Halloween Recipes Food Cooking International Guide
Halloween Urban Myths
By Patricia Gorginas
This Halloween, parents will equip their kids with a laundry list
of Halloween safety tips. "Be mindful of strangers, only
go to houses with a light on, stay together and be home on time,"
they’ll say. Then, when the children arrive home, the parents
will outstretch their arms and demand, "Now let me see your
Halloween candy," and then they will inspect each and every
piece for evidence of tampering.
Children never quite understand where these parental fears come
from. In fact, many parents aren’t quite sure either. The
"Fact or Fiction" themed website snopes.com
uncovers some of the urban legends surrounding October 31st and
chronicles some of the very real fears as well.
Fear Of Contaminated Candy
Since the 1970s, Halloween safety has focused on the fear of
contaminated candy. In 1970, 5-year-old Kevin Toson died from
a heroin overdose. A few days later, officials found that the
boy hadn’t eaten heroin-laced candy, as originally believed. Rather,
he had accidentally gotten into his uncle’s heroin stash and the
family had sprinkled heroin in the boy’s candy afterwards to protect
the uncle.
Similarly, in 1974, 8-year-old Timothy Mark O’Bryan died from
cyanide poisoned Pixie Stix in Houston, Texas. However, upon closer
inspection, detectives found that the boy had in fact been poisoned
by his own father. Even though these poisonings were far from
random, parents still feared for their kids’ safety amid the Halloween
fun.
Madmen Use The Holiday To Kidnap, Rape And Torture
Another Halloween fear is that madmen will use the holiday as
a cloak to kidnap, rape and torture unsuspecting victims. In 1997,
police in Richland Township, Pennsylvania, opted to hand out bags
of candy after a rash of attempted kidnappings. In 2005, fashion
writer Peter Braunstein kidnapped and sexually abused a woman
on Halloween and was later sentenced to 18 years to life in prison.
In 2006, ten people were shot at a San Francisco party on October
31st.
That same year a man and a fourteen-year-old boy were stabbed
at a Halloween party in Santa Cruz. Two Staten Island cops kidnapped
an egg-throwing kid, drove him to an isolated marsh and beat him
in 2008. There are many cases of Halloween danger but these occurrences
are probably no more likely to happen on this holiday than any
other day.
Send Kids In Groups
It’s important to send kids in groups and instruct them to only
accept treats from the porch. Teens and college students should
stay away from parties in notorious areas of the city or at homes
they’re not familiar with.
While the real danger of Halloween has been largely exaggerated,
the urban legends and myths should not diminish the very real
fears. From 1996-1998, there were 15,500 fires from October 30th
- November 1st, causing 45 deaths, 175 injuries and $92 million
in losses, reports the National Fire Protection Association.
They say that arson activity is 10% higher around Halloween,
and there is the additional danger from unwatched jack-o-lanterns.
To stay safe, parents should make sure their Halloween decorations
(like dry corn stalks) are away from electrical outlets or live
flames, with pumpkins illuminated by flashlights or bulbs rather
than candles. Additionally, all kids costumes should be made of
flame retardant materials.
About the Author:
Patricia Gorginas has written a number of articles on food and
cooking including Bachelorette
Party Ideas, Italian
Cooking, Jalapeno
Stuffed Olives, Quick
and Easy Dinner Recipes, Boost
your metabolism, Easy
and Quick Dinners, Muffin
Baskets, Chocolate
Covered Potato Chips, Halloween
Costume, Halloween
Costumes, Ghost
Stories, Halloween
Night, Halloween
Party, Happy
Halloween, The
Halloween, The
Costume.
Keep a lookout for more articles on this website.
Did You Know This About Halloween?
Halloween is a special night that is celebrated throughout the
world. Some call it All Hallow’s Eve and some just associate it
with trick or treating. People have the opportunity to get dressed
in costumes and celebrate.
Children love this holiday. They get to dress as their favorite
superhero, villain, or character from a cartoon series. As a parent
you want to make this a holiday to remember. Try adding some crafts
to the party and see how much fun it is for everyone to participate.
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