By Madalyn Mirallegro - Co-Editor-In-Chief on October 25, 2024
Graphic by Audrey Garcia
Every Halloween night, young kids gather to parade around neighborhoods and receive free candy, but should it be just kids going trick-or-treating?
The answer is no.
Trick-or-treating has occurred in the U.S. since the 19th century, so why now is there an age limit to participating in the event? Society tells the younger generation not to grow up too fast, but putting older kids down for trick-or-treating defeats the purpose of that statement.
When we were in high school, dressing up and going trick-or-treating with our friends was still a trend. Now, it seems like teenagers dress up to go to parties — something that used to be a college tradition.
Children should be allowed to enjoy their childhood as long as they can, including going trick-or-treating well into their young adulthood. What college student wouldn’t want to dress up, maybe have a drink or two if they are of age and get some free candy?
However, out of fear of being judged or harassed, those who are older stay home and buy their own candy. That’s just not fair. Why does there need to be an age limit on the joy of dressing up and getting a nice treat? It makes no sense whatsoever.
If we think about the true logistics of trick-or-treating, there are some cases in which young adults continue the annual tradition, without the benefit of candy.
Think about it this way: if you are a college student or high schooler with a younger sibling or a parent of a young child, you may be asked or required to go trick-or-treating with them. You’re still going through the motions of the practice, even well after it is deemed appropriate.
Even so, those guiding the others don’t get the true pleasure of saying trick-or-treat themselves or the free candy without stealing it.
Those helping others out while trick-or-treating should be allowed to have their own bag and earn the candy themselves if they are going to be going out during the night, especially those who have to suffer through the progressively chillier nights of Halloween.
Everyone deserves to experience the glee of running around a neighborhood in their costume, likely grabbing more than the appropriate amount of candy, no matter how old they are. No one has the right to put an age limit on happiness, so stop being party poopers and hand out some free candy to all.
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To trick or to treat, that is the question
Every Halloween night, young kids gather to parade around neighborhoods and receive free candy, but should it be just kids going trick-or-treating?
The answer is no.
Trick-or-treating has occurred in the U.S. since the 19th century, so why now is there an age limit to participating in the event? Society tells the younger generation not to grow up too fast, but putting older kids down for trick-or-treating defeats the purpose of that statement.
When we were in high school, dressing up and going trick-or-treating with our friends was still a trend. Now, it seems like teenagers dress up to go to parties — something that used to be a college tradition.
Children should be allowed to enjoy their childhood as long as they can, including going trick-or-treating well into their young adulthood. What college student wouldn’t want to dress up, maybe have a drink or two if they are of age and get some free candy?
However, out of fear of being judged or harassed, those who are older stay home and buy their own candy. That’s just not fair. Why does there need to be an age limit on the joy of dressing up and getting a nice treat? It makes no sense whatsoever.
If we think about the true logistics of trick-or-treating, there are some cases in which young adults continue the annual tradition, without the benefit of candy.
Think about it this way: if you are a college student or high schooler with a younger sibling or a parent of a young child, you may be asked or required to go trick-or-treating with them. You’re still going through the motions of the practice, even well after it is deemed appropriate.
Even so, those guiding the others don’t get the true pleasure of saying trick-or-treat themselves or the free candy without stealing it.
Those helping others out while trick-or-treating should be allowed to have their own bag and earn the candy themselves if they are going to be going out during the night, especially those who have to suffer through the progressively chillier nights of Halloween.
Everyone deserves to experience the glee of running around a neighborhood in their costume, likely grabbing more than the appropriate amount of candy, no matter how old they are. No one has the right to put an age limit on happiness, so stop being party poopers and hand out some free candy to all.