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| Proper Trick Or Treat Etiquette |
I was an 8 year old kid in the golden age of Halloween (Circa 1968) when trick or treating kids made off with quite a haul of candy. It was a time when the candy bars were full size. (They would now be considered jumbo size in today's standards)
A time when almost every single house in the neighborhood had their porch lights on passing out candy to the kids.
A time when kids had to go home with their Halloween bags so full just to reload and go hit more streets and houses for candy.
A time when trick or treating hours were 6pm to 10pm. (Totally unheard of in this day and age)
A time when parents would release their children into the cool night air and rarely would you see adults patrolling the sidewalks of each street block.
A time when later that evening when glowing pumpkins were snatched from front porches and smashed in the streets.
A time when toilet paper decorated neighbors tree's. (Sometimes the one's who had the audacity to actually hand out apples)
And a time when children and parents who passed out the candy adhered to the proper trick or treating etiquette.
Just what is the proper Halloween trick or treat etiquette? It was very simple. Young kids, 13 years old and younger, dressed in an actual Halloween costume, would approach a house with the porch light on. The owners of the house would be in the ready to pass out candy. When the kid came up on the porch he or she would scream out, "TRICK OR TREAT!" At this point, the adults would pass out the loot to the kids. And on to the next house.
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| Modern Day Trick Or Treat Etiquette |
I
n the modern time of Halloween (3rd Millennium and beyond) the negotiating of trick or treating has become a lost art.
Today, kids barely get enough candy to set off a diabetic coma.
Today, candy bars are mini, smaller than bite size.
Today, almost every single house in the neighborhood have their porch lights off not passing out candy to the kids.
Today, kids equipped with a small bag of plastic pumpkin can go the entire evening and never have to go home and reload.
Today, trick or treating hours if they are lucky are 5pm to 7pm.
Today, parents patrol the streets keeping an eye on their children every step of the way.
Today, we have to throw our pumpkins in the trash as the kids now lost the art of pumpkin smashing.
Today, toilet paper decorated neighbors tree's is a very rare occurrence.
Today, the proper Halloween trick or treat etiquette is right out the window. Kids, and I use that word lightly, some are college age begging for candy. Many kids don't wear Halloween costumes anymore. Many kids walk up the driveway, stop, and stare at you. They don't open their bag, say trick or treat, not a single sound. They just stare at you. I play along asking them why they are here. They don't have an answer. The parents don't even help the kids out. I make the kids wait until they say something.
And sometimes, adults want candy. They walk up the drive and ask what I got for candy. I tell them to go to the store.
Happy Halloween
LURKING, IN THE SHADOWS, ON THE GRASSY KNOLL
