Tuesday, October 31, 2006

HalloTeen


When is someone too old to trick-or-treat? Not at sixteen, according to my son. And according to the Washington Post, he’s not alone. It seems like kids old enough to drive still like to go door to door for free candy. Here is a quote from the Post:
Call them greedy, call them intimidating, call them the unwelcome elephants in the Snickers factory, but the teenagers who inevitably appear on Halloween doorsteps are grasping for more than a fistful of sweets.

"When you're our age, it's like it's cool again to go," explains Anna Karnaze, a 17-year-old junior from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, who went as a toilet-paper mummy last Halloween and plans to trick-or-treat as a pirate tonight.
According to my kid, it’s all about the free candy. Never mind that the scene is as social as much as it is greedy. I used to be the parent in charge of walking him around until middle school when he started venturing out on his own. Tonight he took the car to a friend’s neighborhood. We just warned him not to trick and drive.

He at least bothered to dress up. The jester’s hat and pirate shirt came from the Renaissance Fair, so he’s getting good use out of those impulse purchases. He also did his own make-up. That shows he has some pride.

Judging by the kids that have knocked on the door tonight, he’s not completely out of the demographic. This year’s crowd is skewing older, but so far most of the costumes are pretty good. It’s later in the evening when you get the lazy stragglers.

And best of all? Tonight we are giving out the leftover candy he got last year but never bothered to eat.

Blatant Comment Whoring™: How old is too old?

Bonus Cuteness: Every year we dress up my dog so he doesn’t scare the little kids when he greets them at the door. And the costume? A yellow and black yellowjacket, of course.

19 comments:

2fs said...

I will not impugn your son's claimed motivations...but when I was sixteen, going trick or treating was entirely about looking for cute girls in sexy costumes. Which, of course, is pretty much what it's about as an adult, if you're going out in costume. (Substitute for gender as appropriate.)

yellojkt said...

I don't doubt it, but I'm not going to call him on it. The lame girl costume is to wear fairy wings and a low cut top.

Mooselet said...

Love the dog!!! Small ones are much easier to dress up than big ones like mine.

I stopped trick or treating when I was 15 or so. I then stayed home, got dressed up and answered the door. My preferred outfit was all black with a gorilla mast my father had for some unknown reason. This was great until once when I scared the bejeebers out of a little girl. I pulled my mask off to assure her I was just a person and looked up to find the person escorting said young lady was a guy from my small town high school. I was mortified. But since he was out taking his whatever relation she was out on Halloween, we mutually and silently agreed not to discuss it.

Thumper said...

I think post-high school is too old...otherwise I don't mind the teenagers coming for candy as long as they wait until after 7-7:30, to give the little ones a shot at the better haul...

Mom Thumb said...

I don't mind the teens, as long as they are there for candy and not to egg my car.

Mom Thumb said...

I don't mind the teens, as long as they are there for candy and not to egg my car.

Jeff and Charli Lee said...

"This year’s crowd is skewing older..."

Leave it to you to do a demographic analysis post on Halloween ;-)

Anonymous said...

As long as they're in costume, I don't care how old they are! If they're full on adults! It's the punks who walk around in every day clothes expecting candy that I don't like.

Impetua said...

One year I bought delicious chocolate candy (Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and the like) and a big honkin' bag of DumDums.

Wear a costume: get chocolate.

Show up at my door too cool for a costume, but obviously not too cool to muscle past the littlies for a shot at free candy: get a (small) fistful of DumDums.

I agree, fully grown mature individuals who wear costumes are more than welcome to come to my house. But no costume? Dude, that's just lame.

paula said...

Yj, it is a good thing you dressed up the dog. He looks simply vicious ;)

I hope your Halloween was frightfully delightful!

Anonymous said...

Very darling. Spaniel? Sort of? In photo two I see the darling doggy resignation mixed with trust and loyalty.

CP from AB.

Anonymous said...

You're never too old to enjoy candy or be a kid! Looks like the guard dog alias bumble bee did a good job eating the candy also.

Anonymous said...

A little late here, but I guess I prefer them asking for candy rather than committing random acts of vandalism on Halloween. I don't know if those are the only two options available. I'm pretty sure they were the only two when I was that age, we only had Pong then and of course, sex, drugs and rock n'roll. I do know though, that my recently widowed Mother-In-Law decided not to give out candy this year for the first time in thirty years because she didn't want to answer the door alone when the teenagers rang the bell. And that is kinda sad.

Anonymous said...

Late in the month to comment, but my credo has always been: If they wear a costume, age is irrelevant. It's all about being in the spirit (doubly appropraite on Halloween) of the occasion.

Ivor said...

there | this page | check this | this site | here | this page | there | check this

this page | here | there | check this | this site | here | this page

check this | there | this site | here | this page | there | check this

Sharon Wood said...

Antivirus is known as preventive software from various virus even the dangerous ransomware also. It has many features, but at the same time you can face some technical errors in it and to solve them you need some help. Here you can get the assistance from the certified expert you can contact Customer Service Number or visit our website:
Avast Support
McAfee Support Phone Number
Norton Support Phone Number

Office 365 said...

Thanks.
Avast keeps popping up threat has been detected
hp error 0xc18a0206
Avast error code 7005
Solve Installation Issue Due to Corrupted Setup Files via Avast Support Number
Norton Error 8504
malwarebytes popup wont go away
print spooler service not running
microsoft edge virus
How to Solve HP Envy 5055 Error

Joseph Loother said...

Nice post visit more sites:-
design.Cricut.com/setup.
Cricut.com/setup
cricut maker setup

baliyogaretreat said...


Thanks for the information about the blog.
We have advance course in Bali. Join Our Course: 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training In Bali