That was early 70's when that myth floated around. My parents checked EVERYTHING. Any home-made treats were tossed automatically. Fruits had to be cut into tiny slices. Any candy that didn't look correctly wrapped (as much of the store-bought stuff didn't anyway) got tossed.

We always had a simple rule for the kids. If it didn't look wrapped right, let us take a look. The practice of putting a name, address, and phone number on slips of paper inside home-made treats caught on in the late 70's. I haven't seen any in the kid's treat bags for at least ten years. They don't do trick-or-treat anymore (too old), but it's sad that all anyone gives out is candy. Even I don't deviate from that norm. We do try to go with the least fatty treats, and won't buy any candy made in China. Things like Sweet-Tarts are an all around win. Tiger pops are still US made. So are Tootsie Rolls and Dum Dums. It takes some hunting, but I'd rather make popcorn balls or oatmeal raisin cookies.

in her search for the rumored razor blades, to the point that no one could possibly eat the resulting mess. I always wanted to ask why she didn't just throw them out, but she seemed to be on a mission.

My dad just stole those peanut butter taffy things from our baskets that we never ate anyway. He also always scarfed up the black jelly beans at Easter and Halloween, cuz we kids hated those...

I steal those from the kids' loot too.

My dad has a peanut butter addiction.

I hated them as a kid; now not so much.

But I don't have any trick or treaters to steal candy from anymore

Both kinds have been around since I was a kid (born 1963) and they're my two favorite treats. Boston beans (candy) and burnt peanuts are my second favorites. And then there are Sky Bars.

But yeah, I snitch. They don't go trick-or-treating anymore, so I have to over-buy candy to get my fix now.

....just turns my stomach.

And I think the statistic is now something like 1 in 4 children in the US are obese. Which is shocking, and tragic.

So I can understand why some of these programs are happening.

And I have seen kids in large subdivisions get half a pillow case full of candy, so it really can be too much.

(exceptions for the dickheads that drive their kids down the block and don't even let them walk )

the problem is chronic - sodas, garbage eating and lack of real physical activity, not a one night binge

I can't believe they have to have professional athletes make commercials telling kids to get off their asses for an hour a day!

My parents used to ration the candy, after they took out their favorites.

That's MY candy!

For me!

I was a child in the 70's, my FAVORITE day was when the Halloween costumes in their cardboard boxes and cellophane fronts were brought into the 5&10 stores, Anyone remember Grants, or Stewart's or Woolco Woolworth's? The costumes I remember most were The Blue Fairy, Cinderella and all kinds of princesses. It was a magic time looking at those boxes trying to figure out what you were going to be. I couldn't see through the mask and it smelled like plastic so the only time I had it on my face was when I was actually at someone's door. I had a plastic pumpkin I used every year for Trick or Treat.

When my younger brothers and I got home with our candy, (we were taken house to house by family members) my mother took the buckets went through them for safety and then rationed out the candy after meals. Plus I am sure she and my father had some too.

It was that simple.

The buckets stayed up on the refrigerator, and we got a few pieces after lunch and supper and sometimes one or two as a snack. THe candy lasted until Thanksgiving.

So when I hear about giving coupons or toothbrushes for trick or treat, I just think its sad because they have clearly forgotten how much fun it was to get candy on Halloween. It seems so much joy is taken out of children's lives because the adults seem to lack the self control to give only "two pieces of candy" or one "cookie" or turn off the computer and send a kid outside.

I love Halloween, the worst year of my life was when I had a mastectomy but the thing I cried about the most was it was in October and I wouldn't be able to have Halloween that year!!

Judge how you want but Halloween is a night of FUN, THAT'S IT and I hate to see the PC police grab it and strangle it to death. The religious right has already taken it out of the schools so they cant make jack-o-lanterns any more and they cant have the elementary school Halloween Parade its now the HARVEST PARADE.

I believe in letting kids be kids and making parents be parents. So slaughter me if you must but that is where I stand.