My youngest and her friends finally decided they would not trick or treat this year. I agreed it was time to stop; they are seniors in high school.

Quite honestly, they’ve probably pushed the activity about four or five years too far, but I didn’t interfere, as I figured there are worse things they could be doing. They also used “Trick or Treat for UNICEF” as their guise for the past couple years.

I think last year garnered too many derogatory comments from neighbors about their age for them to comfortably continue. I was eleven years old when I stopped trick or treating. I was very tall for my age and although still within trick or treating age, I encountered many rude comments, which put an end to my Halloween fun.

I occasionally mentioned to my kids that perhaps they shouldn’t go, remembering the sting of the comments during my last trick or treating journey. But they were determined to continue because of the “free” candy.

I’ve always wondered in what scenario, being minors and dependents of their parents, they’ve ever had to pay for their own candy?

Since Halloween was on a Saturday this year, they decided to have a party instead. Which was a good idea since it was particularly blustery. I am sorry they weren’t able to be outside as I’ve yet to try out my newly rebuilt campfire pit.

When I asked them what they would like to have at their party since s’mores were out due to the weather, they only said, “Candy.”

I think they may be having withdrawals from trick or treating. So I bought two huge bags of Costco chocolate, fun-size, candy bars, one for trick or treaters, and one for the party. Then I bought them a huge bag of some chewy, fruity candy and a big bag of Japanese-type candy.

However, for my mom’s birthday last Monday, I brought out one of those bags of chocolates for her “birthday cake.” It was a treat for her because she doesn’t normally get candy for herself and she turned 75, she deserved it.

Well, you know the adage, “You can’t just eat one,” but in my house it’s “You can’t just open the bag of candy one evening and expect the rest of it to make it to Halloween night.” The bag was gone by last Thursday night after just being opened the previous Monday night. I actually have to commend my family that it lasted that long. My husband is not free of blame here, either.

I admit, I ate a few myself, but nothing near what the rest of them ate. Being in the house alone with an open bag of candy is just dangerous business. I stay away from it all day, because I know if I have one, I won’t be able to stop. If I started eating candy early in the day, it would be gone by the end of the night. So I hold out as long as possible, just enjoying a couple shortly before I head for bed.

I felt the need to buy another large bag of candy, because although we don’t usually have many trick or treaters, the year I don’t have enough candy would be the year we’d have lots.

Based on the layers of candy wrappers in my kitchen garbage the day after Halloween, I’d say the party was a success. I didn’t charge them a dime.

What do you know? Free candy!

Gretchen Leigh is a stay-at-home mom who lives in Covington. You can read more of her writing and her daily blog on her website livingwithgleigh.com, on Facebook at “Living with Gleigh.”or follow her on Twitter @livewithgleigh. Her column is available every week at maplevalleyreporter.com under the Lifestyles section.