Trick-or-Treat

Surviving Halloween tradition: Watching The Wizard of Oz
Favorite Halloween memory: Sorting my trick-or-treat booty on the living room floor
In the Attic: Observing my first Halloween with my own daughter

So I've been off trick-or-treating for many years now. I'm 31, after all. I was explaining to my uncle yesterday that trick-or-treating is one of those things you need to voluntarily decide to give up because you accept the fact that you're too old. It's not cut and dry like that "You must be this tall to ride" indicator outside the gate to the roller coaster. Somewhere around 12, 13, or 14, you realize that it is an activity for little kids. More friends are dropping off each year. Except you don't really want to give it up! You fight it! Hence, you will still see 16- and 17-year-olds at your door asking for candy. Sure, they either don't dress up at all, or else will dig up an old mask from some year before. It's their way of saying, "I know I'm too old for this little kid game, but I can't let go of it."

I have memories of trooping around the neighborhood with a handful of friends and no parent chaperone. It was completely normal to be unsupervised. We would hurry ourselves through a painful dinner, with the doorbell ringing every 5 minutes, worrying that all the candy would be gone if we didn't get ourselves out there in the game soon. Excitedly, we finally got dressed up, and took off carrying a plastic jack-o-lantern with which to hold our loot. I can remember learning about centrifugal force when a seventh-grader snatched it away from me and whirled his arm around like a windmill on speed and I didn't lose one piece of candy. We'd go up and down the streets until we were supposed to report home. We could have gone all night.

I've taken full advantage of Binta being too young to understand Halloween traditions. She's 3, and has never experienced trick-or-treating. She's worn a costume each year, but only because they were given to me for free. She's seen references to trick-or-treating on TV, in books, and most importantly, from other kids. She's on to it.

Here are Binta's past costumes (in order):

1. leopard costume (2 months old): A hand me down thing that zipped up the front and had a hood with tiny ears and a little tail coming from the rear. Adorable.
2. Husky cheerleader(1 year old): Borrowed from a friend. We even taught Binta how to pose.
3. Tigger(2 years old): Another hand me down. Similar to the leopard, but more Tiggerish.

This year, I asked her what she wanted to be. I was fully prepared to purchase this costume. Her response was: Queen.

I checked online, and found a nice queen costume for $30.00. I was hoping I wouldn't be spending that much, so I kept searching. I found a very nice princess costume, for only $20.00. That seemed more reasonable. They're both royalty, so I figured she wouldn't see any difference. I called her to the computer and said, "How do you like this queen costume?" Her response: "I don't want to be a princess. I want to be a queen."

Costume #4. Queen (3 years old): Red crushed velvet (fake) with a gold collar and gold crown. Her posture immediately changes when she puts it on and she walks around slowly, saying, "Yes, Your Majesty," and "Thank you, Your Majesty."

So I guess tomorrow we'll be off, walking the neighborhood, knocking on strangers' doors and accepting food items from people we don't know. When I was the kid, it seemed like so much fun. I guess that's nature's way of insuring that people eventually give up the tradition. I'll be looking forward to my annual trek to Oz when we return home.