Trick or Treat? Beer or Bomb?

I have to say I am disappointed in Trick or Treat this year.

While I am not the biggest fan of Halloween, I appreciate it for what it is, and I abide by the rules and do my duty by passing out candy for the Trick or Treaters. This year, we failed to carve pumpkins, but I did have my ceramic jack-o-lantern filled with candles so that our house was adorned with a bit of Halloween spirit. We were ready and waiting at 5:59 for the trick o treaters to make their way. And beg us for candy.

This year I was appalled at the lack of creativity, and in most cases, lack of costume in general. I handed out candy to no less than 25% of children who were wearing jeans and t-shirts. (Though I will give props to a girl who was wearing a pink, “smarties” t-shirt and had taped smarties all over her jeans… she was a “smartie-pants”)

Let me break it down in list form. My top 5 ridiculous incidents during Trick or Treat 2010.

5.   Parents- yes, I understand it was football Sunday and you’d probably been indulging in an adult beverage or 2. But to use your children’s wagon as a carry-all out in the open for additional brew-ha-ha’s while trick or treating is just not classy. Seriously, there was an adorable set of children being pulled in a wagon- the one child held her pumpkin and politely asked “Trick or Treat?” and I gladly gave the candy- while the other was a bit shy so I reached over to put some candy in his pumpkin and right there by their little feet were 6 cans of Bud Light. I mean, if you are going to do it, fine, but really? Put it in a bag, a cozy, a cup… not right there in the open!

4.   Again, on the booze. Cans are one thing but to be pushing your sleeping bunny in her stroller while holding a GLASS BOTTLE of beer. (again, no cozy, no cup, nothing, just beer bottle. Out in the open.)  Not to mention there is an open container law in Ohio and we have 2 sheriffs that live on our street.

3.   There was a kid, in his teens I’m sure, that once again was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. But at least he had a chicken hat on his head. I could hear him talking on his cell phone then entire way around the cal-de-sac. As he approached me, still talking, I wondered if he would get off the phone. Nope. He walked up, pulled the phone away, said Trick or Treat, I put candy in his bag and he immediately put the phone back to his ear and said “okay, I’m back- go ahead.” No thank you, no acknowledgement, nothing.  The nerve of some kids just kills me. Would it kill you to turn your phone off and actually act like a kid if you want me to give you candy?

2.   This one ALMOST made my number 1 spot. ALMOST. I kid you not, and I can’t even believe this happened. I had 4, not one, two, or even 3, but FOUR! Grown, adult women. Probably in their early to mid 30’s approach me for candy. They came up (again, jeans and sweatshirts) with their pillowcases. No asking trick or treat, no costumes, and even worse- NO CHILDREN!!! I looked all around and they were just 4 grown women walking around getting candy. I almost couldn’t give it to them but I was not about to get into it and cause a scene. That was pretty much the nail in the coffin for me.

1.   I was witness to the absolute, most inappropriate costume I have ever seen.  Again, male child, most likely early teens. Walking around alone. Wearing a long, thick, scraggly black wig- baggy fatigues- mustache and beard- bandana type thing around the wig. Around his neck is what looks like- from a distance, an etch a sketch. He stops at the bottom of the driveway and stares at me. Creepy. He then starts doing something with his left hand- like he is pushing a buzzer on a game show. He slowly walks up to me, stops, stares, does it again. And again (seriously took him 5 minutes to get up the driveway) He finally throws his hands in the air, starts screaming and running towards me. I didn’t even know what to say. He asked politely for candy, which I gave. And then switches to an accent talking about Al Qaeda and how he doesn’t know how he is supposed to blow people up when he can’t get a bomb that works. (that thing- around his neck? Was supposed to be a homemade explosive.)  I have absolutely no words to describe what was going through my head.

**Please note: we actually live in a really nice neighborhood with great kids and families. I have no idea where these people came from. If they do live in my neighborhood- they hide themselves really well.

Tell me- Am I being ridiculous to think this stuff was inappropriate?

What crazy shenanigans happened during YOUR trick or treat 2010?