Teen Scene: Halloween, A Night For The Kid In All Of Us

This is the inaugural post of ‘Teen Scene,’ a blog by Haverford High sophomore Julia Spadaro that takes a look at Haverford and beyond through a teenage lens. 

Welcome to one of my favorite times of the year. Halloween is a special celebration, one that for as long as I can remember meant something to me, whether it was walking around the neighborhood with some friends while our dads stayed at the curb sipping “soda” from suspicious-looking cups or whether it meant tearing open our bags and comparing the booty on the living-room floor with my brother’s. Halloween has always been special.

I loved the idea of dressing up, being in “disguise” and having the parents around the neighborhood shriek with delight and laughter when they saw my costume.

When I was little, dressing up in scary costumes and getting candy was one of my
favorite things to do. Girls were princesses and boys were ninjas. Everybody’s
house was decked out in Halloween decorations, tombstones, spiders, and skeletons.
And for those houses that were “dark,” and didn’t welcome us up to their
door—their loss!

Who doesn’t want to see the smile on kids’ faces on one of the most special nights of the year?

I would see all the other kids in the neighborhood and go to every possible house I could before I had to be home. Then the neighborhood kids and I would compare and auction off candy. Later, my brother and I would get down to the serious business of eating as much as we could before we felt too sick and too hyper from the sugar to sleep.

Those were the days. Now, I’m a sophomore in high school. I’m considered “too old” to go house-to-house tricking and treating.

And I just am not going to go along with the “too old” concept.

At this age, nobody really trick or treats anymore; people just throw Halloween
parties. We still get to dress up, but there’s no free candy involved in that.

Why should the tradition have to end with age? I'm 15 years old. I get good grades. I love my friends. I'm not out to scam anybody.

Why am I in the pack of older girls that comes around your house later than all the younger kids? Because I love Halloween, that’s why. I love candy, I admit that, but I also love Halloween because it gives everyone a chance to be a little creative and show some personality. I’m big on traditions, and seeing people show their Halloween spirit always gets me ready for the holiday season.

No one is too old to trick or treat! No matter what age you are, Halloween candy will hit the spot for your sweet tooth. The parties are always fun too, seeing all
my friends dress up, but nothing is quite as good as putting on that costume,
having a pillow case ready to fill, and walking through the brisk fall air to
collect my favorite candy.

Don’t worry, parents! I’m not going to take that Snickers Bar from your six-year-old daughter dressed up as Cinderella, but I’ll settle for the Baby Ruth bars that nobody really wants. So when I knock up on your door and scream “trick or treat!” don’t look at me like you just saw a ghost. Don’t scorn me, and certainly don’t be afraid.

I just want some candy, too! And more than that, I just want to be a little kid again for one more year.