In the spirit of Halloween, I asked the age-old question: is there an expiration date on trick or treating? Should there even be an age limit? While some may argue that scavenging the neighborhoods for candy should be limited to a certain age, this article sheds light on why it’s perfectly fine for teenagers to continue embracing this spooky and fun tradition. 

Halloween is a celebration of creativity and fun. Regardless of age, teenagers should be encouraged to get creative with fun Halloween costume ideas. Allowing teenagers to trick or treat creates an environment where these kids can enjoy fun activities without fear of judgment, which not only is fun but puts them into a holiday mood. It also allows older teenagers to relish in a simpler time before they are faced with the pressures of adulthood. This unique kind of fun should be open to all teenagers, without criticism.

“But shouldn’t teenagers participate in a more mature activity on Halloween?” People tend to think that teenagers should just dress up and go to parties or hang out with friends on Halloween instead of trick or treating, which is a more mature and accepted thing to do on Halloween. But not everyone has friends to hang out with. An easy solution to this is to simply make teenagers going trick-or-treating a more accepted idea, so they can still participate in fun Halloween traditions without being alone on such a spooky and special day.

However, not everyone agrees with my views of trick or treating being open to all. Sixteen is the cutoff for Freshman Joey Ribbing, who thinks the age limit should be younger. “I think 16 is too old to go trick or treating. I think because at that point it’s less normal to just ask for free food for random people. You can dress up and go with younger siblings, but not by yourself or other 16-year-olds.”

It’s definitely less accepted for older teenagers to go trick or treating, and some might be judged for it. But I hope that it’ll become easier and more accepted for these teenagers to participate in more childish activities, so they can enjoy their childhood while it lasts and make fun and unforgettable memories.

Junior Lex Lentz feels a similar way but thinks that teenagers should also be able to participate.

“Let them have fun, but once they get to 19 it’s like they’re poor begging for food. Unless you have a younger sibling with you,” Lentz said.

However, some towns have even gone as far as creating laws preventing teenagers from Trick or Treating. Just across the river in Belleville, Illinois, kids over 12 can face #$1,000 fines if they are caught Trick or Treating. Cities in Virginia and Maryland have similar Trick or Treat bans.

Having younger siblings is a common reason for teenagers to go trick or treating, which is an especially good thing. Teenagers using trick-or-treating as a chance to bond with younger siblings or their friends is a fantastic idea since it’s a low-cost and accessible activity to all who want to participate. It can also help encourage closer bonds between family and friends.

Spanish and French teacher Dana Moore feels a similar way.

“I would say high school age is too old, but then it just really depends on the students if they want to go and get candy at houses I would much rather have them do that than do something disruptive,” Moore said.

An important question to ask is… Are the older people who are trick-or-treating really bothering anyone? Some might argue anyone above 18 should outgrow trick-or-treating, but as long as teenagers approach this activity respectfully and don’t disturb others, there should be no reason to deny them the joy of dressing up and receiving free candy. I do agree that some teenagers might go out of their way to try and approach this fun activity disrespectfully, younger kids can also do that. This can also be a chance to prove that age-old ‘teenagers steal candy from little kids’ stereotype by showing that teenagers can interact with their community in a respectful way.

Sophomore Sarah Richmond agrees that trick or treating should be open to older teenagers, “I think it depends on the person because if the person has bad intentions, then they shouldn’t go trick or treating. I think no matter their age, they should get to go trick or treating if they have good intentions. After 21, your intentions should be questioned,” Richmond said.

I agree while older teenagers should be welcome to trick or treat, adults’ trick or treating can create an unsafe environment for children. Besides, if adults start trick or treating who would be there to hand out the candy?

I strongly believe that age should never dictate one’s ability to this festive tradition. Let’s all enjoy the ageless fun of Halloween and encourage all teenagers and kids, regardless of age, to enjoy trick-or-treating. Halloween is a celebration that should go beyond silly setbacks like ‘being too old to dress up and get free candy’. Because the Halloween spirit resides within us all: old, young, teenagers, and the like.