Cute little kids (preschool-kindergarden age) dressed in cute little costumes with their parents: 5
Sorta cute grade school kids dressed in sorta “scary” costumes without their parents in plain sight (but probably nearby): 8
Sullen teenagers dressed in their street clothes, mumbling as I put more candy into their overstuffed pillowcases : 35
I finally blew out the candles, turned off the lights, and shut the door. Don’t teenagers have better things to do than beg for fun sized Snickers? I felt like saying, “Here’s a couple bucks, go buy your own candy and leave this for the little kids.” Dude, if you’re wearing your regular clothes, you’re not trick or treating, you’re begging, and that’s just annoying.
I’m sure I am biased because I have little kids, and when my dear angels are teenagers I will have to eat my words. But hell, if you’re older than 12 and not wearing a costume, don’t come knocking on my door on Halloween.
That’s why you buy one bag of “cheap” hard candy, and give the costume-less teens one little piece of hard candy. (Teens with costumes still get the good candy, though.)
…what if the teenagers dress up? I am 16 and went trick or treating with another 16 year old, one 17 year old, and one 18 year old all dressed up. That would make me sad if I was told I couldn’t participate anymore. (It isn’t even about the candy…)
I sat next to some shrubbery in the front lawn with a ghillie suit on. Everyone that ‘deserved’ it left with a pair of wet pants–teenagers included. I left the li’luns alone, but I did reach out and physically grab their parents–which was a hoot in and of itself.
I say that if it’s Halloween, pull out the stops. No luxuries, no mercy!
Tripler
Oooh, two bags of candy? I never thought of that one.
All kids, young and old, are welcome at my house for a good ole handful of candy. I love Halloween. And I’m glad that the older kids haven’t opted out of it because it’s not “cool” any more. They can act sullen if they want; it’s all an act. If it was so lame to get free candy, they wouldn’t be doing it.
I appreciate a good costume. But I don’t even get mad anymore at the kids who put on lame costumes. What the hell. Better on their hips than mine!
—Lisa, as I pop another Reese Cup in my mouth (you know, the ones with no calores)
I had to deal with this tonight. My solution is as follows: I collected a lot of little fast food packets of barbecue sauce and mustard and hot sauce, and gave those out to the snot-nosed teens who are too lazy to spend 2 bucks on a bag of Snickers.
I also gave the sauce packets to little kids just to see the expression on their (and their parents’) faces, but gave candy as well.
Hmm, the teenagers at our house went a little too far this year. My sister was manning the candy tonight. I went out for a little bit with our niece and nephew. When I came back the porch light was already turned off, and she had this strange grin on her face. She snorted when I asked her what happened. Apparently shortly after we left a bunch of teenagers showed up, grabbed all of the candy out of the bowl as she stood there dumbfounded then took the Dr. Peppers we had sitting on the front porch. So that was the end of Halloween for us.
-Lil
I’m in a huge suburb so we get roving gangs of teenagers dropped off by parents from less festive neighborhoods. About 300 TOTers total this year, maybe a quarter of them uncostumed teens.
As long as they’re still willing to pound the pavement in the cold to get a measly piece of candy and aren’t rude, I’m more than happy to contribute. I’d much rather have them collecting candy than out being hoodlums. Granted, I’m in a Detroit suburb where there’s an annual attempt to burn down the city as a H’ween celebration so I might be biased, though.
I guess I don’t really care how old they are, as long as they aren’t rude and they have to wear costumes. And no, Britney, your pajamas don’t count. :rolleyes: I saw a lot of older kids tonight, some dressed up, some not. I saw a pair of 10-12 year olds tonight and neither of them had a costume. I was more sad than anything. What’s the point, y’know? I also saw a little girl (4 or 5) dressed as a ballerina (pink tights, tutu, sleeveless top) with no jacket on and nothing warm underneath. I’m in MN, btw, and it was a cold bitch out there tonight. Some parents really need a kick in the teeth.
What really grates my cheese though are those bastard punk teenagers that physically shove the younger children out of the way. WTF? I nearly strangled one of those little fuckers tonight for pushing my son (17 months) on the way to a doorstep. Boy did he get an ear full, and a swift kick in the ass, too. Dickhead.
As someone who had 2/3rds of the candy stash drained by a gaggle of uncostumed teenagers, I can identify with the OP – Halloween trick-or-treating is primarily for the young 'uns, and surely the teens can find their own fun that’s more creative than just knocking on doors and getting handouts.
On the other hand, I figure, if they’re polite and make the effort to show up, what the fig. There are a dozen other things they could be doing, each of which is far worse than mooching Fun Size candies; since they aren’t doing those things, some reward is warranted.
And hey, it’s a fun holiday, and there’s never an age limit on fun.
No teenaged trick-or-treaters here, other than a couple of girls who were accompanying their siblings…
…but that might be because the roommate and I were marching up and down the driveway with loaded paintball guns and fatigues while his girlfriend made nice with the littl’uns
I’m eighteen and maybe it’s just me, but after age twelve, I didn’t see a need to trick or treat any longer. You can still dress up and go out with friends and eat candy and all manner of things Halloween without resorting to a children’s activity. I never did understand those who trick-or-treated into college…
The behavior of some of the teens outlined in this thread is absolutely reprehensible. And if you’re going to trick or treat - no matter what age you are - what is the point if you don’t wear a costume?
I remember that age … wondering if I really ought to still be doing this, but not eager to give up a source of free candy. I remember putting on a Cincinnati Reds jacket one year and going around to houses dressed as a “manager.” I didn’t even have the sense to be embarrassed when one homeowner basically called me on my laziness.
I trick-or-treated up until my senior year of High School. Most of my friends did too.
I always wore a costume. I wouldn’t have dreamt of going trick-or-treating without a costume. That was absolutely mandatory. It didn’t have to be a fancy constume—perhaps some of mom’s clothes, but when asked, I had to be able to say what I was and it had to be at least partly believable.
I’m Halloween’s equivalant of a Scrooge, so I don’t give out candy these days. I did like doing it in the past, though. But just too lazy lately.
I remember one year me and some buddies at around 16 or 17 thought we’d be a couple of REAL wise asses and go up to the local police station in our street clothes and try to trick-or-treat them.
Now when we got there we fully expected the cops reaction to be something to the effect of: “Yew punk teenagers! get the hell outa here!!”
Instead they did the EXACT opposite and gave us each a full big unopened bag of miniature candies. They were actually happy to see us, they were all like “Hey, hows it going guys? y’all are the only ones that stoped by all night!!”
I felt so bad for them afterwords I didn’t dare “smart-off” to them…
The funniest thing about the whole ordeal was that me and my buddies probably stood in the parking lot for a good ten minutes daring each other to go up there.
I had an uncostumed young man show up at my door. I don’t know how old he was, but he had bushy sideburns! :eek:
I give them all candy anyway, since I’m basically trying to keep the young neighborhood hoodlums at bay. Maybe some day when they’re out “wilding” they’ll remember I gave them candy and not torch my house.
