At what age do you think kids should not go trick or treating anymore?

Why should there be an age limit? Trick or Treating is amazing!


Back in the neighbourhood I lived in for a while in Kelowna, there were a lot of very generous older people who loved to give out candy. I'm talking full sized chocolate bars and cans of pop. Trouble was, there were damned few kids going out to take them up on their offers. A house would be lucky to get 6 or 7 kids coming to the door. So my friends and I would go out trick or treating in their place. Always in costume, that was our rule. You don't dress up, you don't get candy. It was actually pretty common around there for teens to collect candy.

Believe it or not, I did it right up until the last Halloween I lived in Kelowna, when I was 22! Went Trick or Treating last year when I visited for Halloween too.

I wouldn't do it in the neighbourhood I live in now though. There are a lot of young families around here, so the actual children should get first dibs. Not the overgrown ones like me.

Hellll if I was short (4'11) etc I'd still do it

PurplePassion65 said:

How do you think I get away with it?

meow85 said:

There is no age limit. Even adults go to clubs dressed up etc.

My parents discontinued my trick or treating at age 12 I had to rely on my baby sister who sometimes would say no , and I would have to resort to pretend and she would feel sorry for me and give me a shit load of candies . That trick worked for 2 years after that she did not fall for it anymore

luv4u said:

Same here. My nephew is going to be 13 next year,and my Mom was talking about how this might be the last year he would be able to go,and I thought,why? and how do you explain that to him?

EmeraldSkies said:

Kids in junior and senior high go trick or treating with their friends these days. Guess times change from generation to generation.

luv4u said:

True. We always have High Schooler's coming to the door.

It doesn't happen here in this part of the World so I've never understood the significance behind it.

PanthaGirl said:

Like most North American holidays, Hallowe'en began life as a Christian holy day (in spite of what certain Christian fundamentalists will tell you to the contrary about it being a day of devil worship or whatever) that's meaning and celebration has shifted dramatically over time.

That said, when you compare to the other two big Christian-based holidays, Christmas and Easter, Hallowe'en actually retains more of its holy symbols and significance than either of those days do, albeit in a strange and silly way.

Trick or treating is believed to have begun because the day before All Saint's Day, or All Soul's Day was supposed to be the day when the veils between our world and the demon world dropped. To appease demons, people would leave offerings of food or money (treats) outside their homes in hopes they'd be left alone. Those that didn't would be punished. (tricks)

luv4u said:

I have a vague, nebulous theory floating around in my head that this trend is related somehow to the resurgence in cartoons and other childhood things from the 80's and early 90's that are being aimed at the teens and 20-somethings now who loved them years ago. There's a very strong desire in my age group in North America to grasp onto our collective childhood. I haven't sorted out all the pieces yet, but I don't think it can be blamed solely on the companies who put Smurfs on t-shirts for young adults, either.

no,there shouldn't be an age limit cause i still go if i take my nieces. i just don't fight with the lil kids to get to the door first and i haven't worn a costume in YEARS

mimi07 said:

Pity. That's the best part.

meow85 said:

i know

Once I became a teenager, I stopped trick-or-treating. My parents did not force or encourage it; I just felt like it was time.

Someone in this thread mentioned that adults still dress up and go to clubs. I don't have any problems with that. I play in a rock band and we love to see folks dressed up for Halloween! Women can dress up like french maids and sexy nurses and the day provides a built-in excuse for it. For many of my friends, it's their favorite holiday.

To me, trick-or-treating is restricted to the act of dressing up in costume and soliciting candy door-to-door. I wouldn't necessarily impose an age limit, but I think at some point, you should just want to stop (like once you get into high school).

Yes, no teenagers. The big kids came to my house once and were knocking the little kids out of the way for free candy. I do not give goodies to big ass teenagers!!
[Edited 10/6/09 12:10pm]

never have been allowed to go Trick or Treating

I do not know....87?

Dayclear said:

Yes! where I used to live these punk ass teenagers who didint even dress up came up looking for candy They thought it was a big joke. They should be at parties getting drunk and high by that age .

Imma have a stack of job applications to give out to any grown ass teens come knock at my door.

The only limiting factor should be your enthusiasm.

I don't even care if you're in costume if you have a good attitude. But I hate giving candy to some dude who's too cool to even say the words "trick or treat." He's just a junkie looking for a free fix. F%*& that.

NDRU said:

agreed...a shitty attitude gets you a shitty treat at my house...along the lines of a ketchup packet or other prepackaged condiment

roodboi said:

that's great!

Yes! I'm sick and tired of greedy ass high school students panhandling at my door with maybe some greasepaint on their faces. They don't even bother to dress up. I think this year I'ma tell their lazy asses, "No costume, no candy!"

johnart said:

I LOVE it!

[Edited 10/6/09 12:13pm]

I was well into high school before I stopped going out trick or treating.

I just buy my own damn candy now
[Edited 10/6/09 12:32pm]

johnart said:

Most of them have jobs, dude.

Do like Frank on "Everybody Loves Raymond" and give them condoms.

Yes there needs to be age limits if they dont outlaw it outright. Im tired of being held hostage by having to get up and give out candy if I should remain at home the night it falls on. I dont want to dismiss some people (older yahoos/teenagers) because I dont want them returning later and doing something to my property. All I can do is shake my head at these...people.