Question Of The Day, Wednesday, September 27, 2017

[MoochNNoodles]

We don't celebrate Halloween in the traditional sense; so no costumes here. Our church does have a fall community carnival type event mostly geared towards kids. They have bouncy houses, popcorn, music, and bags of candy for each kid. Some kids do come in costume but I've never bothered with my kids. They don't seem to mind.

We do like searching the clearance costumes after Halloween for dress up costumes though. (And clearance candy. )

Christmas things are out in stores here. I worked for Hallmark for a few years when I was in college. It doesn't phase me. One holiday really rolls right into another there. And we had customers looking for wrapping paper and Christmas cards in the middle of summer. Maybe I'm immune to it because I don't work with that stuff anymore.

 

[margd]

For bonus points (I know -- we aren't keeping score) you can tell us why Halloween=Christmas. Note: that equals sign is a clue; this is a math question.

EDIT to delete very bad guess at the answer.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

EDIT to delete very bad guess at the answer.

margd - Since "Hallowe'en" is an anagram for, "whale Noel," I bet I know your answer!


.

 

[Margret]

Well, the day will be over (here in the Mountain time zone) in less than half an hour, so I guess I should post the solution to the problem.

In Rome, the calendar began in March, so the eighth month was October and the tenth month was December, a bit of history which still lingers in the names of those months. "Octal" is a math term for base 8, and "decimal" means base 10, from the same root words as October and December. (October | Origin and history of October by Online Etymology Dictionary, December | Origin and history of December by Online Etymology Dictionary)

So, "31 base 8" can be written as 31 Oct., and "25 base 10" can be written as 25 Dec., and 31 Oct.=25 Dec.. {31 base 8 has a three in the eights column = 3 times 8, and a one in the ones column, which we add to the three eights. 3 times 8 = 24, + 1 = 25.} Therefore Halloween equals Christmas.

Margret

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Well, the day will be over (here in the Mountain time zone) in less than half an hour, so I guess I should post the solution to the problem.

In Rome, the calendar began in March, so the eighth month was October and the tenth month was December, a bit of history which still lingers in the names of those months. "Octal" is a math term for base 8, and "decimal" means base 10, from the same root words as October and December. (October | Origin and history of October by Online Etymology Dictionary, December | Origin and history of December by Online Etymology Dictionary)

So, "31 base 8" can be written as 31 Oct., and "25 base 10" can be written as 25 Dec., and 31 Oct.=25 Dec.. {31 base 8 has a three in the eights column = 3 times 8, and a one in the ones column, which we add to the three eights. 3 times 8 = 24, + 1 = 25.} Therefore Halloween equals Christmas.

Margret

Margret - So what do I win for giving the correct answer in Post #10? Don't even consider saying, "another cat."
.

 

[Margret]

Margret - So what do I win for giving the correct answer in Post #10? Don't even consider saying, "another cat."
.

Oh, ! Somehow I completely missed your spoiler when I was reading through the messages earlier.

Congratulations! You did, indeed, get the correct answer!

As previously stated, you get bonus points. Also, as previously stated, we aren't keeping score, so bonus points don't give you anything but bragging rights. Are you absolutely certain you don't want another cat? I'm sure I could arrange for one if you do.

Margret

 

[Mother Dragon]

We usually do dress up. We go to the malls and walk around. A lot of people take our photo. The makeup is primitive but it seems to be effective. We have a lot of fun.

The first photo shows how I went to work one year. Notice the piercings and tattoos. You can barely see the tattoos. I used several products to stiffen my hair. I didn't know the orange spray was colored super-hold hair spray. I could have shish-ka-bobbed someone without bending a hair. The piercings would move the skin when pulled and I told people that I had an acupuncturist friend put them in so it didn't hurt. In truth they were attached with rubber cement, but looked real enough to freak people out. I was having a good time until I found out our new General Manager didn't approve of such things. I don't know why since his daughter made the cover of Tattoo Magazine! I had to stay hidden under my desk all day. If I needed to go down the hall, I had someone scout it for me first.

The second photo is the first time we went mall-crawling. Robert forgot to take his glasses off for the photo. We used cheap makeup and it got all over everything. It didn't stay on our skin but it was impossible to get off other things. It was still on the steering wheel of our car when we traded it in.

The next year we went to a professional costume company and got the good stuff and the stuff to set it so it wouldn't crease or fade. You can see it in the next photo, where the wigs are different from the ones above. Robert has a different skull on his stick, too. The photo was taken in an Apple Store!

I'm not sure if or what we'll do this year. The neighborhood is older and we might get one or two kids, so we turn out the lights and put a sign on the mailbox post that says there's no candy. Then we go haunt the malls.

 

[Mother Dragon]

My husband does pocket magic. One year when our daughter was about five, we fixed up a jack-o-lantern with a candle inside. We attached flash powder and pop paper to the candle. As it burned down while the kids were watching the magic, the pumpkin would occasionally flash or pop. The kids would jump a bit and go back to watching the show. However, somehow we got too much flash paper and pop paper fastened together at one point. The top blew off the pumpkin with a loud bang and a bright flash.The kids scattered and wouldn't come back.

