Kid's Night Out

On Halloween night in my neighborhood, a girl in a ballerina costume holds a container of candy at a door. Her mother watches (at left).

   What is meant by the phrase, 'trick or treat? On Halloween, it's spoken by costumed kids after knocking on doors.
   The phrase offers homeowners two options. They can become the recipient of a trick, or prank. Or they can give a child a treat, usually candy.
   Nowadays, Halloween night is all about candy, decorations, and costumes.
   Pranks rarely happen anymore. That's a good and bad thing. I'm glad pumpkins no longer get smashed. I'm glad homes are not getting egged or wrapped in toilet paper.
   But I miss pranks that kids used to pull on each other.
   My friend and I would fill stockings with flour. We'd whack them against other boys. Explosions of whiteness filled the air. Flour covered the costumes of our victims.
   Egg battles were fought between boys from different age groups. During one such engagement, older boys pinned me down. I was terrified. They turned my hair into a soufflé. Later I was glad. By taking part in the battle, I fit in.
   I hope pranking between older boys makes a comeback on Halloween. Teaming up on pranks exposes boys to camaraderie. It builds friendships. 

A girl in costume eyes a homeowner with candy.