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Teen Tricks and Treats
How Old Is Too Old to Celebrate Halloween? By Gina Roberts-Grey, LCSW
If your teen is looking for an alternative to the door-to-door candy pilgrimage, consider hosting a teen haunted Halloween party. Turning over the basement or garage to transform the space into a creepy party place gives teens a safe place to show off their costumes and celebrate Halloween. If you're looking to send invitations or need additional theme ideas, www.pastrywiz.com has some terrific tips to host Halloween parties with a grown-up flair.
Organize a teen-only neighborhood scavenger hunt that includes finish line prizes donated by the participant's parents, such as movie tickets or video rental gift cards. Another way for teens to get into the Halloween spirit is to suggest they dress up and pass out candy to youngsters. Getting into character or creating the most haunted house on the block offers creative outlets and still celebrates your teen's youthful perception of the season.
If your teen shows an interest in Halloween, Mueller advises that as long as he follows commonsense safety tips and demonstrates a desire to be ghoulishly carefree, he's not too old to hit the trick-or-treat trail. "Trick-or-treating is a wonderful way for children to release some of the pressures of school and adolescence," she says.
