Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Would you like some fries with your Snickers bar?

Here's a question.
What is the age at which your kids stop trick or treating?

CJ's last year was two years ago when he was in 7th grade. He hadn't really planned on trick or treating that year until he found out on Halloween night that some of his friends were going and he decided to go with them.
Since he hadn't planned on going, he didn't have a costume ready, so while the rest of us were at the neighborhood "pre-trick or treating pot luck dinner" he was home, improvising a costume for himself.
He took the huge alien head from one of his old costumes, and tied it to the iPod costume that he had worn the year before.
He went as an "iAlien"

This year will be Brielle's last year. In our neighborhood, 13 seems to be the age where the kids stop going out to collect candy on Halloween.

Does it bother you when older kids come to your door? Teenagers? Adults?

I remember quite a few years ago when a couple showed up at our door with their 2 month old baby dressed as a cat. The parents each had a trick or treat bag.

What kind of candy do you hand out?

Some of our neighbors really go all out for the trick or treaters. One older couple down the street from us has their house fully decorated for Halloween. She dresses as a witch and he dresses as a vampire, and not only do they hand out candy, but they have hot cider and donuts available for everyone.
Another one of our other neighbors always hands out full sized candy bars, and some give out juice boxes.
I think my favorite was the time the dental hygienist down the street handed out toothbrushes.

A friend of mine really doesn't like it when teenagers come to their door on Halloween, and she has come up with a great solution.
All year long, her family saves up all of the ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, Arby's and Horsey sauce packets that they get at any fast food restaurants that they go to, then on Halloween night, when an older teenager comes trick or treating to their door, they very stealthly give them a ketchup packet instead of candy.
She told me how one year, the Sunday after Halloween she was walking in the hallway at church and overheard a conversation between some teenagers. One of them said "I couldn't believe it, somebody gave me ketchup in my candy bag!"

What are your plans for Halloween?

What are your kids dressing up as?

Max wants to be and Oompa Loompa, but I can't find a green wig. We do, however, have an Elvis wig, so I'm trying to talk him into being "Elvis-loompa"

He's not buying it.

15 comments:

Kristina P. said...

If people dress us, I'm willing to give out candy. If they teenagers show up wearing nothing and shove a bag in your face, not OK.

Kristina P. said...

I should probably say that by nothing, I mean no costume. If they showed up nude, I would give them my entire bag of candy.

Kristina P. said...

And by entire bag of candy, I actually mean a literal bag of candy.

Any questions?

Navhelowife said...

For teenagers? Totally make them do a trick! I have had ones sing, dance, tell me a funny joke, say their ABC's, anything. Then I'll give them candy!

Anonymous said...

I went as a teenager, but I was accompanying my younger siblings - they were three, ten, and thirteen years younger than me. I think it just depends on the situation.

Joanna said...

My last year was when I was 13 or 14 (7th or 8th grade I think). We don't have trick or treaters in our neighborhood, because everyone does Trunk or Treat. But, it does bother me to see the parents trunk-or-treating it with their own bags. We never took our little guy out before he was 1, and even then we didn't trick or treat but stood by our car w/him in costume. He started going around at 2, once he could actually eat the candy.

mCat said...

The ketchup packet is AWESOME! I could totally do that, but it's our 2 year food supply.

I hate adults holding out a bag - seriously bugs!

My neighbor is the greatest, she does chili, or hot dogs, or sloppy joes, or .....you name it, she's done it.

mommeeof10 said...

We have so few trick or treaters that out of a case of 30 assorted fullsized candybars, we usually have half left. I give candy to anyone who stops by. Most don't as we are in the area of town where the houses are spread out. The trick or treaters tend to go to the houses in the more developed parts of town.

marythemom said...

My teens want to go (14,15 and 17 but I'm telling them no. My 15 yr old daughter is triggered by the stress and candy makes her hyper. The other two can handle the stress, but would probably use it as an opportunity to hang out unsupervised with their friends and get in trouble.

It's a secret though! I'm not putting it on my blog because I'm already thought to be the meanest mom in TX.

Mary

Jessica G. said...

One of my favorite costumes one year was a pink bunny...worn by a 14-year-old boy. But I LOVE the ketchup packet idea! I have some lame paper puzzles that I got cheap last year that I plan on giving to the kids I don't know and the teenagers who put on their dad's letterman's jacket and call that a costume.

rocslinger said...

I got some odd looks when I was twelve but that was probably because I stood 6 foot two inches at the time.

In case your wondering I have grown an inch since than. Up that is.

Word verification; polizest, the perfect discription of my blog.

Me (aka Danielle) said...

My parents put an end to my trick or treating at age 12. 12-13 seems to be about right for me. I don't particularly like the older kids coming to the door.

Jen said...

I love the ketchup idea! I think we quit around 11 or 12. I just stopped when my friends stopped, and started hoping to get invited to parties, and staying in the car while my siblings trick or treated instead.

Stacy Q said...

We live near a University, and I've been told if your lights are still on late at night you'll get U students coming to your door. We usually turn the lights out by 9:00, and all the rest of the candy is OURS!!!
I agree with Kristina P - if you dress up, I'll give you candy. Even if you're an adult. And actually, if you don't I might give out some anyway depending on how much I have left and am trying to get rid of.

Cranberryfries said...

I was always really short so I got away with trick or treating for a long while. We go all out on the decorations but I love the food idea. I can't wait until we're out of University Town because nobody comes to our neighborhood. :(