...are much too old to be trick or treating, just like OSC shares in his latest OSC Reviews. When they can grow moustaches or full beards, they are too old to be trick or treating. When they are actually pregnant, not just dressed like a pregnant woman, they are too old to be trick or treating. And it's not good for the baby anyway.
Bah humbug.
My family had the same policy as OSC's. When you turned 12, you were now old enough to distribute candy, not collect it. I've kept the same policy with my kids. So it urks me to have teenagers come up to my door begging for candy, not only because it isn't cute semi-extortion, it's real extortion. My husband had to remind me that I wasn't their mother, and that eggs are very hard to wash off windows...especially 2nd story windows.
I hate to say, but this year, we're turning the lights out. We aren't playing this year.
Actually, we're going to a party with a super hero theme. I'm going as Yes Mother, mom of super villians. ("You can't conquer the world until you clean your room...") But there will be no trick or treating at our house tonight.
I feel like such a scrooge. Anyone else?
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
I LOVE your costume idea, and don't think your reluctance to participate in trick or treating is in any way indicative of what kind of person you are. ^_^
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
We haven't done trick or treating since we moved into this house. It's far too hard to control the dogs and deal with trick-or-treaters. Plus, I've had a couple experiences with teenagers trick-or-treating as well that make me sympathize a whole bunch with you, jeni.
The last time I went "trick-or-treating" I was 14 and taking my little sister (who was 6) around . A couple of friends came along to keep me company, and, on a whim, we all wore Christmas hats and scarves and sang carols (no treat bags, mind you). My sister was deeply embarassed, but most of the folks we caroled for were very amused (or at least bemused, anyway).
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
We trick or treated up until 14 or 15. We got fully dressed up in costumes and went around trick or treating. What's wrong with that?
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
I am a total Halloween scrooge, too. The young ones are cute, the older ones (in our area anyway) are absolute brats, in particular the double-dippers. That's right, wannabe Jack Sparrow, I gave your lazy self candy already, walk around the corner visit some other houses.
Thankfully, I'll be taking Thomas around to his Grandma and Mimi/Papa's houses, and then MAYBE on a trip around our neighborhood with the kid from two houses down.
Posted by Baron Samedi (Member # 9175) on :
My wife moved to America from Albania when she was 19 years old. I met her when she was 22, and she had no idea what this trick-or-treating was all about. So the first halloween that we were dating, I decided that if she was going to live in this country, she had to have this experience at least once. I dressed up as a crazy scientist and she dressed as a princess, and we went trick-or-treating for about 45 minutes in a well-off neighborhood.
We got some strange looks, many double-takes around our feet to see where our children were, and more than one person asked us if it was a fraternity prank. But when we explained what we were up to, most of the people seemed fairly amused by it. When we were done we went back home and consumed our winnings in their entirety while we watched a movie, and got totally sick to our stomachs, just like real American kids.
I don't know if that is sufficient justification for breaking the cardinal rule, but it was fun, and now she at least has a brief acquaintance with one of the strangest American traditions.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
I went trick or treating in College. it was fun. I had large butterfly wings made out of metal wire and my face was painted. It was about the last time i did that though. Shame I can't anymore. I miss getting to wear a costume. But perhaps i can get ghost sock half off tomorrow.
Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
Wouldn't you much rather have high school and college students trick-or-treating than the alternative forms of mischief they could find...
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
Like going to a party? Handing out candy? Having them not trick or treat is not an excuse to turn over garbage cans or leave flaming bags of poo on someone's porch.
Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :
My friend has a rule I think I'll steal- if you are taller than I, you must sing for candy. (We are both about 5"1').
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
I freely give candy to anyone who comes by. The more I give away, the less I'll be tempted to eat. There's no real reason to restrict the random handing-out of candy to young children, as far as I'm concerned.
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
I never left flaming bags of poo or threw stuff at people I just wanted free candy. Also I stepped aside for the smaller kids, but I got scared when I trick or treated at a frat house. Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
IF you are taller than romanylass AND you do not say thank you I am within my rights to pelt you with Jawbreakers as you leave my porch as an example to the next group.
(just kidding!)
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: I freely give candy to anyone who comes by. The more I give away, the less I'll be tempted to eat. There's no real reason to restrict the random handing-out of candy to young children, as far as I'm concerned.
Nor is there any reason to give candy to anyone, including the small children. Halloween is just a weird holiday, IMO.
Luckily, pretty much no one in my neighborhood has any more interest in it than I do.
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
Tom, if you don't BUY the candy, you don't have to give it away to get it out of your house. If you want candy that bad, wait until November 1st when it's 6lb for a quarter. Posted by romanylass (Member # 6306) on :
at Tick.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
^ Precisely.
[edit: In response to Tick.]
