Halloween is the one time everyone gets to be, really what is core within them. If the children are into blood and guts and gore, I am thinking their psyche is too. Why is it the children are not smiling anymore? I went to a parade, on a sunny day last month, and the faces of the majority of the children were sullen, staring, and empty. No spirit of joy, no elan or enthusiasm, and it made a lasting impression on me as I see our future.

And adults, oops, I mean mature perverts, (you can see really, their archetypes on Halloween) are so frantic and frenetic for a good time. A very scary, but interesting night.

I'd prefer to see costumes that look like they were designed by Sam Raimi's special effects team as opposed to last year's prostitot costumes any day of the week.

My first thought, an Al Gore costume that was just hideous!!! Well hellsbells, that would scare the bejeebees out of me!!

We have churches now that are telling the parents, "your children may only wear angels and saints costumes!! Any devils and spooks, and you will be turned away from the party!"

Jesus didn't turn away the people who had devils and spooks in them. He welcomed them and then "cast away the devils that were in the persons!"

All hallows eve is a time of fun and scaring people. A great night for everyone!! If a child wants to dress as an angel or saint, great!! But if a child wants to dress as a devil or spook, GREAT TOO!!

ok... this is all way outta hand, im a father and while my son is too young to enjoy halloween just yet when he gets a little older if he wants to walk the streets in a dog costume, he can, a ghost, he can, jason, he can. halloween to kids is about candy and i remember thinking "hey, if i have a scary costume, i'll get more candy" children arent choosing these costumes out of a damaged psyche, espically little boys. how many little boys wanna scare people? pretty much all of them... let kids be kids.

as a pagan this is how my halloween/ All hallows eve/ Sahaman is going to go... im going to wake up early, shower and cleanse myself, preform a pre christian ritual, bringing the true spirt of the holiday into it, then im going to throw on my straight jacket, go to the mall dressed as joker in it and mess with people because its fun. then im going home changing costumes and going to a party. and if i see plastic knife welding children i'll laugh. and as for 'pointy tipped plastic wepons' give me a break... children need to learn to watch out for themselves. and when you dont you get hurt. its a lesson that should be learned early. i understand wanting to protect your children, but the world isnt child safe, not every corner is rounded. you can look out for your children and you should, but they are going to get hurt, and i hate to see my boy cry and be hurt but it happens, all you can really do is be there to make everything better and help them learn from it.

you want to know why your children look somber at the parade? stress. kids can pick up on house hold stress, money, relationships, even the news. dont worry so much about tomorrow and live for today. go to the park, splurge every now and then, do stuff as a family as often as once a week, to play or whatever, not just sit in front of a movie, make time for your children and let them see you smile, they will too.

peace love and happyness to all, and a safe oct. 31st to all as well, if you drink dont drive, crash there or call a cab. something. fake death is funny on that night, real death... tragic

article: "Big Lake, Minn., mom Cindy Chapman, who has a 9-year-old daughter. "I also have a rule: No store bought outfits, so that truly forces my daughter to be creative AND it cuts down on a lot of the commercial gore."

obviously the mother from minnesota has more sense than the whoop-dee-doo CEO who is proud to "wick" in creepy evil to the kids.