[Feature] Too Old for Halloween?

Halloween has always been a fun, festive time of the year for as long as I could remember. Dressing up in costume, having adults willingly give you candy .. life did not get any better than that, for a kid.

But is Halloween really just for kids? Even in my group of friends, only a few of us are excited about Halloween, and even from that few, only 2-3 of us are making moves to get costumes and actually make some plans for the night.

So what gives? Why is it that Halloween no longer ignites that excitement and anticipation? Most likely because we're just "too old," right?

Talking to a friend the other night, we came upon the conversation about parents who do not allow their kids out to go trick-or-treating. We've all heard the myths - needles or razor blades in apples (ouch!), kidnappers waiting for kids to willingly walk up their steps, etc., so it's no wonder that today, rather than going out trick-or-treating, parents opt for Halloween parties at a known family's house or community-setting. But family-oriented Halloween nights call for adults to dress up in costume, too, and shoot, you would make a pretty good pirate, right?

But wait, we're not all at the age to be going to family Halloween parties. And trick-or-treating is a little too kiddie for us .. but that doesn't necessarily mean that Halloween has to be another Friday night. In recent years, despite it being a weekday or weekend night, Halloween has evolved from being just a kid's holiday, into a Mardi Gras-esque holiday for adults. Best example: The Village Halloween Parade in New York City. Definitely not a place for the youngsters, and a place for adults to strut their creative costumes. From skanky to classy, or funny to scary, the Village Halloween Parade has got it all, and you don't even have to embrace your inner child to enjoy it.

Other Halloween options include going to a Halloween-themed club, dressed in costumes and mingling with those who are old enough to enjoy Halloween with a drink.

Personally, I'll opt out of partying the night away, and might spend an hour or two trick-or-treating while I still look young enough to get carded.