“Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat.” This is a riddle that is quite popular around Halloween time. Usually, this is heard when a child goes up to a door for trick-or-treat. While some students took siblings out for last night’s festivities, others took themselves out for the free candy. But when does one become too old for trick-or-treating?
There tends to be a controversy around the age children should stop trick-or-treating. Parents have refused some people candy because of their age.
“I stopped trick-or-treating sophomore year because my mom wouldn’t let me. I also felt older, like too old, because everyone that goes trick-or-treating is little kids,” senior Emma Bedeian said.
Some parents might stop their children from trick-or-treating once they hit middle school, while others may stop them once they hit high school.
“I stopped trick-or-treating at the age of 12 because I felt like I was too old for it. I feel like teenagers are too old to be trick-or-treating and they should stop so that the younger kids have a chance to go,” freshman Kylie Leming said.
Some say that it is unfair to children who go trick-or-treating and do not get a lot of candy because the older kids get to it first.
“I believe that people should stop trick-or-treating at the age of 12. The reason for this is because it is a good stopping age between when you are a little kid and a preteen. It is weird for teenagers to trick or treat and unfair to the little kids,” freshman Chase Bruns said.
Parents may have concerns with the kidnapping of their children come Halloween night or whenever they go out to trick or treat. They might be worried that when they send their children out that there might be an older person out creeping on their child.
No matter the age you are or if you actually take place in the act of trick-or-treating, to some, Halloween is a time when memories are made.
“I was always excited to go to this one house because they would give out full candy bars every year. They were pretty cool but haven’t been home the past couple years, so it was a bit disappointing,” Bedeian said.
There seems to be the one house in every neighborhood that gives out the “good” candy or gives out toys instead of candy. Children are always able to point these houses out by learning about them from others.
“My favorite candy to receive while trick-or-treating was always Skittles. They’re my favorite and I always got excited when I saw them in my bag,” Bruns said.
Candy, snacks and other treats can bring joy to children going to door-to-door each Oct. 31 evening. Whether it is getting a favorite snack or collecting all the candy, trick-or-treating creates a memory that will live on in the minds of many, even though the trick-or-treating days may be over.