When is scary too scary for Halloween?

[Penwoir]

A couple of years ago we bought a huge spider to add to our halloween decor. It's fluffy, about 3 feet in diameter when the legs are sprawled out, and there is a sensor on it which when triggered by movement, it jumps out at lightening speed and there is a spider noise (which resembles loud critters) that is not so easy on the ears. I thought this would be great to leave on our doorstep to scare the trick or treaters and would add to the whole excitement of the day. For the most part, our visitors loved the spider, but there was one or two occasions when little kiddies got very frightened and so now I don't know whether I should use it at all. For the record, there is a zombie house near to us which has some fantastically awful zombies and undead, creeping across the lawn and so in the scale of things, I don't think our spider is so bad. But what do you think?

[haimsterette]

That actually sounds very PG! I think it would be fine to put out this Halloween. Most kids like a good scare! I know I did.  The only time I was ever uneasy/frightened while trick or treating is when someone came out running after the kids with a chainsaw (the blade not on, but the sound very alarming!).

[lvstephanie]

I think that's fine. The scare is more in the suddenness of it jumping out than in playing off of arachnophobia. When I was growing up, there was a house that used similar scare tactics... The owner would dress up as a scarecrow and just flopped down on a lawn chair on his porch. The costume was so perfect that few people actually recognized it as such, so usually the kids would just ring the bell and wait for the door to open. After a few seconds, he'd stand up, grab the bucket of candy under his seat, and proceed to pass out the candy. His sudden "coming to life" would usually scared the kids; the older ones thought it was great while some of the very young ones would go racing back to their parents, sometimes in tears. For those he really scared too badly, he'd peal off his burlap sack mask so that the kids could see who it really was (and I think he'd give them a little extra candy).

[hitch0403]

Suppose that tactic gave a person a heart attack?

Or suppose the looneys of this world such as devil worshippers poison a child?

I realize most are just out to have pure clean fun but when Halloween is endorsed by Satan and he transforms himself into an angel of light and something tragic happens......it will be too late!

[dogsleash]

gore is to sacry other than that irt is an open book. 

[hitch0403]

gore is to sacry other than that irt is an open book. 

Al Gore?

[luvh8tragedy87]

When I was little, well even to this day, I never liked things that popped out and scared me. Had an instance like that at a house when I was trick or treating. However the spider doesn't sound super bad compared to what else I've seen. Problem is some kids will love it, others will hate it, and you don't know how they'll react. If you love it then I say put it out.

[jkhanson]

I heard of a Halloween "decoration" that was pulled from the stores because it WAS deemed too scary...this was in Canada.



In part, the news piece said:
Home Depot has pulled a Halloween prank prop called the Scary Peeper Creeper from its shelves in Canada because some customers found it too scary.
The gag is a lifelike face that can be attached with a suction cup to the outside of a window, looking in, to resemble a Peeping Tom in a hoodie.
Not everyone found it funny in Canada, where a notorious serial killer and rapist from the 1980s was a voyeur. Home Depot spokesman Stephen Holmes said the prop was removed from the company's 182 stores in Canada out of sensitivity after the complaints.

[hitch0403]

TY for sharing that JKH.......

Your quotes from the bible seem to suggest you support it.1st John 5:19 gives good reason for that halloween decoration.
New International Version
We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.

That halloween decoration certainly backs that up!But many prefer the darkness over the light as shown by these celebrations!

[Skyisbluetoday]

I've seen those spider's that jump out at you, I don't think it's that scary. Of course some kid's get scared over minor stuff. If you like it put it out!

[alina6]

I don't think the spider is too scary but I think I would take it off the doorstep. If some gets scared and backs up I would think they could fall down the stairs which would not be a good thing.

[cwillard1]

I do not think the spider is too scary .  I agree with the other person to move off doorstep.   Kids may be scared