LMS Halloween PSA: The Guide to Trading Candy

We've all been there. We come home from Trick or Treating and someone (usually a sneaky sibling) wants to trade some of their craptastic candy for some of our kick-ass candy. But we worked hard, mapping out which houses gave full-size Snickers, changing costumes so we could go back multiple times, and suffering through wind and rain for our award-winning stash and there's no way we want to trade candy, right?

Don't be too fast to answer that question. You know that if you dig down deep into your bag of Trick or Treating Loot, you'll find some less than desirable candy that you'd happily trade.

Before you trade, know the rules so you can work the system in your favor. Watch this video and then get ready for some serious Trick or Treating. Also remember this: stealing candy from your kids is bad, but trading candy with your kids is good. Just know the rules.

Inappropriate Kids' Halloween Costumes

Yesterday while passing out candy to little ghosts and goblins in my neighborhood, a little boy about 6 or 7 came to my door and I didn't immediately recognize his costume. He wasn't dressed up as Harry Potter or any of the Star Wars characters or SpongeBob Squarepants or any other recognizable character, so I asked him what his costume was. He pushed his little shoulders back, stood up straight and proudly informed me he was a pimp.

Yes, a pimp. And he was wearing the bling pictured below.
A few years, but more likely a few seconds later, I recovered my ability to speak and just said, "well, isn't that cute!"

W.T.F.? Huh?

Then I was reading the Huffington Post and learned that tween idol Miley Cyrus's 9-year-old sister was all decked out as a dominitrix at a recent Halloween fundraiser.

By the way, the worst part of this picture, in my opinion, is the Mattel sign behind Miley's little sister. Mattel, the maker of Uno, Polly Pocket, Fisher Price, Barbie and Hot Wheels. Of course, maybe mini-Miley was attempting to dress up as Black Canary Barbie, but Black Canary Barbie is not for kids, so I hope not. So here's a 9-year old completely over-sexualized at a party sponsored by the largest toy maker in the country.

What in the Hell is wrong with parents?

How do these Halloween costumes just happen? These are children. Little children at that. They do not have any way to make or purchase their own costumes so there had to have been an adult involved. They don't sneak out dressed as Elmo and change clothes at a friend's house (not that I ever did that). Mom and Dad must have been involved in these costume decisions.

When I was a kid, Halloween costume negotiations went something like this:

Me: Mom, I want to be Wonder Woman. Can you buy me a costume?

Mom: How about you just wear one of my old dresses and a wig and go as me?

Me: Okay.

So how did the conversations go in the households of these kids?

6-year-old boy: Yo, Mom & Dad! I wanna be a pimp. Go buy me some threads!

9-year-old girl: Mom & Dad, I want to look like a dominatrix street walker this year. Can you make me a costume?

Mom & Dad: Sure! It's never to early to oversexualize the kids.

Why didn't these parents say no? Where was any thought as to what was age-appropriate? What happened to parenting?

Now I know it's easy for me to criticize because I don't have kids, but most of my friends do and not one of them would let their kids dress like this. They all had adorable age-appropriate costumes, as did the vast majority of the kids who stopped by my house yesterday.

Kids grow up way too fast these days as it is. I just don't see the need for them to be older than they are on Halloween too.

Happy Halloween from Little Merry Sunshine!

Those of us in the Little Merry Sunshine offices love Halloween and like everything else we are super fond of, we think Halloween needs a soundtrack.

Enjoy!

Monster Mash by Bobby "Boris" Pickett & the Cryptkickers


Superstition by Stevie Wonder


Ghostbusters by Ray Parker, Jr.


Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones


Casper The Friendly Ghost


Devil Went Down to Georgia by Charlie Daniels Band


I Put a Spell On You by Creedence Clearwater Revival


Finally, no Halloween soundtrack would be complete without the long-version of Michael Jackson's Thriller video.

Michael Jackson - New Music - More Music Videos

Have fun and be safe this Halloween!

At Least the Racists are Outing Themselves

From today's Chicago Tribune online:

Boo! Who? Supporting Obama? No treats for you

Associated Press
11:44 AM CDT, November 1, 2008

GROSSE POINTE FARMS, Mich. - A Grosse Pointe Farms woman has doled out political tricks by refusing Halloween treats to children whose parents support Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Shirley Nagel passed out candy Friday -- but only to those who shared her support for Republican presidential candidate John McCain and running mate Sarah Palin.

Fox 2 News says a sign posted outside Nagel's house, about 12 miles west of Detroit, served notice to all trick-or-treaters. It read: "No handouts for Obama supporters, liars, tricksters or kids of supporters."

Nagel tells WJBK-TV that "Obama's scary." When asked about children who'd been turned away empty-handed and crying, she said: "Oh well. Everybody has a choice."

Fax and phone messages were left Saturday at numbers listed in Nagel's name.

Thanks to Dr. Monkey, here's the video!