With Halloween right around the corner, many high schoolers are considering going trick-or-treating this year. There are many reasons to go—spending time with friends and getting candy being the main ones—but there is often one big reason that stops teenagers from venturing out in costume on October 31st. The reason? Being too old.
Trick-or-treating is designed for kids. Dressing up and going door to door for candy gives young children the perfect opportunity to enjoy their youth. I’m sure most if not all high schoolers have fond memories of frolicking about on the night of Halloween with friends, family, or both. However, like all children’s habits, everyone grows out of trick-or-treating eventually.
Teens should not go trick-or-treating just to get free candy. If they do, they run the risk of interfering with younger kids and families. It’s unreasonable to approve of 16-year-olds grabbing candy that 6-year-olds could have had. Teens also tend to be louder later in the evening, which might bother some families that are trying to get their young children settled for bed.
In addition, high schoolers are often too busy with schoolwork and extracurriculars to put together good costumes. Trick-or-treating just to get free candy is bad enough, but doing it in a lame costume is simply inexcusable. If a teenager is going to go trick or treating, they should at least put in the effort to do so.
The one exception to this is if supervision is needed for a younger sibling or neighbor. Parents are often busy with work or chores around the house, and this might get in the way of them supervising their little kids on Halloween night. Older teenage siblings or neighbors looking to get away with getting free candy are the perfect resource in this situation.
So, what is the maximum age for trick-or-treating? In my opinion, anyone older than 16 should not trick-or-treat unless they are serving as supervision for little kids. People in their early teens are still transitioning from intermediate and middle school, where kid’s activities are still acceptable. Because of this, some grace can be given to 13-year-olds.
However, once people start to get older it becomes unreasonable, with 16 being the year that it crosses the line. It’s really weird for all-but adults to be participating in children’s activities. Who wants to be the shady teenager lurking in the dark, taking leftover candy from people’s porches? Halloween is an activity meant for kids, and teenagers should keep it that way. In other words, if you’re old enough to drive, you’re too old to trick-or-treat.
