Artwork by Sean Mayer

Blair Nagle '27

STAFF WRITER

Halloween is quickly approaching, and excited chatter about costumes, candy, and haunted houses is rapidly spreading. With Halloween mere weeks away, people start to ponder the question: how old is too old to trick or treat? Some think that the cut-off is when kids enter high school, and some believe kids should stop trick or treating even earlier. While the act of trick-or-treating is a thrilling and generally harmless tradition, there is a fine line between enjoying the activity and overstaying your welcome in a community set up for younger kids.

It’s a fact: with age comes maturity. As many kids get older, they begin to stray from childhood traditions, one of which being Halloween. Teens begin to label trick or treating as lame and leave behind the tradition to instead attend Halloween parties or hang out with friends. Nowadays, some teens or even young adults who continue to trick-or-treat are categorized as outliers and tend to stick out.

So while many teens don't go out for trick-or-treating, the ones that do run the risk of facing prejudice and mistreatment. How should one be sifted out as “too old” or “too young” to participate in these fun fall activities?

When the supposed “mature” kids join in on the lively action, many feel the experience of the young is diminished. The “mature kids” display straight up rudeness in relation to the houses handing out candy, as some older kids might take advantage of the rations they get. The sign in big letters that says “take two,” somehow morphs into “take the entire bucket” for this age group.

In short, a kid can never really be too old for trick or treating. However, it does depend on a kid’s level of respect, and the dynamics of their community. Older kids who opt-in to trick or treating should still respect the younger kids and should try their best to maintain the childhood innocence and excitement of the tradition. The question still lingers: How does an older kid maintain this tradition in consideration of others? From handing out candy to simply wearing your best costumes, there are endless opportunities to participate in spreading memories of spirit for everyone. Those determined to embrace their inner child but feel they are too old to trick-or-treat can cultivate some creative ideas for attire that masks their identity. Whether they dress-up as a green dinosaur or as Spiderwoman, it’s a great way to enjoy a spooky night of amusement. So, no matter what age you are, try to aim to positively impact your community, and most importantly, have fun!