For some strange reason, Americans have developed a custom of going door to door by foot in silly costumes and asking strangers for candy every Halloween. This may seem strange if you have never gone trick-or-treating, but it is a tradition that creates cherished childhood memories that suddenly end the moment you become a teenager. Nobody says why, but once you are a teenager, you are considered “too old” to trick-or-treat.
According to a poll conducted on The Echo, today, 56% of THS students do not trick-or-treat anymore. They are missing out on all the fun of Halloween, especially seniors. Going trick-or-treating is an important tradition and should be celebrated to the fullest in our teenage years. For seniors, this is their last year of being a teen and being able to go trick-or-treating. Soon, they will be adults giving out candy instead of receiving them. As for the rest of high school students who don’t trick-or-treat, they are simply missing out. Besides, there is no age boundary as to how old you have to be to enjoy this fun tradition.
But trick-or-treating is not just all fun and sweets. In fact, Evolve explains that there’s “a long history of teens getting into trouble on Halloween.” Vice Magazine also states that “statistically speaking, minors, including teens, are in almost twice as much danger of dying on Halloween as they are on any other night.” Moreover, according to a survey by Safe Kids Worldwide, 31 percent of parents understandably fear “pedestrian injury.”
Others might argue that trick-or-treating is immature and odd for teenagers to participate in—that they are too old to fit within the theme of Halloween. The Oracle explains “the pressure that high schoolers put on themselves to grow up fast. In high school, you finally have more freedom and responsibility, and with that comes the urge to start acting like an adult. One way that people do this is by letting go of childhood traditions such as trick-or-treating.”
But teenagers need trick-or-treating, not only because of sentiment but because of safety. “Trick-or-treating for a teenager is good because teens are given the ability to relive what they always did as younger children…it keeps them out of trouble and helps them grow bonds with siblings, friends, and their parents,” The Patriot reported.
In fact, according to UConn KIDS, “Halloween helps to nurture important social skills and allows parents the opportunity to be creative with their children” and has benefits for all ages. In other words, trick-or-treating will help develop social and interactive encounters with others while providing young people a good time with friends or family.
Thus, the notion that teenagers should not trick-or-treat is completely false, as it remains a wonderful event for all ages. Instead, a teenager’s right to trick-or-treat should be accepted as a norm in today’s society. After all, no one is too old for some candy and entertainment.
