LOL

They're normally neighbors, at least all the times I did it when I was a kid it was in our neighborhood.

Anyway, I don't think it's fun unless you have kids. Seems pointless decorating after a certain point in your life.

lol

not quite... farlow but it definately would be a pedophile's favourite day of the year when you consider all those kids coming to his door.

Most people limit the trick or treating to neighbors and family or friends...although around here, it's not uncommon to see the older kids venturing off to other areas in groups (and often no adult supervision). Back when I was in this age group it wasn't only about the candy but also about getting into mischief...something they have really cracked down on in recent years because a few people took it beyond harmless pranks like egging houses and soaping windows and toilet papering the trees or houses to include actual vandalism where they've broken stuff. As a result some communities around here have strict curfews for trick or treating.

it has it's roots in a time when people believed that ghosts and goblins not only existed but that once a year they came out of the woodwork demanding something to eat (the treat) or they would do something unspeakably horrible to you (the trick).

It could also be linked to Mexico's Day Of The Dead Festival where it is believed the dead walk the earth for one day every year. I don't entirely understand this particular festival, but it looks a lot like a cross between Mardi Gras and Halloween. Seems to me it's a celebration of the lives of loved ones who've recently passed on, but I could be way off on this.

Then it became part of the holiday marking the end of summer and the beginning of winter.

the origins of the jack o lantern is based on a story I heard when I was young, that may just be a story someone made up to explain it. But it comes down to a settler leaving his family to get supplies, the nearest town being a few days away... natives (or incorrectly called Indians) had decided to raid his farm and his wife and kids were stuck trying to fend them off since their father was away... The mother got the idea of carving a scary face into some pumpkins and then putting a candle inside and placing the resulting illuminated faces into the window sills around their cabin. The indians thought that these were evil spirits and became so frightenend they never came back. And ever since, during halloween people put a jack o lantern in the window or on the door step.

The world needs more American cultural imperialism.

It's not america... Easter bunny and easter eggs are the same in europe, that I know of. I don't know about the bunny actually laying the eggs... that might be an american innovation...

Satan Claws is the worst of all worst. From what I've read the myth of Santa Clause goes, something like this; There was a man named St. Nicholas, who went around during the "Passover", and if you didn't have the blood of the lamb on your door, he would slaughter your family. He sould start off in a white robe, black boots, and by the end of the night his robe was stained with the blood of the innocent. Hince the red, white and black.

It is what I read anyway. Yeesh!!!! when I found this out, I vowed to never lie to my children about Christmas, and the whole Santa Clause will bring you presents if you're bad, bullshit.