I think I am a halloween Scrooge

[cmo]

Someone in our neighborhood decided to start Boo-ing this month for the first time in our neighborhood. If you are not familiar with this, one person makes up a little basket, box, or package of Halloween-themed treats (usually heavy on the candy) along with a Boo sign and note asking that the recipient do the same for 2 neighbors who have not been Boo-ed yet. It is left at the neighbor's front door. After you have been Boo-ed, you put up your Boo sign so you won't get Boo-ed again.

So, I noticed this last week and sighed. I'm sure this started out long ago as a nice tradition that involved thoughtful gifts, but now even Target sells pre-made Boo kits. The cynic in me sees that the mighty retailers have made this into another money-making opportunity. Plus, my kids have plenty of meat on their bones already, so a pre-Halloween influx of candy is really the last thing that we need!

I am a Scrooge because I put up a pre-emptive Boo sign at my front door this weekend. Bah humbug! :-)

Chris

[sarahsthreads]

That doesn't sound Scrooge-y to me - I'd do it too. I think the whole "tradition" (does it count as a tradition if it's only a couple of years old and heavily commercialized already?) is kind of silly myself. I hope nobody in our neighborhood starts doing this, because I'd just break the chain!

Sarah :)

[cvanbrunt]

Ugh! I've never heard of this and hope no one in my neighborhood has either. Seriously, who has time for this kind of stuff? Shouldn't Halloween just be one fun evening for the kids? I agree, it sounds like just another pseudo-tradition designed by retailers to fill the pages of Martha Stewart Living and empty your wallet.

I am not only a Scrooge (I actually had a sweatshirt with Bah Humbug! on it in high school) but a curmudgeon as well!

-Carrie

[boogiemom2]

Wow! It never occurred to me that someone could take a kind, neighborly gesture and turn it into a negative experience. I started this in my neighborhood this year and did in my previous neighborhood last year. Honestly, I think it's fun. My kids were ecstatic to be boo'ed. The neighbor kids were excited as well.

Personally, I don't give candy. I gave Halloween pencils, erasers, stickers, little tubs of play-doh, etc. I haven't seen the pre-made Boo kits, but I haven't looked for them either. It doesn't take any time for me to do this because I buy things for my sons' school Halloween party and use the same stuff. I'm going to the store anyway, why not?

It's really for the kids, not the adults and this is why. Adults have forgotten how to enjoy the simple things in life. Don't you remember what it was like to be a kid and get surprises? My kids are loving the mystery aspect of it all. My son is thrilled that someone wanted to give him a secret, special gift. As far as I'm concerned, I'll gladly go out of my way that little bit to put a smile like that on a kids face anyday.


Happy Halloween!


P.S. It's really the same concept as Secret Santa or BBB's own "Brownie Fairy". I've yet to see someone log on and complain about receiving a surprise from the Brownie Fairy.

[GaPeachInCA]

How funny!

We were Boo-ed and I was perplexed as to where to get the "Boo" thing from. I checked Target, Michaels, Beverly's (another craft store) & Cost Plus and didn't see anything.

I finally found some wooden ghost signs at the pumpkin patch this weekend to pass on my Boo and then I read the card and saw you needed a "goodie", too. What? So I had to send DH out to find a goodie and I finally did my Boo's 2 weeks later. :D

I wish I had seen these premade kits!

I was wondering what happens next year when we all already have Boo signs. :D

I hope the people we passed it on to don't feel obligated to pass it along. That can take the fun out of it if you don't have time and it feels like work. (Which it sort of did for me...)

[boogiemom2]

I don't know anything about needing a boo "thing". We just have a little ghost on a piece of paper and it says "We've been boo'ed!" over his head. The next person just makes 2 copies to put in the next persons goodie bags. We don't do special signs. A lot of the kids have colored the ghost picture before hanging them on their front doors. It's cute to drive around and see them all stuck down low on the doors because you know the kids put them up themselves. :)

[almostamom]

We do this in our neighborhood too. Someone did it the first year we were here and I was disappointed that no one started it the second year. I started it last year. We don't use fancy wooden Boo signs or anything - just a Xerox copy of a ghost. We started it in our playgroup this week. We don't go too overboard and we usually don't include candy either. One year I found Halloween themed tissues and did a Halloween book for the child.

The good thing about Boo-ing 2 people is that if one person who has been Boo-ed decides it's not for them and doesn't wish to participate, the Boo-ing can still go on for others.

Linda

[gatorsmom]

>Adults have forgotten how to enjoy the simple things in life.

I don't know- I thought the simple things in life were things like enjoying the colorful fall leaves as you are driving along, or looking forward to reading a book to your children at night. THOSE are simple things to me. Having to drag my big, uncomfortable preggo belly out to buy stuff to put together a boo basket just seems like one more thing on my list of things to do.

Actually, it just seems like one more thing to cross off my to-do list before I can REALLY enjoy the simple things in life.

I agree with the pps- Target can take their Boo Kits and Sweetest Day cards and stick 'em.

Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005
and surprise! twins due 11/07!

[muskiesusan]

I like the idea of Boo-ing, but in reality, it turns out to be a bit of a PITA for me. Here's why:

8:30ish, the doorbell rings. A sense of panic sets in that it is a police officer here to inform me that travelling DH has perished in a plane crash. Then I get rational and realize it is probably just someone wanting to sell me something or save me. So, I go to the window, but I don't see anyone. Panic again that someone is lurking in my bushes waiting for me to open the door and then attack me. This fear quickly passes as I realize the dogs, who have been barking since the doorbell rang, have woken up the kids. After I put the kids back to bed, I open the door and realize that I have been boo'd. Now, I have either received a wonderful basket of over the top goodies which will only stress me out to try and replicate, or, a brown sack full of candy corn out of it's original package. Now I have to put together my own boo bag and try to deliver, which I hate because 1. the idea of ringing a door bell and leaving just seems wrong, and 2. all my close neighbors have been hit, so I have to wait several days until DH returns from his trip as I can't leave the kids alone in the house while I scour the neighborhood in the dark looking for a house without a ghost sign in the window. The latter problem not always, but usually results in me doing nothing but hanging the sign in my window.

So, thanks for the reminder. I will also put a pre-emptive Ghost in my window. I think I will enjoy it more when the kids are older and in charge of the whole receiving and giving.


Susan
Mom to Nick 10/01
& Alex 04/04

[boogiemom2]

Sure. Those are simple things to enjoy as well. However, the "boo" thing is primarily geared towards children. It's like Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy......someone drops by with an unexpected surprise. How fun! As a pp said, if you don't want to participate.....don't. It's not mandatory.

Every kid I know loves it. They are talking about it at school and the other kids think it's so cool. The teachers are asking about it. I've had many friends over who ask when they see my sign up. They all think it's a wonderful idea....and no one knows I started it. Of course, some will choose not to participate. Great. It's a free country.....