Teens Trick or Treating

 

Here's an interesting article about six-foot trick or treaters.  I really empathize with the author and his son/son's friends.  I see a lot of half-costumed teens every year at my own house trick or treating after all the little goblins have gone to bed.   Symbolically, this article makes me think of many situations outside of Halloween and makes me ask many questions: how do the structures we all create (Halloween rituals, social rituals, school institutions, etc.) create dichotomous places that assume two social groups -- small children and adults?  In the article, the half-costumed boys go out trick or treating -- taking up the role of smaller children (which is great! We all have our inner 8 year olds!).  The other Halloween option is for teens to be trickers, throwing eggs and making chaos.  I wonder what it would mean to make Halloween rituals (or other rituals and institutions) less dichotomous.  How can we (all of us, including teens) create some additional roles and spaces where teens can be together, have fun, interact with others in meaningful yet distinctive ways, and contribute to the festivities in some way.