Every October, streets and stores are decked out for spooky season, scary decorations, pumpkins everywhere, and loads of candy. Many kids and even adults plan out what costume they’ll wear on Halloween. Which gets people to think, ‘Am I too old for trick-or-treating?’
I don’t think anyone ever truly outgrows Halloween. While Halloween is traditionally for little kids in costumes haunting the neighborhood and knocking on doors for candy, what about the older ones who aren’t ready to let go of the fun? Somewhere between middle and high school is when kids find trick-or-treating cringey or immature, saying it’s for the younger kids, but honestly, I think the older kids need it more. Halloween is one night a year when you can dress up as almost anything and have fun collecting candy for free. While some might think high schoolers going door to door in their costumes is tacky, we should just let kids be kids while they still can. The holiday gives people a chance to be creative and way less serious, something that older kids could benefit from, especially as college could be right around the corner for some high schoolers. While some high school students like causing trouble by setting up pranks involving fireworks and dangerous items, why should they ruin it for the rest of us? If the older kids aren’t doing anything to disrupt Halloween fun, then leave them be.
Our very own Quartz Hill High School English teacher, Mrs. Stephenson, who happens to trick or treat with her young kids, says, “Trick or Treating is for people under 20, older if they are mentally younger, such as individuals who have down syndrome.” Mrs. Stephenson has a point. Typically, Halloween is for children, and if adults are trick-or-treating, then who will pass out candy and keep the tradition going?
We need to take a moment to realize Halloween is not all about the candy, it’s about participating and having fun. While not everyone has to go door to door, they can still participate by handing out candy, decorating, and dressing up in a costume. Halloween is for everyone, as it’s a time to step away from real life and be whoever you want to be. Whether you’re five or fifty, as long as you’re having fun and not running the experience for others, who says you’re too old to trick or treat?
