How old is too old for trick or treating?

[Clairenlea]

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

It’s amazing that every year there’s always at least one or two that rubbishes it as a tradition even though it’s been pointed out repeatedly that it was taken to America by the Scots and Irish and is a tradition in large parts of the UK.

Round here the teens are roped into helping and taking the younger kids round (so parents can stay home and give out sweets)

I don’t care how old. If someone’s willing to dress up they’re welcome to sweets.

I grew up in Scotland and loved guizing as a child! We used to spend weeks practicing what we’d do and making our costumes. We’d only go to people we knew but I like the ‘rule’ of having a pumpkin in the window if you’re happy to have callers. Hypocritically I’m lazy and buy the DC their costumes.

I couldn't care how old they are as long as they are dressed up and polite.

People are always right miseries about trick or treating on mn.

It is normal to have kids around 13-14 trick or treating in our village. I guess most are not wanting to go after that, it seems to fade off naturally.

Any age can trick or treat. Kids. Teens. Adults. Pensioners

A group of teens or adults could be quite intimidating, dressed up or not.

That's sad MrsSchadenfreude. Kids like that spoil it for the others. I told a group of children of about 12/13 off last year for knocking on undecorated houses.

Mine aren't really bothered about the sweets they just like seeing the decorations and being out in the dark.

Age 12ish was the last time I let mine go out.
After that, I couldn't always stop them, but I didn't want to get involved.
The get-out clause for older wannabe trick or treaters is to take a cute younger sibling / friend / neighbour.

That’s not Trick or Treating. That’s extortion.

I appreciate your mother and her neighbour may not have felt comfortable saying No but I would have called the police to report the junior criminals.

I maintain that Trick or Treating and Halloween are fun and enjoyable diversions. I am very sorry that some people are trying to take advantage of others and corrupting harmless fun.

Year 7 (age 11) is too old imo. If they are accompanying a younger child then fine but secondary school kids are too old.

I agree it's a terrible tradition!
But if we assume it's going to happen anyway, I'd say once the child doesn't require parental supervision to go, then they're too old. In the messed up world we live in where people get accused of all sorts, I don't open the door to any child that isn't accompanied by an adult!

I was going to say this. Where do you think America got a lot of their “traditions”!

DS did it up to 12, then Covid came but I think he would have stopped anyway.
The last time they did it, his pals came round and they had great fun getting dressed up in too small costumes. He was a bit grumpy and awkward at that age, so it was lovely to see him enjoying himself and they only knocked on doors with decorations.

I really think - as evidenced by this thread - it depends on the atmosphere/attitude where you live. Round here it's great fun and everyone follows the 'no pumpkin, no TorT' rule. Some houses and whole streets really go for it and everyone who's in the spirit is welcome.
My 14 year old will go out this year, as will many of his friends. I won't allow him out late at all (not least it's a school night) - probably expect him to go out about 6ish for an hour or so. If the atmosphere was a bit more 'edgy' or less of a community spirit that I probably wouldn't let my teen go out as I would not want them bothering or intimidating people.

I couldn't care less how old they are, as long as they are properly dressed up, polite and respectful and happy with sweets.
Last year we had a lad of about 15 dressed up in an inflatable dinosaur costume, all the kids loved it and would leave him alone. He was running around chasing them roaring, all having great fun. He came to our door with his mates and all were lovely. DS, just 3 at the time, still talks about him and wonders if he'll be back this year!

But you only knock on the doors of the houses that are decorated. Boost is being “pestered”.

We don’t have any neighbours so my plan is to always have a party when they’re small, with treats hidden around the place for them to find.

Because some people are so vehemently against it, I can’t bear the idea of excited and dressed up little children knocking on a door and getting a barrage of abuse from someone. I know there’s a way of suggesting you’re into it by having a pumpkin or even a sign in the window, but it’s still a risk. I was always happy to do it when I lived in the city but it really isn’t like America here, where everyone takes part, so I’d rather avoid the risk of an unpleasant situation and just have a nice party for them at home.

Nobody should be tick or treating unless they know the person whose door they are knocking on. Very intrusive and rude knocking on random doors asking for stuff. Most people don't want to be buying sweets for strangers kids. Especially not when there's a cost of living crisis.

Do you not have Halloween rules in your area?

Where I am there are very strict rules, no pumpkin/Halloween decs no knocking. There is a whole dedicated local page for the great (area) Halloween Hunt, set into zones for kids and families to follow to make things easier too.

It works really well. Even during Covid we didn't hand sweets out but to try and normalise life for younger ones we had a Halloween decorations hunt instead and no one knocked anywhere. It was a little bit of every day tradition in an otherwise weird scenario.

I think up to 15 is fine. I feel like we put so much pressure on kids to grow up but then don’t “let them” do these fun kid things.

If you are actually following the tradition it isn't pestering.
I actively buy sweets to hand out.
I expect and want children to visit so I can give them sweets.

They show me their costumes and in exchange I give them a small sweet.
Other people carry out this social exchange with my children.

I will decorate my house to indicate I am participating in this ritual. I do not expect to know the children, although I will know quite a few.

I have very fond memories of Halloween and my dc will too.

This.

They show me their costumes and in exchange I give them a small sweet.

Last year when we offered sweets, many children actually took a large handful each rather than just one...

They often come in big groups and so it's easier to hold out a bowl rather than hand them a seer individually.

I think it depends where you live. Around here in certain pockets of the city it is like the ET scene and there are masses of kids trick or treating in proper costumes and the adults answering the doors are often dressed up. However, it seems the little ones go out in the daylight so 4pm and then older kids up to teens are out about 6 -7, however most people have run out of sweets in these areas. We live in an area of the city where the big old houses are converted flats, lots of commuters as next to a station and not many families so my DC have almost had sweets thrown at them as neighbours without dc have bought sweets but nobody has trick or treated. The problem is though that the atmosphere is not very good. I would say up to 13ish but my DD is small so at 11 looks primary age still.

My DS and his friends are 15 and they all love Hallowe'en - like, seriously love it. They start talking about costumes in about July. They missed out on what would probably have been their last 'proper' Hallowe'en because of Covid. They dressed up last year but they realised for themselves that they were too old to be knocking on doors (although they are all very sweet nerdy kids with beautiful manners), so they went for a wander to see all the decorated houses and took sweets out with them, which they gave to younger kids they passed in the streets. This year they're just going to dress up and watch scary films at someone's house.

We trick or treat with the kids in a really affluent area and we only knock the houses that are decorated or have visible pumpkins outside. It’s a real thing around here with many houses really making an effort and having lots of fun. I will be taking my 13 year old along with his younger siblings but he is small and so would pass for aged 11. That’s his excuse anyway 😉.