Is there anything cuter than watching a toddler experiencing the magic of trick-or-treating for the very first time?
They are utterly astonished that the words they utter (with a bit of coaching from mom or dad) result in a treat being dropped in their tot-sized loot bag.
Trick-or-treating really is meant for kids who are young enough to get caught up in the wonder and excitement.
Once they hit school-aged, the focus shifts to getting just the right costume (as any parent who has lived with a child who has suffered from Halloween costume angst can attest).
As kids get older, Halloween becomes more of a treasure hunt: a quest to collect as much loot as possible from the moment they are allowed out the door ('Wait! It's too early. People are still eating dinner!') until they finally drag themselves back home (either because they are so exhausted that the prospect of collecting yet more loot has lost its appeal or because the lights in all the pumpkins have been blown out, sending out a clear message that trick-or-treating is over for another year).
Then, at some point, kids get too old for trick-or-treating.
Some opt out of trick-or-treating on their own, making plans to get together with a group of friends instead.
Others continue trick-or-treating until they leave home to head off to college.
Some never give it up.
Most big kids who trick-or-treat are harmless. They're simply out to have a good time. It's just a select few who give the rest a bad name by chasing and scaring little kids or stealing their loot bags.
All that said, do you really feel like giving a handful of goodies to the 18-year-old who's talking on his iPhone? Should trick-or-treating be left for the little kids?
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