Happy Halloween
By the pricking of my thumbs
Something wicked this way comes.
Open, locks
Whoever knocks! (Macbeth)
We gave out enough candy to keep several children awake and on the ceiling until next Halloween. Now we’re completely sugar crazed and overtired. Me included. Good times.
Our neighborhood has some race issues and Halloween is the sort of night when any conflict gets thrown into relief. One historical response to how tense Halloween can get is that some (mostly white) families have trick or treated on the Sunday closest to Halloween and then pretended they weren’t home on Halloween itself. This became known as Whiteween as was (and is) a topic of serious neighborhood debate. We just do our thing on Halloween itself. What’s the point otherwise? You might as well knock on people’s doors and demand candy in July.
It is true though, that the teenagers who come by begging for candy rarely wear costumes. I could get worked up about this since trick or treating is really a contract. You show me how cute you look (or how scarey or how creative) and I get the pleasure of seeing you and you get candy. When you’re just dressed up as a teenager who wants candy, that’s not so fun. But you know — one of the things about this post-procreation period of my existence is that I don’t have a lot of energy left to get worked up about things. You want candy? I give you candy. But if you have a costume on, I’ll give you a glow in the dark bug too.
That sucks abt Whiteween.
Last year we were new to our neighborhood and felled by the crud so put out a bowl of treats and a note explaining. Tonight I was lucky enough to meet loads of my neighbors. I had no idea there were so many with young children.
I was also struck by the diversity and how friendly everyone was. Really, really heartwarming. I am also struck by how ill I feel from gorging on Take 5s and DumDums.
Oh and I wish I had a better camera. A few of the houses at the end of our street went all out. Just amazing. One house had an antique car with dry ice as fog and a guy dressed as Freddy Krueger handing out treats. They had a bunch of booze outside for grownups too. Next door to this house was a ninja, and decorations that were really professional looking. Oh and mummers were out too.
We don’t have a yard to speak of, but next year I’m going to wrack my tired brain for something creative and fun.
Oh and to steal your word FRACK! All of the November nonsense we signed on for starts in a few hours.
Obviously, I can totally relate to you description of Halloween in this city. I too use to get worked up over the teens with the pillow cases and no costumes. But, you hit the nail right on the head, about changing my view after having a kid. It just doesn’t seem worth the energy to worked up, take a stand, etc. It’s just candy to me and seems to be worth its weight in gold to some other (maybe less fortunate) kids.
In my old neighborhood in Richmond, not only did we get the kids with pillowcases and no costumes, we often got full-grown adults. On cell phones.
The kids got candy and a gentle admonishment, but the adults got packets of ketchup or duck sauce.
We had a few large groups of teenagers with no costumes, as well as groups of adults bringing around one kid and all collecting candy as well.
I opt to ignore it for the most part but I do turn out the lights when it get a little later. The little kids are done and home sugaring up already.
I was happy to see more kids than usual this year and a lot of families out and about.
Plus, I managed to snag some of the boys’ candy! Good night all around.
surprisingly, our house
does not get many trick or treaters
of any age…
which is odd because it is very
central but also a little
side street so…
but it’s ok,
cause i enjoy trick or treating
too much to stay home,
heehee
One year–in fact, when we were living in Philadelphia–we had so many trick or treaters that we ran out of candy fairly early in the evening and were raiding the kitchen for anything we could find. First we passed out the sugar-free hot cocoa packs. By 10pm we were down to ramen noodles.
This year we gave out bubbles and crayons to kids in costume–and plastic spiders to the people who were not–but the most common reaction to the spiders was, “COOL!!!” Next year I am DEFINITELY using the above solution of packets of duck sauce!
That is so sad that Halloween had to be segregated! I think it is good that you do not do that. My parents never gave the candy to kids not dressed up, but back then the consequences for doing so were less dramatic.
I make the uncostumed teenagers tell me what they are. They are usually pretty creative and always polite to the crazy lady hassling them.
what a difference a blog makes.
I ran into another blog where the author was complaining that older trick-or-treaters gave her the creeps and she felt they didn’t belong (and I read her post several times, no mention of costume status). And I was a bit peeved to say the least before I read yours, which brought me balance.
My kids at 17 and 11 still like creating costumes, going to candy filled events and trick or treating. And I let them for they will have far too many years of responsibility and I care not what society thinks their behaviour should be.
Last night Lemony Snickets was in town so at least I know my kids weren’t responsible for creeping any adults out.