Do's and Do Not's of Halloween
| Published 10/29/04

Graphic by: Ande Hearn

Sorry I couldn't think of any other way to start this article. I thought of maybe just having the beginning say "BOO!", but I'm sure somebody will take that opening since Halloween is the time for frightening people. It's also a very fun time for people of any age; you get to wear whatever you want for a night, and candy always seems to be involved somewhere in the mix. Although all the fun is going on, you still need to remember that doing some things just aren't cool. Perhaps you think that they are, but I assure you, they are not. So I've decided to compile a list of Halloween do's and do not's to make things easier for everybody.  

THINGS TO DO DURING HALLOWEEN

Make a Halloween mix CD - These are always fun for everybody. Of course there are the songs like "Thriller" and "The Monster Mash" that you can put on, but you can really creep your friends out with some Tom Waits or Slint to get them in the eerie mood.

Give out candy to kids - Hey, they deserve it. Everyone tends to think of childhood as a very idle time, but I see it differently. You had to go to stupid school, get up really early, and take baths when you didn't want to. Halloween was great because all you were doing was going from house to house saying three words and then letting the loot roll in.

Throw Eggs at things - Now before you jump on me for condoning violent acts, allow me to explain. I certainly do not condone throwing eggs at strangers' houses for no reason - that just ain't cool. However, have you ever thrown an egg at something? It's so awesome when it splatters.  I suggest setting up some sort of target or something that you can throw eggs at.

Enjoy yourself - Well this goes without saying.

THINGS NOT TO DO DURING HALLOWEEN

Dressing up as some sort of inanimate object and thinking that you're the first person ever to have this idea -  It's all right to dress up like a chair or a vacuum cleaner or something, but I assure you that you are not the first person to think to do this. Don't go around acting like you've just discovered the funniest, wittiest, most ironic costume ever and expect praise.

Stealing a kid's candy - Come on, you jerk, what's your problem? You can't just take something that someone else earned from rigorously traveling from home to home. I don't think I even need to go into why it's wrong to take it from a kid.

Being over the age of fourteen and trick or treating and thinking that it is totally socially acceptable - I feel that Halloween is mainly a holiday for kids to get candy, but that's not to say that people of any age can't enjoy it. If you are in your late teens, 20s, 30s, etc., and are trick or treating, well, I don't think you should be stopped. If you think that this is absolutely all right and that you don't deserve odd (and sometimes angry) looks, then you've got a long talking to ahead of you.

Going out on Halloween just because your friends are and you feel you are "supposed to" - Looking at the calendar it appears that Halloween this year is on a Sunday. It's possible that the next day you may have a test or other important thing to do, and you probably shouldn't be out late drinking yourself towards an early grave. Don't go just because you feel you should. On the other hand, if you're planning on taking your younger sibling or cousin or whatever out to trick or treat, then don't miss that for anything.