Halloween: haunted spots, carved pumpkins, and… trick-or-treating. The act of dressing up and parading around for candy has been celebrated in America for years. The topic of when people are too old to engage in this activity has been an argument between all age groups for as long as anyone can remember. Some people say that once students get into high school, they should be going to parties instead. However, people should not have to stop trick-or-treating because of their age, as this practice can be enjoyable for anyone.

   Saying that freshmen, who are mostly 14 and 15 years old, should start going to parties instead of trick-or-treating is setting a movie-like expectation. Many high school parties are full of activities that high schoolers romanticize and are not in their best interest. These kids, who most likely are not even allowed to go out to a party yet, may just end up sitting at home on a holiday that they have looked forward to every year. This expectation can ruin a person’s holiday.

   Sophomore Nicole Castro agrees. She said, “Teens should not be limited on whether or not they can go trick-or-treating. They should be allowed to go have fun all they want on Halloween without feeling too old.” But some people think differently on the matter, and some states even regulate trick or treaters.

   A parent advice forum warned, “Chesapeake, Virginia limits trick-or-treating to kids 14 and under, and older trick-or-treaters can actually be charged with a Class 4 misdemeanor.” Teens, essentially kids, are getting charged for just having fun on a holiday. Why scare them with futile laws? The forum also said, “Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Norfolk, and more prohibit trick-or-treating after age 12” (parents.com). These kids are only in the seventh grade, not even high schoolers, and they only want to go out with friends and have fun.

   According to Good Housekeeping, “Treetopia, a Christmas tree company, surveyed 700 respondents in 2019 and found that one in four Americans think you’re never too old to go trick-or-treating on Halloween” (goodhousekeeping.com). This can be a great activity for anyone to enjoy, so why limit the fun to a certain age?

   Some believe that when kids get to their teenage years, they develop untrustworthy habits, which could have a bad influence on younger children, meaning they shouldn’t be out mingling with the kids. Yet this doesn’t have to do with the age of the person, but with how they are raised. Whether it be a six or sixty year old on Halloween, they all want the same thing, to get free candy and have fun.

   Halloween is many people’s favorite holiday, including a plethora of teens. It’s a night for all to express themselves, dress up, and embody a new persona. They should also be allowed to trick-or-treat. Telling teens they can not go trick-or-treating takes away all the fun. It really just makes the teenagers feel left out.