How old is too old for trick or treating?

[Clairenlea]

If there is a ‘too old’. Just your opinion please.

A couple of petite 15 year old girls in cute witch outfits who have obviously spent time doing their make-up aren't threatening.

Oh fuck. I was a fat kid and not petite. Would I not have been allowed to knock at yours 😂

We have a street what’s app group and anyone who is happy to be trick or treated leaves their house number in the list. The local kids know which houses will welcome them, the adults do t mind and the kids come home with a very efficient sweetie stash! So I don’t think those neighbours really mind what age they are as they’re up for it!

I agree with the secondary school age unless with a younger sibling really, about 12. DD is 13 this year and she feels she's too old unless she's with her sister. She wouldn't have gone without her last year either.

Around here we also stick to the rule of no Halloween decorations, you don't knock.

Secondary school.

Not beyond primary school here. Our area is very popular for trick or treaters but most of the kids are young and many have parents out with them. Nobody knocks on any doors that aren’t decorated (it’s very obvious which families are participating in Halloween) so nobody gets pestered like some people are suggesting.

17. Omg. Imagine someone old enough to be married and driving a car trick or treating?!!

Probably until the age of 12 or 13. Any age after that is too old unless with younger siblings as others have suggested. There’s a lot of Halloween haters on this thread but you don’t have to participate. You could just put a sign on your door saying “sorry, no trick or treating” and people will just leave you alone. Let others have fun the kids have fun and don’t be so miserable.

I think once you're old enough to be out without an adult, you're too old. Older children and teenagers could very very intimidating for some residents.

Our village gets into the spirit every year and there's a kind of Halloween trail and costume competition to raise money for charity. The rule is that you only knock on doors where there are decorations and leave everyone else in peace.

I’d say not beyond about 12-ish / start of secondary school tbh. I’m not a massive fan of trick or treat anyway, but it really should be for very young kids only IMO.

Random people don't owe your children sweets. Can't believe you think they need to apologise for not subsidising another adult's children in their sweet treats. Entitled.

I absolutely would not allow my 14yo to go trick or treating. It's for primary school kids, not teens.

To anyone saying secondary because teens are too old, you do realise that Year 7s and most Year 8s at this time of year are not teens?

Lots of people actually enjoy participating. Everyone knows that the general rule is if the house isn't decorated then you don't knock, so nobody is forced into it. People who decorate their houses want to join in!

No older than year 6. It's not much of a tradition, more an American import and opportunity for shops to sell junk and sweets. I don't like the kids calling to be honest, you don't know who's going to be there when you open the door.

Some people DO enjoy it though. Lots of people decorate their houses and join in.

We live on one of those roads where you see parents arriving in their cars, frantically dumping them on the kerbside and emptying out about 3 families to knock on all the doors.

We on the other hand have adult kids, a very reactive dog and for the first 3 years when we lived here families rang our doorbell from about 6pm to 10pm.

I laugh now because DH turns all the lights off on halloween and we sit upstairs so they can't hear the noise of our telly from the street.

I think it's cute for toddlers and the school friends of toddlers but seriously, when your kids hit the age where they're out without parental supervision and still think it's ok to knock on a strangers door in the dark at 9pm they should sod off to the shops and buy their own sweets

About 13 or 14 depends, I remember opening the door to some six foot characters at the door and they wanted sweets. Was a bit weird. They took off their masks and I saw the children's faces.

We always had a party for our kids and friends so decorated the house. After one of these parties, we noticed that some arsehole had sprayed lots of fake blood and some blue substance?? over our garages. We don’t really get trick or treaters but presumably someone did come and we must not have heard due to noise of our party so they decided to mess up our garage doors. After that we only decorated inside and the back area of our house. Is it the norm to ‘trick’ anyone thats decorated and doesn’t answer?

I hate it too and I'm trying to persuade my 13 year old that it's better for the younger children who dress up. Teenagers in groups scare the younger ones I think.

I'd say 13/14 too.
I don't enjoy it when the older ones come in huge groups. Some are polite, but they always tends to be the ones who grab handfuls/don't say thanks and come back multiple times..
Trick or treating is for little kids really imo.

Some miserable sour people on this thread.
just can’t stand kids having a bit of fun. As long as the rule of no decorations visible/lights, then don’t knock.
if this rule is followed then it’s only the houses who want to participate are knocked on. So many people so quick to whinge and put down children having some fun. Especially when they have missed out on so much after covid.

anyway they original question, I think they should be younger that 14 really. But if they are well behaved and not in a huge crowd, I wouldn’t care if a bit older.

I think as long as they are dressed up and polite it doesn’t matter how old , not that it affects me as everyone round here seems to stick to the no decorations / no knocking rule and we don’t partake .

I don’t mind, if they are polite and make the effort to still take part in a bit of innocent fun I’ll gladly include them.

I was tall for my age and people always thought I was too old for childish things. As long as they're polite to people I really don't care how old they are.
We saw a group of elderly ladies from the community group do it one year when I was little 🎃