Tuesday, November 2, 2010

A Thought or Two About Trick Or Treaters

One of our local TV stations did a survey asking how old was too old to go trick or treating. What are your thoughts?

When I was a kid, back in the middle ages, we just didn't go trick or treating any more once we'd moved on from elementary school to junior high school. Although we were sad to give up the free candy, going trick or treating was for "babies" and we were clearly almost grown up by the time we hit the 7th grade.

I think the kid who came to my door this year talking on his cell phone was probably too old to go trick or treating. And most likely? I suspect he could afford to buy his own candy. Or his mom could.

Last year, my father-in-law questioned a kid about whether he was too old to be out trick or treating, and the next morning, they found their cars had been egged.

All in all, it's probably better to turn off the porch light and hide in your sewing room all night, eating the bag of candy yourself. See? I already have my plans made for next year!

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't think it's about the candy -- I think it's about having fun. I love to have the high school kids come -- they have always been polite and it's a pleasure to watch them be just kids.

Anonymous said...

Sorry -- I forgot to sign that -- Florence

Searchfamilies said...

We didn't get any but even when we do it only one or two as we don't really do Halloween
Hugs Janice

Judy in Michigan said...

We live in a senior condo neighborhood so the kids (young or old) don't bother - guess the geezers don't give out such good candy so they've moved on to sweeter pastures. Anyway, I do miss the little ones. In our old (? - the one we lived in way before) neighborhood, the older ones just didn't seem as appreciative or polite and I always worried what they were up to. Since I couldn't recognize them (even with no masks), I was always worried.

On a brighter note, I love your new "wallpaper" - very classy and fresh.

dianne said...

we actually ran out of candy this year ... the mix was about 50-50 for little-bitty-cutie-patooties and why-aren't-you-at-a-party-doing-stuff-you-are-too-young-for ... the biggest clues for the other group were the hootchie outfits ... oh-my-gawd-your-mother-let-you-go-out-in-that?!?

Ruthie said...

We had over 160 trick-or-treaters and only one was on his cell phone and didn't even stop talking on it, just thrust his bag at me.

Jenni said...

We live in a sparsly populated state and a very tiny town, so I love kids of any age to show up at the door. We also know every one of them. I would imagine in a larger town it wouldn't be so fun.

Anonymous said...

Love the new look and thanks, as the October look, though cute, was really hard on these old eyes.
Sue

Gwen said...

I have to agree with Anonymous about the Oct.look. It was cute but I found it hard to read though the haunted house Love the new look! Our neighborhood has many, many kids come in from other areas. We have to have the sheriff's dept. in to direct traffic. three to four HUNDRED kids is about normal. We always run out and turn off the ligjt.

strawberrycream39 said...

I don't mind the older kids...they always dress up and are very polite. I say go as long as you want! :-) You're only a kid once!

Anonymous said...

I got that beat...hubby and I were taking turns manning the door, I was upstairs tending to laundry and he answered the door, he came upstairs laughing and told me that one took the prize. It was an old guy in about his 60s dressed like a sheik asking for candy! I think THAT might be pushing the envelope...

Brandie said...

Oh I love that idea! Next year, no party and I'll sew! Perfect!
I also received older tricker-treaters. It's been that way for a while. I can't remember the last time I had a young child that I didn't know come tricker-treat.

Kim West said...

I will have to say - this year I was thankful to a high-schooler who wanted to go trick-or-treating, because she took my kids out. She deserved the candy she got for taking out three kids (my two and her little brother). I just can't do the walking like that (Achilles tendinitis in both heels) and my husband is deployed right now.

This year I didn't pass out candy because I was at my friend's house - the parents of the high schooler. But usually I close my door and turn off my light at 8:00; because that is when the older kids are out on their own. The kids that come right before I am ready to go are super-lucky; they get a couple of handfuls of candy.

PunkiePie (Jen) said...

We don't get trick or treaters. Too far off the road. No one wants to walk up our very dark driveway and that suits me just fine. I like your idea for next year!

Marge said...

The last time I went out on halloween I was with 3 other girls. They were all older than I was and we went to a certain door and the lady gave everyone candy except me and she told me that I was too old. Because I was larger than my girl friends I was stilll the youngest. The slight still hurt and I am now 68 years old and remember the incident very clearly. I don't have an answer as too how old is too old but I never turn anyone away. My 2 cents worth.
Marge

AnnieO said...

We get tons of ToTers in our neighborhood--they are imported, I swear. 10 bags of candy was not enough this year, but we turned off the light at 8:30 when we ran out--a good 2 1/2 hours of passing out candy. I don't mind the older kids as long as they have made the effort to dress up in a costume and actually say Trick or Treat and then Thank You afterwards. But the older teens who just walk up to the door in regular street clothes and hold their hands out, or worse, ask to have a particular candy from my bowl, do not get any treats from me! I tell them to buy their own and send them on their way.