Trick or Treat: Are You Too Old?
Trick or Treat: Are You Too Old?
By Michelle Achtau
“Trick or treat!” A little boy is dressed in a Batman costume while holding out his candy bag. As he receives his Halloween treat, the smile on his face widens. “Thank you!” he yells as he takes off.
Five minutes later, the doorbell rings again. This time, the trick or treater is not a child. He is a teenager who looks like he can be eighteen or nineteen years old. He isn’t friendly and has a look on his face that says “give me candy.” The candy drops in their bag and they run off to the next house.
There is no age limit rule for trick or treaters, but sometimes we wonder, how old is too old?
It’s three o’ clock on Halloween. The streets are somewhat dead with a few early bird trick-or-treaters. Mothers are pushing their toddlers in strollers as they go from house to house. As the night progresses, more people swarm the streets. The darker it gets, the more the teenagers and older crowd comes out.
Halloween is a holiday that can be enjoyed by all ages, but sometimes there’s a point where the line should not be crossed. If people are polite by saying thank you then they get candy, they should get the hand-out, but often teenagers have no manners or awareness of the clock when it comes to Halloween.
Some neighbors have the best Halloween treats on the block, so their doorbell is always ringing.
“I love having trick or treaters. But having the doorbell go off for hours can be exhausting. By eight thirty, I’m ready to wind down. Unfortunately, around nine or nine thirty, I get the older crowd is still coming to the door,” Michelle Lipari said. “I personally think if you are still in high school, it’s a little old to be trick or treating.”
Costumes, candy, and spooky decorations—who doesn’t love Halloween? Everyone can enjoy this holiday, as long as they’re polite and don’t stay out too late.
“A lot of people I know get really angry at older kids trick or treating. I think it’s great,” said Sam Desande. “It seems like our society just wants teens to not exist. I would much rather have teens come to my door for some free candy then come later with toilet paper. Usually the older kids we get are super polite. And I could care less if they are in costume. As long as they ring the bell they can have candy.”
There is no rule saying if you are a teenager you are too old, but some people may think otherwise. Halloween is a holiday for people to let out their inner child—but perhaps some rude teenagers should draw the line.
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