How old is too old to go trick or treating?

Well I’m over 30 with no plans to stop so….. no such age exists?

When you stop and think about it.

When it becomes creepy.

A 17 year old arrive at my front door. I asked him if wasn’t a little too old to trick and treat and he said….“I love candy”.

I just gave him a Snickers and he left.

Once you’re in high school, you’re too old. Go out and have fun, but trick or treating is for the kids, not teenagers.

When people kind of cock an eyebrow at you and say “Aren’t you a little too big for this?”

My son stopped when he was 12 and skipped his 13th year, and then when he was 14 I guess he had an attack of nostalgia and wanted to go one last time. He came home early that night, feeling a little foolish, and said “I’m too old for this.”

When it stops being fun. Wait, scratch that… just before it stops being fun. :)

When you consider yourself too old to get dressed up in a costume before going out for the candy. :)

I will give candy to anyone that comes to my door in a costume on Halloween, regardless of their age. If they are putting forth the effort to enjoy the day, why not reward them with the candy?

Also, I try not to even judge people’s age. I still have people that tell me I look 12 and I’m 30. I’m short enough that if I had full costume on (mask and all), no one would question if I was too old unless they heard my son call me mom.

14 (that’s when stopped)

I went as Sarah Palin, though…just saying.

@Fly Yeah, and no one knew who you were… everyone could tell I was an Indian!

Technically, I would say there is no official age. I think most kids stop after 8th grade, unless maybe they are taking around younger siblings. However, I would give candy to all ages without question, if you love trick or treating go for it.

When you’re knocking over my 2 year old for candy and laughing with your 16 year old budding while screaming ‘motherfucking faggots! woo!’

When you get taller than most of the people giving out the candy. I was flat out denied at 13 a few times, so that’s when I stopped.

Not until you’re old enough to trade in trick-or-treating for a party that has booze. So in the US, 21. Otherwise is just hatin’ on teens.

Anything past thirteen is when it starts to get questionable, I think, but I think eighteen should be the cut-off. I’m seventeen, and still going at it, but I think this may well have been my last year. Damn, we had a good run though!

according to the law (here) 12 is the last year you can go.

Never heard of it being enforced though.

I’d say about 18. I think the idea of a fully grown adult going house to house for candies is quite frankly, kind of ridiculous. Leave it for the little kiddies.

Usually somewhere between 14–16, I think. I know that around 12ish I started to feel really dorky about it. I just didn’t want to go anymore, but I still went with my sisters and supervised without asking for candy.
When I’m passing out candy, I don’t really care how old they are…. as long as they are in costume. I’m a little less thrilled with older trick-or-treaters that show up at my door, and they are obviously in their teens, and they are wearing regular every day clothes and a mask. Those are the same ones that barely mutter “thanks,” if they even say so at all. I’m not a big fan of that. If you still want to trick or treat at 16 years old, you better at least be enthusiastic about it.. or I don’t want to share my candy with you. lol.

@DrBill, you live where there’s a law about who can put on a costume and visit neighbors on the last evening of October? Where is that?

@Jeruba Eurasia, of course.

How friggin hard is it nowadays to get your hands on some candy? If you can walk to the store and pay retail for it then you’re good. Little kids can’t walk by themselves or drive yet, so they get to dress up and mooch. It’s cute, with them. With teens?- not so much.

I think most kids realize they’ve outgrown it around freshman year in high school. Parties take the place of trick or treating.

I went up until I was about 14. It’s not about the candy… it’s about the fun.

Several older “kids” knocked on our door last night, must have been around 16/17yrs old.
They weren’t even dressed appropriately for the occasion, basically acted like oppurtunistic beggars who put no effort into it at all. They were too old in my opinion & certainly didn’t “earn” a bloody penny. They left empty handed with a flea in their ear.

I don’t think you’re ever too old if your still willing to dress up.

Dress up and have fun as long as you can. Clearly there’s a need for enthusiastic, polite teenagers to be seen in public on Halloween.

My oldest is 12 and she would have been so upset if we’d told her she was “too old” to go trick or treating with her brothers last night. Two of her friends came with us, and they were great to have along. I don’t really see what the big deal is. I say ignore the party poopers!

When I was in college, one of the service projects my sorority did every year was to go trick or treating for canned goods on Halloween. We dressed up, went in groups to different neighborhoods, and collected massive amounts of food for the local food bank. We had an absolutely fantastic time every year. Many people insisted we also take some candy! You could consider doing something like this on Halloween in the future. No one will give you a hard time, and they’ll be so impressed they’ll still happily give you candy. And, your local food bank or community dining room will truly appreciate it!

@augustlan I never found trick or treating to be much fun, but Iliked the candy.

[mod says] This is our Question of the Day!

When you require a walker.

@JLeslie When you walk around with a big group of friends, it’s pretty fun!

What do you think? I didn’t have friends?

@JLeslie Well some people just go with their family or take their little siblings around, which is probably less fun!

@mangeons Oh, I see. Well, my sister was never a burden or a chore, she was with me, but we liked playing together. Sometimes just us going around to the neighbors, or sometimes we were in a big group. My neighborhood when I was little had tons of kids out trick or treating on halloween.

I think it’s fine for those under 18…just don’t be rude, dress up..have fun.

I also think people judge too much when it comes to this. My youngest is 20 months, obviously you’d think he has no clue what is going on…but he saw his big brother (4) saying trick or treat and getting candy, so he began doing it as well. And he is a tiny thing so it looked hysterical, but he was so cute doing it. I was worried the entire time what people thought about me letting a toddler trick or treat, which I hate that I felt that way and didn’t fully enjoy it.

@casheroo What is wrong with a toddler trick or treating? I would not even know people would think that is bad.

I think my older daughter has had her last trick-or-treat. She is very tall and has just turned 13 and she went around with her younger sister and some friends. She came home and told me that twice the person at the door went “One for you and you and one for the mommy.” Speaking of my daughter. She really didn’t like being called a mommy.

My daughter is 15 and she didn’t go this year. In the past I thought being thirty or forty or fifty was too old, but in my neighborhood the people trick or treat both for their babies in arms and for themselves. I’ve given up on being annoyed by it.

When people start putting zit cream in your bag, instead of candy.

LOL, @Symbeline your answer made me do a double take. I read it. Then scrolled away for a second, then I came back and read it again and cracked up.

Too old is when you question yourself and start to hide, not wanting your friends to see you. Too old is when you feel too old. Trick-or-treating is a time to have fun for everyone. Even 70-year-olds. Do what makes you happy. Trick or treat as along as you want. Everyone grows at different paces.