Trick or Treat (possible argument)

[edicehouse]

Well it is that time of year, to bring your kids out to beg for candy.

Anyways a friend of mine put up a post on FB about if you see a teen out trick or treating, just give them candy, because at least they are not out partying, drinking, etc.

They said, that's right there is nothing wrong with it, my 15 and 16 year old are going. I responded saying I disagree, those kids are too darned* old.

 

[McKenzie Penworks]

Sounds like they're not the ones that are old.

They're still kids, let them have fun. If they aren't harassing younger ones or doing property damage, who cares?

 

[Woodchipper]

Hard to give up something that a person enjoyed while growing up. My wife says I'll never go into a second childhood. I never got out of the first one!
If the teeny boppers are out having fun and behaving, so be it.
Our city sponsors a Block Party on the courthouse square that is attended by all ages and is open to all ages.

 

[JimB]

We don't care how old they are. Every year we get a few in that age range. They are almost always dressed up but even if they aren't they get candy. If they don't have a costume my wife will ask them about it but still gives them candy. Sometimes they are taking their younger siblings around.

 

[stonepecker]

We let our two go around until they decided they would rather hand out the candy.
Daughter has a lot of fun dressing up and answering the door. Son just sits outside with the dogs and lets the kids come to pet them. Making sure that everyone know they are lovers and not trouble.
And yes, the dogs get dressed up also. The oldest one looks at me like "REALLY!?!?!?!" Can't say I blame her.
Cheap entertainment for the kids as far as I am concerned. Let them have fun. They will grow up fast enough.

 

[firewhatfire]

As I sit at work in a blue M&M Costume while wearing red troll hair and being upset that I forgot my Light Saber when I left for work. I may not be the best 46 yo kid to ask that question to. I will leave from work and go have fun at the Trunk or Treat at the church tonight.

I say good clean fun is way better like trick or treating. The trouble I caused or followed when I was a teenager was directly related to not being allowed to go trick or treating because people said I was to old.

 

[Curly]

Grab a glass and go door to door saying "Trick or drink!". In a few blocks you won't care who is getting candy.

 

[leehljp]

Back in the fall of '86 we moved to an area of west Tokyo (a block from the American School in Japan - ASIJ) that had a fair number of internationals. The presence of internationals started the "trick or treating" there long before we got there. We had numerous teenage Japanese come for trick or treating and it was fun. It was a shock at first to us to see teens trick or treating, but we adapted immediately. After about 5 years there, we moved into 99% Japanese communities, so we never saw any more... until we arrived home for good in 2011. We have teens come all the time now on Halloween, about 1/3 are teens and they are very polite. Enjoyable.

 

[sbwertz]

Back in the late fifties when I was in high school, as a prank, we moved the "we give S&H Green Stamps" sign from the gas station to the local funeral home. Believe it or not, it got us into all sorts of trouble. The funeral director didn't see the humor in the prank and complained to the principle. Since we had been bragging about it...there was no doubt who the culprits were.

I had a little brother six years younger than I was, so I was trick or treating into my teens, taking him around.

 

[Lucky2]

We did it when we were teens, and we enjoy it when teens show up for a treat nowadays. They are always polite, and they usually will tell you what's going on in the neighborhood. There has never been one of them act up while here, and most times they are good for a laugh. It was a sad night tonight, we only had two kids show up for treats. And they were our nieces kids, and they're here most of the time as it is.
Len

 

[nava1uni]

I think it is just fine. There is not enough around for teens to do. Trick or treating is fun and as long as no one is doing anything wrong, why not.

 

[MDWine]

Man, I've pulled so many pranks for Treaters over the years. At one point, the kids would gather at the end of the walkway and look over the house and the yard and try to guess what would happen...

My fav was a black bat with a 3 foot wingspan on a rope. The eyes were red lights, and it made a screeching sound. I hid it in the tree, and when the kids reached the porch and knocked (wifey inside distributing), I would let this thing loose to swing down over their head. The only problem was resetting the bat for the next group, so word got around quickly.

One year, the kids cleaned up a dumpster (house size trashcan w/lid) and hid inside. It sat at the end of the walkway like we had not put it away... the boys would jump up and scream... they had a blast.

Last night we had fewer kids than years before. Some were teens, I don't think any were over 15 or 16... ALL were very respectful, nice kids just having fun... it was great.

It left me longing for the grands, who live in Florida. (I always took them treating when they lived here)

These days I just distribute, but each kid has to say "TRICK OR TREAT", and THANK YOU... not many need to be prodded tho... it was a nice evening.