Halloween for Teens

(also published in The Waterford Times)

It’s that time of year again: time to stock up and fill the candy bowl for trick-or-treaters. But some trick-or-treaters are not looked too highly upon: teenagers. Many don’t like to see kids their age going door to door on Halloween because they think they’re too old for it. But does anyone stop and think about why a sixteen- or seventeen- year old is still choosing to spend the night of Halloween this way? The reason just may be that these kids don’t know what else there is for them to do.

Most kids associate Halloween with trick-or-treating because that’s what they’ve done for the holiday since they were young. With this as their only Halloween activity, the idea is formed that trick-or-treating is all the holiday is about. As kids get older, they begin to feel too old to do this but may not have any ideas of what else to do for fun. Admitting that they can’t trick-or-treat anymore means that they’re too old for the holiday, and they don’t want that. They still want to be able to enjoy it. Even though many teens begin to feel foolish trick-or-treating at their age, it is their way of not wanting to let go of one of their favorite holidays.

If your teens are having trouble making plans for Halloween night, help them think of new ideas that are more centered for adults. Try to avoid suggesting they just stay home and give out candy to the kids. This is like sending them to the bench now that they’re grown, and reinforces the idea that Halloween is only for the young ones. Help your teens discover that Halloween is just as much -if not more- a holiday for adults.

To help them with ideas, tell your teens to look online for Halloween activities your area is putting together. Theme parks and zoos usually hold events each weekend of October, including Halloween night. Local movie theaters commonly show several thriller or horror movies on Halloween night.

Teens can also research if their town is throwing a Halloween party for the teenage crowd. Dropping them off and picking them up at these places will insure that they will be somewhere safe. They can also throw their own party with friends for an easy and cheaper night than going out. Any of these ideas also allows teens to dress up, if that is an aspect of Halloween that they don’t want to lose.

If your teens genuinely do like the idea of getting a lot of candy for Halloween (and who can blame them?) then keep that in the picture. Suggest that they go to the store with some friends, each of them buying a bag of Halloween candy. They can then make their own treat bags from what they bought. This way they still get plenty of Halloween candy, and better yet, they’re sure to get what they want rather than a lot of junk they don’t.
They can make their goody bag out of a Halloween paper bag, basket, decorative bowl, or anything else that suits them.

Encourage your teens to plan their own fun way of celebrating the night, either from one of these suggestions or with an idea of their own. This way, they can see that now that they’re older, they have more options for the holiday, and it’s up to them to have a good time. Take this opportunity to let your teens see how fun and safe Halloween is as an adult. Learning to take responsibility into their own hands in this way can also help teens feel more comfortable with the responsibilities, decision-making and problem-solving situations of adulthood.