Trick or Treaters Welcome

But only if you're 12 and under.  This morning on The Today Show they featured a town that has banned trick or treaters that are over the age of 12.

I guess I don't like the policy even though I kind of understand it.  I personally stopped tricked or treating after 8th grade so I went out when I was 13.  That didn't stop me from dressing up for Halloween and still enjoying the holiday but yeah I was too old to do the door to door "trick or treat smell my feet give me something good to eat" yada, yada, yada.  My Halloween enjoyment went the way of the crazy parties that I still like to partake of this day. 

So trick or treating teens/young adults??  Whatcha think?  In our neighborhood we get hundreds of kids trick or treating and we do get the 6 foot tall goblins here too and I'm fine with it.  My only issue I have is when you get the massive mob of 15 high schoolers show up on your porch and maybe 2 of them are dressed up and they're acting like a bunch of morons.  My thoughts, if you are over the age of 12 and you want to go around and get cheap tootsie rolls and dum dums there are a few etiquette rules that must be followed.

1.  You must be in some sort of costume or attempt at altering your appearance.  Don't just show up in your jeans and aeropostale hoodie. If you do show up like this don't get all cranky when I start trying to guess who you're trying to be?  Una-bomber?  Transvestite?  Rotten teenager?  Just put a stinking sheet over your head or put some face paint on. Just do something!

2.  Say Trick or Treat!  You want candy?  You say the magic words.  It's just like when you're going to communion, you say Amen.  I think someone once told me they were giving out communion and a person responded by saying thank you.  Maybe it was at a wedding or funeral and the person's church attendance was rare.  I guess I'll laugh instead of cry over that one.  Hopefully that person will come to church again one day.  Anyways, I digress; it's "Trick or Treat" and say it with some zest.  Chances are I'll give you a Reese's & a Snickers with a smile if you're nice and friendly.  Just stand there with a scowl and you get a crappy individually wrapped nasty tasting cough drop. 

3.  Say Thank You! It burns me when older kids come and don't say thank you.  I don't care if you don't like the candy, or adults scare you, you say thank you regardless.

So older kids wanting to trick or treat.  I'm not against you.  I'll happily welcome you.  But you must not act like a bunch of hooligans and hopefully someday when you finally give up trick or treating, I hope if you're able, you'll be generous enough to be handing out Reese's, Nerds, and Snicker bars to young ghosts and goblins and leave the crappy bit-o-honey's on the store shelf where they belong. 

Happy Halloween!