24.livejournal.com]

Hope for chocolate springs eternal.

[vitani]

The porchlight thing wasn't a rule for us when I was a kid. As I remember, if the porchlight wasn't on but the lights inside were, we'd ring the doorbell, wait a bit, and if no one answered we'd leave. Every year there were several houses without the porchlight that were cheerily giving out candy. Just don't answer the door ^^ (which doesn't solve the barking problem, I know.)

I've always wanted trick or treaters to come somewhere I live. My house in California has a long driveway with gates, and now I live in an apartment. No trick or treaters! D:

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

Now, see, I always remembered the porch light rule, and usually, if we went to a non-lit house, they had scary, cranky old people who'd scold us for bothering them. I happened to be in the kitchen making dinner when she came to the door and couldn't leave the stove -- so after ringing the doorbell? She knocked. Meanwhile, my dog is going berserk. *sigh*

We only had one tonight, though -- so many no-show years. Blargh. :\

[kitesareevil.livejournal.com]

That was a family rule. If there was no porch light, no decorations than we did not ring the door bell. It meant they didn't have anything for us, and we'd usually get preached at for being Satan's children. I love living in a um...can I put this politely? Probably not. Anyway. At least it's not the Bible-belt.

I didn't get any candy this year, either, and it's my first Halloween all alone! I just wouldn't answer the door, personally. Not your problem. Or give them a dime or something if you really want to give them something.

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

Well, I would've just not answered the door, but I'm pretty sure she could see me inside. Our kitchen is right at the front of the house, and you can totally see it from the front windows. I happened to be in the middle of making dinner at the time, too. *eyeroll*

The thing that kind of annoyed me was that she rang the doorbell and THEN knocked. Meanwhile, Darwin was barking and growling like a hound of hell, and... yeah.

But she was the only Trick or Treater last night. So either the other ones were smart enough not to go to the house with no porchlight, or things were just slow in our neighborhood.

[smtfhw.livejournal.com]

Well, I spent last night refusing to respond to the doorbell either. In my case that was to save the kiddies from getting an earful from me on the subject of Halloween. It is not and - despite what the morons at AOL insisted in putting in my events calendar yesterday - never has been a UK celebration. Unless someone moved my town to the USA (perish the thought!) last night, why were they ringing my doorbell?

Anyway, with everything you've had to deal with recently, I'm sure buying sweets for neighbourhood kids was the last thing on your mind. Let the little buggers see it as a life-lesson, is all I can say.

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

*snickers* Well, I don't think I can really blame UK kiddies for finding appeal in the concept of dressing up and getting free candy. But I take your point.

There are a few things that kind of make Halloween a "meh" holiday for me, and a large part of it is weather-related. It's still so warm down here, and for me, Halloween was the epitome of autumn. So it's hard to get into the right frame of mind. The same thing goes for Christmas, actually. It's very hard to get into that mindset when it's eighty degrees out. (Actually, and maybe it's a result of having read "A Christmas Carol" too many times, but I would love to someday spend Christmas in England.)

[hyanan.livejournal.com]

*hehe* Patchwork Cujo. XD

[rya-kelley.livejournal.com]

Hi, don't take this personally.


*throws eggs at you*

Nothing against you. I'm frustrated because something like 75% of the people in this neighborhood didn't pass out candy. And the some of the ones that did have their porchlights on didn't answer their freaking doors. I can't egg them, since that could get me kicked out of the new house, but since you didn't give any little kids candy this year, you shall take the puishment for my kids having a sucky Halloween.

[rya-kelley.livejournal.com]

*wipes egg off of you*

Sorry. I got over my frustration with the rest of the neighborhood for screwing my kids over, now I feel bad. Forgive me?

[w0rdinista.livejournal.com]

*gives you an eggy hug*

[rya-kelley.livejournal.com]

I deserved that.