After about age 13, the prospect of gaining a few meager pieces of candy in exchange for strange looks and the inevitable, “Aren’t you a little old to be out here,” seems to be more trouble than it’s worth.

So how does the child inside the adult body continue to celebrate the holiday propagated by princesses, goblins, and vampires that only reach knee high? The answer often is to attend Halloween galas- dressed in the increasingly popular adult costumes of today. Yes, the time has long since passed for white ghost sheets desecrated by homemade eye holes, Egyptian mummies bandaged from the farthest corners of Charmin and Angel Soft Coves, and hobo/bandits outfitted in the garments that wouldn’t pass for Grandma’s yard sale. Type “Halloween costumes” into any search engine and you’ll find not only costumes for children, but adults as well. And not only are they catering to the growing generations expanding tastes, but their economic interests, as well.

The costume industry hasn’t grown callous in the light of the shrunken economy, a fact that’s reflected in the market- not only in major retail stores, but also online. So, in keeping with tradition, while also embracing modern times and attempting to keep one’s youth, what have we missed? Nothing, right? Time to clasp clammy, pale, undead, bloody, wrapped, bruised, and shaking hands together in a ghoulish Kumbaya? Not quite.

The solving of one problem has precipitated another- how far is too far when it comes to costuming? How mature can the market make costumes before they are deemed inappropriate? This is a question all too often omitted from the minds of overly enthusiastic young people too concerned with celebrating and not concerned enough with shutting out late October’s chill and ensuring that their younger neighbors don’t grow up a bit too quickly.

Having spent time in Morgantown, West Virginia, an area notorious for its raucous parties involving just about every occasion, I’ve seen just how far adults can go in an effort to capture that elusive “Halloween Spirit”. With the flesh spilling out of too tiny nurses’ uniforms, and inebriated ankles snapping out of platform stripper heels, we as a society have an important issue to consider- where is the line between good times and modesty? More importantly, how do we avoid crossing it?

There’s only a few years between the Cinderella politely asking for Snicker bars, and the provocative Thumbelina drawing snickers from boozed up fraternity guys. Costumes are essential to what makes Halloween timeless- a great deal of fun for the young, younger, and young at heart, but a little common sense is still in order. Just like Jenny doesn’t trick-or-treat on the empty end of town, Samantha needs to think twice before she chooses the police costume with a skirt that reaches five inches from her bottom.

All we have to do is think. The little ones are always watching, even when we aren’t.