Halloween isn’t necessarily my favorite holiday. Why? My siblings and I weren’t allowed to celebrate the day as kids. But, we respected those who did. My parents thought dressing up in costumes was “pure foolishness.” But that didn’t stop teachers from having Halloween parties at school.
We got lots of candy back in those days. But a lot has changed over the years. Pencils, erasers, stickers and pretzels have replaced the sweet treats we used to get in school. Now some people are upset by the new “watered down” version of Halloween.
The daycare center sent a note home advising parents to refrain from giving out goody bags filled with candy due to allergy concerns. I honestly saw nothing wrong with it. I guess it didn’t really bother me because of how I grew up. But, other parents didn’t agree and they didn’t hold back in sharing their disapproval.
But, candy isn’t the only thing being banned these days. Now more schools are banning Halloween clown costumes, fake weapons. In some cases, parents aren’t even allowed to dress up in costumes. Kids dressed in anime characters can complete the look with a katana weapon prop.
Some people feel that Halloween has become so watered down that maybe we shouldn’t bother celebrating it at all. They don’t mind the clown costumes, fake weapons, and kids eating so much candy that they become sick.
Honestly, I sort of agree that maybe we shouldn’t celebrate Halloween at school, if so many people disagree with the type of celebration.
I actually rather my kids NOT have candy in school. Why overload them with sweets, if we’re going trick-or-treating when the get home?
I also agree with banning clown costumes and fake weapons. We’ve covered so many negative stories in the news regarding scary clowns and fake weapons. It’s just not worth it, in my opinion.
It all boils down to respecting people’s traditions and beliefs. I allow my kids to choose any costume they want at the Halloween Store because their Dad celebrated Halloween growing up. As for us adults, we can go all out and dress up as creatures of the night like werewolves and vampires. To achieve a great-looking vampire costume, you may order open face grills and fangs online. We also allow our kids to go trick-or-treating.
If you disagree with restrictions at school, that’s okay. The reality is that we live in different times. I grew up when we were able to play freely outside, which is unheard of now because of pedophiles and whatnot. So if it means maintaining the safety and health of my kids, I’m all for it.
If you’re salty about the Halloween restrictions, just make sure you celebrate the holiday the way you want to when your kiddies get home. That way everyone is happy.