How Old Is Too Old to Trick-or-Treat?

Students graced the halls with their Halloween costumes on October 31. *Photo: Gabriela Huachi Cabrera*

By THE ARGUS STAFF

Spooky season is back! According to a 2021 Today survey, 26% of adults believe that children are never too old for trick or treating, but what do Midwood students think?

This October we polled over 160 Hornets to get their responses. To be clear, we are speaking about going door-to-door on Halloween to get candy by yourself or with friends your age. Accompanying a younger sibling or other child while they're trick-or-treating doesn’t count for these purposes.

Here’s what our respondents said:

9% picked a cut-off age between 12 and 15.

9% said 16-17 was too old to trick-or-treat.

20% said when you’re 18 and officially an adult, it’s time to stop.

16% picked an age between 19-21 to say enough is enough.

And a whopping 46% said, “You’re never too old!”

COMMENTS

You're not ever too old for free candy, but it does feel weird as you get older.
A 60 year old granny can trick or treat if she pleases. Freedom!
Halloween is all about getting in the spooky spirit and dressing up in scary or cute costumes and eating candy while watching terrifying movies. Trick-or-treating is one of the most festive parts about it.
As long as you worked really hard on your costume, I think it’ll be fine.
Low key, adults should not be going around begging for candy because then there's kids not getting any because of it.
You’re never too old to dress up, but you can be too old to ask other adults and strangers for candy.
You can go trick-or-treating whenever you want. Age doesn't define having the best time of your life.
Halloween is a day where the possibilities are endless and you can dress however you'd like without fear of being judged. As teenagers, one of our biggest fears is how people view us, and Halloween is a day where that doesn't matter. Trick-or-treating is a way to go around and show off your costume with the perk of free candy at every door. However, I believe 18 is a good cut-off point because it's seen as "legal," and if I was a parent I wouldn't want an 18-year-old coming up to my doorstep saying “trick or treat.” However, that doesn't mean they shouldn't celebrate!