Trick or treat? That epic question, routinely answered by candy, has an alternate option. More often than not, the ‘trick’ part of Halloween is taken for granted. As we age, the pranks evolve, becoming continuously more and more elaborate. Let’s take a look at the maturation of mischievous escapades.

Youth: Simply jumping out from behind a bush and yelling ‘BOO!’ often does the trick. Prank phone calls are not yet off-limits but haven’t quite reached their pinnacle. A common mistake is to justify bullying (and the nefarious crime of candy theft) within these reasonable bounds.

Pre-teens: This is the last shot to get away with prank phone calls and not be considered immature. Scary stories seem to have the most effect on this impressionable age group. A skillfully told story coupled with an ending involving someone or thing leaping out can bring about a satisfying outcome. As the opposite sex become more attractive, some start exploring that venue.

Teenagers: As trick-or-treating becomes obsolete, scary movies start becoming pivotal in schemes, often directed towards girls. Watching a scary movie with a female friend (or knowing of a group of girls watching one) is the perfect prelude to scratching on a door or window or making noises around a house. A mask can take this to the next level.

College years: Scaring up a sorority house can be very tempting and rewarding yet perilous. Remember that after 18, all those tricky little words like ‘trespassing’ and ‘disturbing the peace’ carry much more relevance. Masks can be fun but also look incriminating. One must remember to keep pranks somewhat within bounds (climbing on roofs is a bad idea Tron…)

No matter what age you are, remember that pranks are all about having fun. This writer will never consider myself too old and ‘mature’ to participate in a good-natured trick.