Throughout the month of October, young children eagerly look forward to the one night when their parents let them eat as much candy as their heart desires; the night they get to dress up as their favorite movie character or a ghoulish monster; the night they get to roam around the neighborhood past sundown with their friends: Halloween. However, these young children aren’t the only ones who get to enjoy trick-or-treating — teenagers are kids too, and they shouldn’t be frowned upon for having innocent fun on this magically spooky holiday.
The opinion that teenagers are too old to trick-or-treat stems partially from the notion that they will lean more into the tricks than the treats. Activities like egging houses or stealing entire bowls of candy may be amusing for the perpetrators, but certainly not for those who fall victim. However, the idea that all teens are troublemakers is misguided. Although there are a few who might engage in this behavior, it is hardly fair to punish the upstanding along with the guilty.
Not only are most teenagers more respectful than stereotypes suggest, but going trick-or-treating can even help them be more behaved. Teenagers who participate in this activity will be outside with their friends, having fun in a safe, public environment. The alternative is often rowdy and raucous parties where they may make reckless decisions. For example, high school-aged people are much more likely to end up drinking alcohol if they’re at a party than if they’re outside in the neighborhood.
Another fallacious argument is that the sweets should be prioritized for the little ones. Those in favor of this may point out that no one has an infinite amount of candy to spare, but it is also true that younger children tend to go out earlier than teenagers. Meanwhile, the older trick-or-treaters typically celebrate later in the evening after the children have had their fair share of treats.
Ultimately, the decision of what age someone should retire from trick-or-treating should be up to the individual. As long as teens can responsibly partake in these traditions, they shouldn’t be stopped from participating. Dressing up, going door to door for free candy, and getting compliments on your costume makes for an undeniably fun day, no matter if you’re seven or seventeen.