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
I have no problem with teenaged trick or treaters as long as they actually wear a costume - not a mish mosh of street clothes that they claim is a hobo or something like that. My older daughter is now 13, and she and her friends all dressed up as fairies and are out in a group. In fact, HER fairy is one she designed herself as a character in a book she's writing!
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I stopped at 14, and I was taking my little brother. I think that's just about right. I was shocked to hear that my older almost-step-sister kept trick or treating until she was, like, 20 or something. Wow.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
(And I admit that I'm guilty of giving one piece of candy to each teenager, and a whole handful to little children, on multiple occasions.)
Posted by kojabu (Member # 8042) on :
quote:Halloween is just a weird holiday, IMO.
Halloween weirds me out because it's the only day of the year you can put on a mask, ring someone's doorbell and have the person not freak out. And then you get candy, for doing nothing more than wandering around a neighborhood.
Posted by Pelegius (Member # 7868) on :
With the exception of one year when I tried, mostly in vain, to collect money for UNICEF, I stopped after age twelve.
I wish more people would start collecting money for charitable causes during Halloween, but, as it is, the practice is so uncommon as to be treated with surprise and even suspiscion.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Halloween is beyond question my favorite holiday. Like all major holidays, its origins are known but culturally forgotten. It has strict rituals that incorporate rites of passage. And it combines elements of creepy, supernatural otherness with neighborly greeting and sharing.
It's in many ways the perfect community holiday, in the same way that Thanksgiving is an almost perfect family holiday.
---------
Pel, if someone came to my door on Halloween to ask for money, I would be both surprised and offended. Like I said, there's a ritual to that sort of thing, and demanding cash is an abuse of the ritual.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
*shrugs* Whereas in some neighborhoods, Trick or Treat for Unicef is seen as an acceptable alternative for teens seen as too old for trick or treating but who still want to dress in costume and go out with their friends. (Like mine.)
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Tom, in many areas collecting money for UNICEF is a Halloween ritual. Going back quite a few decades, judging by some of the books I read growing up.
quote:Originally posted by kojabu: Halloween weirds me out because it's the only day of the year you can put on a mask, ring someone's doorbell and have the person not freak out. And then you get candy, for doing nothing more than wandering around a neighborhood.
Well, we have that too. It's called Purim. However
the door-to-dooring happens during daylight hours
the costumes are far less dark
the kids have to work for their reward -- they're delivery people for their parents and/or other adults
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
A lot of people in my neighborhood are starting to turn off their lights on Halloween. The neighborhood has less and less kids, and parents are bussing in their kids from Detroit, which a lot of locals don't seem to be taking well to.
The only thing that bothers me about it, is that the kids being brought in are all in their teens, and they don't even dress up. They just walk around wearing sweatshirts demanding candy, once in awhile they'll wear a jersey.
Tom -
You're against trick or treating for UNICEF? Seriously? All you do is drop a quarter instead of a candybar, and the kids get nothing out of it except I guess good feelings. I trick or treated for UNICEF the last year I trick or treated.
Posted by seekingprometheus (Member # 9825) on :
These kinds of attitudes make me sad. The sense of magic of any holiday is an evanescent thing--the older you get, the less you can easily and naturally feel the wonder of Halloween (or Christmas, or Easter etc.) and the more these days become "just another Tuesday." You may have issues with older kids who seem to "mooch," but at essence, these are just children trying to capture what is left of the fading magic of childhood.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
The only reason I like Halloween is that I offer to work every Halloween night, which no one wants to work, and it allows me to get Thanksgiving weekend off.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote: You're against trick or treating for UNICEF? Seriously?
Yeah. It's not like asking someone to redirect your Christmas gift to, say, your favorite charity (which I've done for several years); the implied social contract with Christmas is that you get the recipient something they want -- and if they want a donation, that's okay. With Halloween, the modern implied contract is that you have a bucket of candy, and people can reach in and take no more than two pieces of their choice. If someone showed up and asked for money, I'd blink at them, ask to see their credentials, and probably grumble to myself while I stalked back into the house to retrieve my wallet.
quote:The only reason I like Halloween is that I offer to work every Halloween night
Well, you're in Detroit. I spent my formative years in Flint, so I can understand. It's different in places that don't set themselves on fire.
Posted by seekingprometheus (Member # 9825) on :
I hasten to point out that I don't get a thrill at the idea of a big bag of candy anymore. I don't take my paycheck and head to the candy store. To me, it's just sugar. If I want some, I buy some. But when I was a child, I did ride my bike down to the store after getting my allowance. As a child, candy was special.
Instead of thinking that these kids are too old, try to remember that they are young enough to be thrilled by the prospect of a pillow bag of candy, that they have excitedly planned their route to maximize their "treasure," and that they are engaged in the quintessential expression of the tradition associated with this day.