Another year my husband answered the door dressed as a hangman with a black hood. He had a rope noose and a huge butcher knife with catsup "blood" on it. The kids had to reach through the noose to get the candy. You should have heard the shrieks and squeals when he'd lurch at them and growl.

 

[micknsnicks2mom]

i don't wear a Halloween costume, haven't for decades. i also don't buy candy to give out to trick or treaters. first, i generally don't go shopping close enough to Halloween. and second, there are only a handful of children in my immediate area. third, is that my cats generally don't like knocking on the door, they run away from that on the rare occasions it happens.

 

[Winchester]

We always have candy and we always end up disappointed. Last year I think we had three groups of trick or treaters. Yeah, only three. Out of all the townhouses in view, the only ones with porch lights on were us and one other, no wonder trick or treaters passed us by.

We always have candy and Dear Richard is never disappointed! Oh, we never get any trick or treaters anymore. Ever. But Rick's choice of Halloween candy is Reese's peanut butter cups. We buy a bag (or three) bring them home and they go into the freezer. Rick loves his peanut butter cups, so he'd be more disappointed if trick or treaters came to the house; he'd have to give up his candy!

But I do have a story.....many years ago, Rick had taken our son out trick or treating. Back then, I colored my own hair and so that's what I was doing since I had some time to myself. I was right in the middle of doing my hair and my hair was sticking out every which way, all black and yucky (I was auburn back then, but the color came out really dark in the beginning before it processed). A little boy came to the door and, not thinking, I answered. That poor kid took one look, started screaming his lungs out, and ran back to the car. I had a pumpkin full of candy with me, but evidently, he needed to get out of there.....fast. Judging from the screaming, I'm thinking the poor kid had nightmares. He was just a little boy and I felt bad for him.

 

[Mia6]

We usually do dress up. We go to the malls and walk around. A lot of people take our photo. The makeup is primitive but it seems to be effective. We have a lot of fun.

You look amazing!!! So real! I bet you have a lot of fun and the people at the mall love it.


I don't dress up but usually wear a scary mask when I hand out candy.

 

[Mia6]

We usually do dress up. We go to the malls and walk around. A lot of people take our photo. The makeup is primitive but it seems to be effective. We have a lot of fun.

You look amazing!!! So real! I bet you have a lot of fun and the people at the mall love it.


I don't dress up but usually wear a scary mask when I hand out candy.

 

[foxxycat]

I dug up photos...lol We only did this 2 times. These were taken in Oct 2004-Floey was 3-4 then-so young looking.

I ordered makeup online because i wanted fussy fine line makeup. The makeup here was store bought and greasy-It got on everything-I can't find the photos of the second batch but I did a finer line with more spots. I don't know why I wanted him as blue-probably because all he has is blue shirts and navy. He won't wear a costume but didn't mind makeup. I didn't want to wear a costume because I am hot blooded and most places have the heat on. the party we went to they had a lumber jack and something else with it-I can't remember=but they were thick costumes fur and heavy..they must have been dieing- so I never got into the costume part unless its cool and airy.

Oh an when Jon had his house in Wenham he always bought reeses pieces cups-and ate most of them in 3 days. We have a real sugar sleuthe in my house. I always preferred kitkat and m&ms. or almond joy.

Jon is first then me. He is holding our deceased Floey. She loved him-followed him around and slept on him all the time.

And for measure the late great RIP Floey again.

 

[Shane Kent]

I haven't worn a costume since Oct 1996. My wife typically decorates for it though.

Taz, curious to know what mommy was up to or hoping she had treats in the basket.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

@arouetta - These two things are mutually exclusive; you either have candy, or you are disappointed. One cannot have candy and be disappointed, unless you've simply bought the wrong kind of candy!


.

Peanut butter kisses...the kind that come wrapped in black and orange waxed paper. The only time you can get them is Halloween, so I buy about 5 pounds of it, give out about one pound, and freeze the rest to thaw and nibble for the next 11 months!

 

[Kat0121]

Margret - So what do I win for giving the correct answer in Post #10? Don't even consider saying, "another cat."
.

Sophie will sing your praises

 

[Margret]

I was having a good time until I found out our new General Manager didn't approve of such things. I don't know why since his daughter made the cover of Tattoo Magazine!

I believe you just answered your own question; he didn't approve because his daughter has tattoos.

Margret

 

[margecat]

Halloween is my favorite holiday. DH and I go to an adult public party at a restaurant every year. I usually wear one of my 18th C. gowns (I used to be a reenactor.) I have the huge powdered wig, etc. Everyone thinks I'm Marie Antoinette, so I just let them think that. It's a beautiful costume, but a pain to use the bathroom in!

We get from 125-225 kids at the door. I dress up for them, but ask my friend over for dinner, and she helps me with the kids.

 

[amysuen]

I used to wear a costume to take our kids Trick or Treating but haven't worn one for several years. I don't plan to wear one this year but if I change my mind I have Cinderella and a Black Cat in the attic.