I am going to finish Italy posts, really I am, but sometimes I lack motivation since it really just makes me want to go back to blog about the trip. And the next post, which was a BIG day for the family, deserves motivation.
In the meantime, thoughts on Halloween.
Mainly, these thoughts center on trick or treating and how it has changed from the days of yore. Austin and I were pumped, after our super fun grown up party on Saturday, to hand out candy to the kids of our neighborhood on Sunday.
We sat on the front porch in all it's Halloween decor glory...
...and waited for the kids.
Well, kids came, but so did their parents, and here are the three observations we made that I don't know how I feel about.
1. People who have clearly driven to our neighborhood to trick-or-treat, and do not live there.
This was discovered through sifting through clues such as overhearing parents discussing the "next neighborhood to hit" and asking us directions back to major streets in our neighborhood so they could find where they parked their cars. Now, Austin and I differ on this. I love Halloween and trick-or-treating, as does he. His opinion is that these people drive to our neighborhood because they know we have better candy. My opinion is that they come to our neighborhood because it may be safer to trick-or-treat then where they live, or maybe they live in an apartment and want to give their kids the opportunity to actually walk around. This observation actually makes me feel really great about where we have chosen to live, because I love both the safety and the quaintness.
2. Grown ups trick or treating for babies, or for themselves with their kids.
Now, this makes me annoyed. I understand if you have a cute newborn or even 10 month old that you want to take a cute picture of in a costume for Halloween. I even understand if you want to show said kid off to some people you know. But, wheeling around a sleeping baby who is clearly too little for candy and trick or treating for them with people who you don't know? That is ridiculous. That is trick-or-treating for parents. Now, did I still give candy to those people? Yes, because I am a softy and like babies. Unlike my friend
Megan, I was not prepared with alternative treats for babies and youngsters. Next year, I will be.
Additionally, if you are taking your kids trick or treating, kudos for you. That does not mean you deserve a treat too. I mean, who eats that much candy?! I legitimately had parents, who were not even dressed up, approaching our bucket with their kids, bag in hand. One woman was on her cell phone the whole time, and just held her bag open in front of me. I gave her a piece of candy, mainly to save her children the embarrassment of me saying something. But, really? That is ridiculous.
3. When did kids get so greedy?
I feel like an old person saying this, but seriously, times have changed. Never would my parents have let me stick my hand in a bucket of candy and scoop up an armful. And even the kids who ask, which I agree is better (but is still annoying) how many pieces? Even after we would say, you can have two if you want them, some of the kids, whose parents were right there with them, would take handfuls of candy and shove it in their bag. Now, the little ones who really don't know better/don't have the dexterity to grab a singular piece of candy I am not worried about...but the 10 year olds? Come on.
Besides the candy situation there was something else that sort of stopped me in my tracks. We have an elderly neighbor across the street. When the trick or treating started, she called out to Austin and I to come over to her porch. Austin went over and the woman handed him a bag of quarters for us to hand out to kids for her. What a sweetheart, right? Well, some of the kids I gave those quarters to lit up like it was the best day ever. Others? They gave me a look like "Lady, what am I gonna do with a measly quarter?" I was floored. Now, I know that inflation has done its thing since I was a kid, but in my book, anybody giving you free money was a good day. Still is, as a matter of fact.
Halloween and trick-or-treating from a grown up perspective is a whole new ball game. All in all we still had tons of really well behaved kids, and parents. People loved our address pumpkins, so I think we will have a trend in our neighborhood of that next year. We got to meet and chat with many of our neighbors and their friends and it really was a great night. I hope you guys all had great Halloweens too!
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