They are children--enraptured with the magic idea of trick or treating. Childhood isn't about a lack of facial hair, it's about a simple sense of wonder. The fact that you and I no longer possess the childhood simplicity required to want to run around a neighborhood asking for candy talks only about how jaded we are with the world. Do we want to impose our lack of wonder on others?
I urge you to examine why it is that this issue bothers you. I think you'll find that it doesn't have as much to do with the adolescents clinging to their childhood as it has to do with you.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson:
quote: You're against trick or treating for UNICEF? Seriously?
Yeah. It's not like asking someone to redirect your Christmas gift to, say, your favorite charity (which I've done for several years); the implied social contract with Christmas is that you get the recipient something they want -- and if they want a donation, that's okay. With Halloween, the modern implied contract is that you have a bucket of candy, and people can reach in and take no more than two pieces of their choice. If someone showed up and asked for money, I'd blink at them, ask to see their credentials, and probably grumble to myself while I stalked back into the house to retrieve my wallet.
quote:The only reason I like Halloween is that I offer to work every Halloween night
Well, you're in Detroit. I spent my formative years in Flint, so I can understand. It's different in places that don't set themselves on fire.
Scrooge!
Just keep a little jar of quarters next to your door where the candy is. You'll do wonders for the health of the kids who don't need all that sugar, and the kids want to help someone other than themselves. Should we have the kids try and sell off their candy at school or something to raise funds?
As for Detroit....well you got me there. Though I'm a little sensitive on that subject, as my old high school was set on fire last night, and the gym was gutted from the fire, along with all the desks, tables, chairs and books that were being stored there.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote:Just keep a little jar of quarters next to your door where the candy is.
If it ever became a tradition, I might. But in twelve years of trick-or-treating and five years of home ownership, I've never once encountered someone collecting for UNICEF.
Posted by andi330 (Member # 8572) on :
I got no kids to my door this year. I suppose that's my punishment for living on the third floor of a walk up. Plus I think alot of the people around here went to Boo in the Zoo last weekend, or Truck or Treat at one of the local churches. I guess the folks at work will enjoy all the free candy.
I used to collect for UNICEF all the time. My neighborhood gave candy and quarters though, so I got to have both.
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
quote:Like going to a party? Handing out candy?
I wasn't cool yet at 14 to go to any parties. And my mom was home handing out candy. and so was I before I went out when the younger kids would come by before my mom came home from work.
Nice post seekingprometheus. Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
The one thing worse than a teenager with no costume coming to your door is the teenager with no costume who is talking on their cell phone while demanding candy. I have to admit, though, that out of her small group, she was the only one who said "Thank you". They don't bother me that much, I just don't give them as much as little kids.
What I do hate is that I seem to always end up in a house on a dead end street that gets no kids. I love Halloween and go all out every year on the decorations and I only get a few kids. I took Ryan to the front part of our subdivision last night and there were kids all over the place. My house was decorated far better than anyone else's I saw. I think next year I'll print up some flyers to hand out.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Last year we had around a hundred kids, this year only one group.
It was pretty cold out, but it still seems kind of weird. It's like someone cancelled Halloween and forgot to tell us.
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
The loud, scary, obnoxious teens take away some of the fun away for the younger kids. In just a short jaunt around the block I saw a few different groups of teens mucking things up, scaring the wee ones, using inappropriate language (on the aforementioned cell phones especially) and just about getting themselves run over. Not what I want my three year old to see.
quote:They are children--enraptured with the magic idea of trick or treating.
Oh, bull. They were enraptured with the idea of free candy but I didn't see anything magical about a group of high-schoolers asking for candy. The excitement and heartfelt 'Fank yous!!!' from the little kids mean a LOT more than the mumbled thanks as the 'big kids' run from house to house just for more candy.
quote:I urge you to examine why it is that this issue bothers you. I think you'll find that it doesn't have as much to do with the adolescents clinging to their childhood as it has to do with you.
Halloween Humbugs, next on Dr. Phil.
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
<insert standard 'there are always exceptions but they are few and far between' disclaimer>
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
We only got three sets of trick-or-treaters. What was worse was that I could hear the kids in the complex, they were just skipping my particular row of townhouses. Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
Hmm, you'd think they'd love townhouses, all those doors so close together...
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote:The excitement and heartfelt 'Fank yous!!!' from the little kids mean a LOT more than the mumbled thanks as the 'big kids' run from house to house just for more candy.
Honestly, I don't think the candy is really the draw for older children. Given that you can buy a vat of candy for under three dollars, and most teenagers trick-or-treat for long enough to earn three dollars at their existing jobs, I'm pretty sure there are other economics at work.
