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Halloween is when horror is celebrated, and one awaits the whole year to go on a thrilling and spooky adventure. Children have been tricking people and receiving treats from them for a long time, and Halloween is full of traditions. Some are still widely followed, while some were lost with time. Today, we’ll look at some traditions that would be banned in today’s era.
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Carrying Guns as Costume Props
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While costumes play a vital role in the tricking season, real guns would be used to complete the dress-up. Real weapons aren’t just dangerous for children to carry around, as they may harm themselves or others. Everyone living today would discourage the use of real weapons by children. Instead, toy guns would be more suitable for such events.
Blackface Costumes
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People would dress up in costumes, which would promote racial stereotypes and insensitivity towards black people. Now that the times have changed, people are understanding that wearing such things is not only offensive and disrespectful but also reinforces racial stereotypes in the minds of young children.
Homemade Treats
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Now, it may seem like nothing could go wrong while accepting homemade treats, but it’s also important to accept that the times have changed. Concerns about food safety have increased, and children can easily be tricked into eating something dangerous. While homemade candies were once common and acceptable, strict guidelines instruct children to only receive pre-packaged and sealed candies instead of unwrapped Homemade ones.
Jack o’ Lanterns
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Traditionally, Jack o’ Lanterns were lit with real candles, but they posed a threat of blazing fire. The festival became a nightmare for many people, and an alternative was introduced to tackle this hazard. Now, with more awareness about fire safety, the use of real candles has been replaced by artificial lights like LEDs. People believe it’s much safer and reduces the risk of catching fire and burning the house.
Haunted Houses
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Yes, we know it’s still popular, and every house is decorated to scare people even today. However, the issue with this previous tradition was that it included setting up a haunted house in any area without taking any safety measures. This practice often led to accidents and other tragic events. Now, there’s a greater emphasis on ensuring fire exits, structural safety, supervision, and other emergency protocols are followed.
Animal Cruelty
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In many cultures, some rituals followed animal cruelty, like sacrificing black cats. It may sound ridiculous, but it was followed for a long time until animal welfare authorities decided to step in and stop such actions from being taken.
Blindfolded Games
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Remember how popular the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” was? One would be blindfolded and had to navigate through sharp objects or crowded areas. Today’s people consider it a health hazard because it impairs the vision and movement of the body, causing increased risks of accidents and injuries.
Apple Bobbing
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It was widely popular in Scotland and known as ‘Dooking.’ In the game, people would try to catch the apples floating in a tub of water with their teeth—and only their teeth. In today’s era, even sharing a common tub is considered unsanitary, and trying to catch the apples from teeth will be a matter of hygiene for people, and they may also consider it gross. However, more hygienic versions can be seen and are also widely accepted.
Begging
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Yes, begging used to be a Celtic Tradition where people would gather around a fireplace and ask people to give them food, fuel, or things to appease the spirits by giving to them as offerings. If this practice existed today, it would have received criticism for glamourizing the begging practices.
Dry Ice
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Dry ice was previously used to create smoke effects indoors, creating an eerie atmosphere to aid the haunted Halloween vibe. However, the use of it puts safety concerns on people’s health, including asphyxiation in poorly ventilated areas. In today’s time, it’s advised to use dry ice only where the space is ventilated properly. Otherwise, other alternatives, like fog machines, pose fewer safety concerns.
Real Animal Blood
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As we talked about the rituals before, which included the sacrificing of animals, some Halloween geeks would also go to cruel lengths for the sake of decorating their homes. They would use real animal blood to create a horror vibe and use them for their house or costumes. The practice is not only unethical but also fosters health risks. One of the significant concerns is bloodborne pathogens and diseases.
Cornfield Mazes
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One of the reasons why people used to wait for Halloween was Cornfield Mazes. Thrilling and as well as adventurous. However, there were many issues, such as no supervision used to be there, which included the risks of getting lost, injuries, and lack of emergency response. Apart from this, there was also a concern about wild animals which may come at night and harm the people. When a corn maze is planned for Halloween, the pathways are carefully curated, keeping the emergency protocols and staff supervision in mind.
Clown Sightings
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A scary prank to play on anyone was to dress up as a creepy clown and wander on the streets at night. Imagine you’re going somewhere, and suddenly, a person dressed up weirdly pops up out of nowhere. It’s scary, but this is what used to be the case. Today’s people see it as a major safety concern because it has included various incidents of actual panic attacks and severe conditions due to terror.
Urban Exploration
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One more thrilling activity on the list was exploring abandoned buildings or villages. Groups were formed to go on expeditions to abandoned sites to experience paranormal activities or ghost sightings. While this may sound exciting, the real problem lies within the premise. The sites that have been long locked may have dangerous animals and may pose risks around structural instability and dangerous materials.