I am a Halloweenie... true confessions of an over-the-top suburbanite

I must confess, Halloween is my favorite of all the holidays. Dressing the Things up, sending them out for a HUGE walk around our mid-1950's era suburban neighborhood with their Dad, and staying home to greet all the neighborhood kids and give them candy.... don't know why we only do it once a year! This year, the Things will be dressing up as a Well-Red Paperback (Thing 1) and a Michigan football player (Thing 2) OR some sort of spooky scary costume if he prefers.

I recognize the political and religious backlash against the holiday... I just choose to ignore it. For us, this holiday means saying hi to neighborhood friends we don't always see, visiting for a moment (and sure, there's the whole begging for food aspect).... and pretending to be something that we aren't.

HOWEVER... (here it comes)... WHEN YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH TO DRIVE INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD YOU DO NOT LIVE IN, YOU ARE TOO OLD TO BE TRICK OR TREATING. There. I've said it. When the person ringing my doorbell has gone to the trouble and expense of putting a sheet over his head and cutting out two eyes while his car is running in my driveway and his "bag" of goodies is a backpack or briefcase, I'm sorry... you will not get the good treats. If your beard is poking through the sheet, or you are dressed so scantily I can't tell whether you are there to get a treat or OFFER  a trick, I have a problem with you.  I always buy a supply of inexpensivenon-edible Halloween chatchkes... pencils, erasers, crayons. I give you those in hopes you will use them to fill out an employment application because clearly YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH TO WORK.

OK... don't tell me that Trick or Treating is just for the little ones... I give treats to the parents too because I know MY dear hubbie is out there tripping over small people and freezing his tush off so the kids can get their loot. But for older kids out on their own, I do sometimes wonder whether they are really there for the fun-size Snickers or if they are casing the joint.

That's one reason I like to wear my TKD uniform on Halloween. Just saying. Have a safe and happy one!