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
quote:Originally posted by seekingprometheus: These kinds of attitudes make me sad. The sense of magic of any holiday is an evanescent thing--the older you get, the less you can easily and naturally feel the wonder of Halloween (or Christmas, or Easter etc.) and the more these days become "just another Tuesday." You may have issues with older kids who seem to "mooch," but at essence, these are just children trying to capture what is left of the fading magic of childhood.
You know, that rings truer with me than just about anything else. I appreciate that you posted this. I think I can have a better attitude about it with this thought firmly in mind.
As it was, hubby overruled me. Our daughter was too tired to go to the party (and be any fun), so I took my son. In the meantime, our few trick-or-treaters came and went laiden with generous handsful of candy. Rainbow *really* wanted to go trick-or-treating, so Daddy took her to a few houses. We all live on acre lots, so it's quite a walk between houses.
We didn't have any taller than me this year. My favorite costume was a little girl dressed as a chicken. She was adorable.
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: Honestly, I don't think the candy is really the draw for older children. Given that you can buy a vat of candy for under three dollars, and most teenagers trick-or-treat for long enough to earn three dollars at their existing jobs, I'm pretty sure there are other economics at work.
But what, really? If they want to dress up and hang out with their friends there are other outlets for that. I guess I don't get it, it was fun when I was little but by the teen years my idea of fun wasn't walking around and getting candy from strangers.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote:I guess I don't get it, it was fun when I was little but by the teen years my idea of fun wasn't walking around and getting candy from strangers.
Which is probably why not all teens continue to trick-or-treat. But lots of people don't like playing D&D, either, and I don't try to come up with motives for the ones who do.
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
I would never ponder the motives of said DnD players, as they don't come to my door wanting me to roll their dice for them. Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
See, you're assuming that the implied contract is "I give candy to all young children who ask for it on Halloween." (Other people might even add other unspoken qualifiers, like "I give one piece of candy to all polite, costumed young children who ask for it on Halloween.")
I'm just saying that it's not necessarily a personal failing on the part of teenagers if they interpret that contract differently; I suppose it depends on the perceived utility of youth for all participants.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quote:With Halloween, the modern implied contract is that you have a bucket of candy, and people can reach in and take no more than two pieces of their choice.
Ah. See, that's not the contract here. The contract here is that people have treats, which range from candy (everything from minis to king size) to toys to stickers to pencils to "other" (at our Trunk or Treat, Emma got a bag of trail mix, two miniature containers of Play-Doh, and a toothbrush...), presented in a variety of ways and available for young kids and pre-teens/tweens who dress up and go door to door (to the lit and usually decorated houses; if you're not lit up and decorated with at least one pumpkin or ghost flag or something or porch lit and door open it's a signal that you're "not at home" to trick-or-treaters) asking for it. Some people put out a bowl, which of course gets taken by the first marauding group without a parent to control them. (Which is why we don't do that.) A few let the kids choose two (or whatever set number), but none we encountered last night did. Several people had goody bags made up with assorted candy and toys in each. Most just gave whopping handfuls of candy to each kid who came and exclaimed over their costumes. They gave candy to Bridget even though she's 6 months old, assuming we'll allow our kids to have what they can of it, and take away the rest. They were happy to give quarters (or whatever was in their spare change jar) to older kids Trick-or-Treating for Unicef (we saw two), and usually offered them a few candies as well. The older kids are pushing the limits of the contract; they don't really dress up, and they're considered a little too old for it unless they're doing it for a cause. That's why they are met with resentment here, and the Unicef kids aren't.
Posted by TheTick (Member # 2883) on :
It's okay Tom, my wife tells me I'm just a humbug. I just can't shake the feeling that all those teens should be off my lawn and doing something age appropriate.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I think a lot of it has to do with the attitude of the older kids as well. If they aren't in the spirit of the holiday, then they get popcorn balls and 3 year old orange peanuts. Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
Collecting for UNICEF was part of my Halloween experience growing up. Since being in Edmonton I haven't seen anyone collecting for UNICEF and this year UNICEF Canada has cancelled the program after 50 years. link Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
quote: then they get popcorn balls and 3 year old orange peanuts.
Now I know what to do with all those styrofoam peanuts. I've got spray paint.
My kid was picky last night. He ignored what they have in their hand and heads straight for the bowl. He never reached in and grabbed a handful but would just ask for the green one and blue one (or whatever struck his fancy). I was embarrassed at first, but when I realized that he wasn't being greedy and everyone seemed amused, I didn't worry about it.
![[Angst]](graemlins/angst.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
at Tick.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
It's different in places that don't set themselves on fire. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
What was worse was that I could hear the kids in the complex, they were just skipping my particular row of townhouses. ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)