Another knock on the door brings the owner of the house back to their front porch to gift the small children delicious treats; however, as the door swings open, they are not faced with a child, but rather a very tall, costumed 16-year-old. Instead of turning them away, the parent happily hands them candy and wishes them a happy Halloween, because who really gets to decide how old is too old to enjoy the scary night? 

“I think if you are old enough to buy your own candy, you should just leave [trick-or-treating] to the little kids,” Ava Scott, senior, said.  

Though it is a social norm to grow out of the fun of trick-or-treating after reaching high school, there is nothing wrong with participating in the annual activity. In fact, continuing to partake in the fun, even well into one’s teen years, can bring back childhood memories. The night is a way for those who feel they have grown up too soon to experience the adventure of being a child again and all the fun of candy, costumes, and scares. 

“Trick-or-treating is about having fun with friends, so I do not care how old I am. I will still have fun with my friends,” Hayden Raffi, sophomore, said. 

While there is no age restriction on who can trick-or-treat, many students feel as if the activity should be left to the kids to enjoy, believing it is a holiday that should be grown out of, similar to the belief in Santa. With a reputation of being reckless, rude, and often inconsiderate of others, it can be difficult to trust teenagers to partake in the door-to-door celebration. As well as having a poor image, at a certain age, it simply gets a little creepy for an almost adult to walk around in a costume trying to get free candy. 

“I like trick or treating, but I stopped going when I was 13. I think it is still fun, though, at any age, but it is also a little weird if a 20-year-old is walking around trick-or-treating,” Abby Haines, junior, said. 

Even if one feels they have outgrown the trick-or-treating, handing out candy, working haunted houses or other Halloween events, and setting up extravagant decorations for kids to enjoy are all ways to still participate in the holiday. While these activities may not bring the same nostalgia that comes with trick or treating, if one is too embarrassed to dress up and go door-to-door alongside younger children, helping kids enjoy the night is a great way to still have fun. 

“I do not think there is a set age limit [on trick-or-treating], but I do feel like it is mostly for elementary/middle school ages. I feel like once you start getting into high school, there is more things to do than trick-or-treating,” Madison Hall, junior, said. 

One should never let the beliefs of others influence their participation in the exciting holiday of Halloween.