Friday, October 31, 2008

Happy Halloween!


(That'd be Kiddo with two of her three stuffed lions, Ectobert, the World's Only Yodeling Lion - he says "Yodel-ay-hee-ROAR!" - and Baby Simba. Daddy Simba didn't accompany us to the pumpkin patch this year.)

Now, it may be that I'm grumpy this morning because I'm sorer than I ought to be for my age - I feel closer to 87 than 37 and have been popping Advil like Skittles - after working the Fall Fun House obstacle course at Kiddo's school yesterday. (I caught kids coming down the zip line and set them on the ground for about 3 hours, held the edge of the cargo net "Spider Web" and spotted kids for about 1.5 hours, and also helped kids cross the "troll bridge" ladder for a bit.) I just feel the need to vent for a brief moment about Trick or Treating. You see, our house is in a small, child-filled neighborhood. I have NO problems handing out candy to small children. I love it, as a matter of fact - I have Hubby take Kiddo out ToTing specifically so I can stay home to hand out candy and oooh and aaah over the costumes. (And we do good candy here, too - name brand, good mix of options - this year we have Milk Duds, Starbursts, Whoppers, Snickers, Twix, Reese's PB cups, Three Musketeers and Kit Kats.) My big Halloween gripe is the folks who have no business ToTing coming around and expecting candy. Like the older kids (I'm talking teenagers) who don't even dress up, just turn up with a pillowcase and think they can get candy. Worse, the adults who bring around a pillowcase and claim to be ToTing for either an infant in a stroller (I mean *infant* as in tiny, little baby who has no ability or reason to be eating candy) or for a supposed "child back at home" - sometimes the teens do this one, too. "I'm ToTing for my sibling/niece/nephew who couldn't come out tonight." Apparently there are a large number of children who can't come out in person each year. Now, I ought to just put my foot down - only give out candy to the kids, and maybe I'm grumpy enough today that I will this year, but in past years, I've rolled my eyes but given out candy anyhow. Hubby insists that I hand the candy out and not let the children pick which one they want, as some kids don't honor the "one piece per kid" request and grab a large handful. (Lest you think we're total Halloween Grinches, we get a LOT of ToTers - we've had to go back to the store for more candy in previous years. This year I bought almost $20 worth of candy. That's a lot of freaking candy.)

So, this year as always, Hubby will take Kiddo out through our neighborhood, and I will stay home for the candy-handing-out. I'm really hoping this is the magical year that no non-costumed, older kids and/or adults come around... At any rate, once Kiddo is in bed (usually by 7:30) I turn off all the lights and stop answering the door anyway. Since this year Halloween is Friday, I may extend the candy-giving-out a little bit later, but by 9pm I'm definitely done no matter what.

What do you think? Doth the lady protest too much and I truly *am* a Halloween Grinch for begrudging teens and adults and "double baggers" who are ostensibly ToTing for someone else not present the extra candy? How old is too old for Trick or Treating? (My mom stopped us from going out after 8th grade. By then, there were other Halloween festivities we partook of anyhow.) How late do you plan to hand out candy tonight?

Grinch or no, I do sincerely wish everyone a fantabulous Halloween! Now I've got to get my little lion off to the school bus before I head back over to school myself for another round of the fun house, followed by her class party and the big costume parade! Woo-hoo!



18 comments:

Tiffany said...

What a cutie! I'm visiting from SITS. You have a very cool blog!

Unknown said...

I hope I can make this make sense in written words.

I CAN'T STAND older kids who do that. The only older kids who get candy at my house are ones who have their younger sibbling RIGHT THERE WITH THEM...

Here's what I do. I reach into my candy jar, come up with a big handful, I put my hand down in their bag and hit either the side of the bag or the other candy to make it sound like I've dropped something, and then I pull my hand back out... not ever having given them any candy.

I know... it's mean. But I'm sorry - Halloween is for little kids.

Outnumbered2to1 said...

I totally agree. I usually take my kids ToTing because I hate dealing with all the kids grabbing and running.

Ash said...

You actually get "stand in" ToTers? That's a new one.

I talk big, but if the teenagers come around and want candy, fine - I like my kiddo's carved pumpkin right where it sits right now - not splattered all over my street.

My Hubby is big on just giving them the bowl and letting them take - I'm a hander-outer. Little ones should only be expected to show so much self control. If someone shoved a bowl of peanut butter cups in my face, you can guarentee I would be running down the street with the whole damn thing.

Happy Halloween!!

Em

Ronnica said...

What can I say? I won't even be handing out candy. I'll be at our church's Party on the Block and then coming home to do some work. I'm not answering the door.

Jen Sue Wild said...

I don't mind the teen sat all.But I don't make getting my candy an easy task for them.. I make them earn their candy by doing a trick..It always amazes me how what they are willing to do for a piece of candy..
Happy Halloween..

Debbie said...

My older kids have loved to dress up until 2 years ago and all go together as a family. Now my youngest is 11 and is the only one going. I think if they truly dress up and are polite, it doesn't hurt to cut them some slack. It's fun!

Brooke said...

What a cute costume!! I was a lion one year. My friends and I all dressed up as characters from the wizard of oz. I was not near as cute though. :)

nikkicrumpet said...

The lion costume is too dang cute. And perfect if the night gets cold. I'm with you on the adults and teenagers and those danged dbl baggers NO HECK NO I hand out candy until I stop seeing little kids...when it gets late and the teens start showing up I turn out the lights and don't answer the door. I guess I'm a Grinch too! HAPPY HALLOWEEN

WheresMyAngels said...

Well we spent 30 dollars on candy, we put a bunch in little bags. We had about 40 treaters and about 10 of them were teenagers! I just gave them a look. When I grew up, you stopped going after you were in 7th grade. But you know I was 5'7 in fifth grade and people probably thought I was a teen.

Tara Bennett said...

That lion is adorable! I was a lion one year, and the rest of my fam were various Wizard of Oz characters. Too fun!

Queenie Jeannie said...

You have an adorable Kiddo and lovely blog!!

Jeannie

Andy said...

Great picture of Kiddo! I hope you had a great night and not too many free-loaders!

Tiffany said...

That picture is adorable!!!!

Elisabeth said...

I don't mind the older kids (early teens) who really make an effort on the costume part--dressing up as a mime, or a hobo isn't allowed!

Kiddo is adorable as a little lion! Hope you had a great Halloween!

jewelstreet said...

Your little lion is so cute! I'm 29 and refuse to give the older ones candy. I did when I was 15 too. I told them they were too old. :) And, I'm so not a Halloween grinch. I don't think you are either.

Alison said...

You made me laugh with this: "the World's Only Yodeling Lion." I could just hear him!

And yeah, it's really annoying when older "kids" don't even make an effort to dress up and want candy. We don't get a lot of kids for some reason, and only a couple of older ones came this year, and at least they had dressed up (and said thank you!)

Carrie said...

What a cute little cub!!

Hope you had a Happy Halloween!