How old is too old for trick or treating?

[Clairenlea]

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

MidnightMeltdown, I have to disagree, where I live people decoarte their houses, my DD started at her friend's house for a little party prior to trick or treating, loads of families all go to the same primary school's separate infants and junior, a couple of streets away from where most people live, these are communities within a city where lives overlap loads at the park, at the school, street parties in the summer. Tbh it is really intense, most nearly all families want this life, that's why they live in these particular locations and they happen to own most of the homes in the vicinity- definitely not a vibe of we don't want to buy sweets for other people's kids!

We only knock houses where people are happy to do it, so how is it disturbing people and pestering them?

@SleepingStandingUp

Exactly, people are so dramatic. We once decorated my sisters house and nobody knocked. Gutted.

No one round here knocks houses that aren’t decorated.

If you can go out on your own without an adult, you're too old.

Trick or treating is hugely popular and good natured where I live. The expectation of only knocking on houses which are lit and decorated is pretty well respected.
We do get teens, usually in costume and having a laugh with friends.
I'd say 14/15 is the cut off though. You can get away with it older if you're accompanying littler children.
DD and her friends have loved doing it but think they have hit their limits now (15/16) so are having a party at someone's home instead. They are still going in costume 😄

My mum is Irish and I remember being sooooooooooooo embarrassed that my brother and I had to do a 'turn' and no one else did.

We don't get anyone much past y7/8 and the rule is very much that you only knock on decorated houses - with the pumpkins on, when they're out it's a no - kids in bed / run out of sweets or whatever.

What is really off is kids getting driven in from other areas because they think the 'treats' are better.

For most not all, the cost of living crisis is not a problem, they can afford sweets and if they can't or don't want to do it they will politely not bother those homes. A person in the area owns a huge old Victorian house, they decorate it really elaborately and you give a contribution to go around inside. The money he raises goes to a designated charity. The charity last year was a Cancer one.

We get a lot of guisers as we are on a family estate. All very polite, all have a joke or 'turn' to do. We did get some big groups of teens but they were still very polite and well mannered so no issue with that. I'm taking DD(3) out for the first time this year, just to the neighbours' houses.

And yes the rule is here that decorated and lit up house = guisers welcome. No decorations, leave alone.

Sorry that was related to my previous post so the cost of living crisis is not going to be a challenge for many in these pockets of areas well not enough to worry about buying sweets.

And it's all wrapped up by about 6/6.30 pm here.

But the people who's doors are knocked are LITERALLY asking for it

As a kid in the 90s we did it until we were about 15 but now I think once you start secondary school it’s time to stop

What is really off is kids getting driven in from other areas because they think the 'treats' are better.

That's awful

@Lilacsunflowers

I know some families who drive into more affluent areas for trick or treating because more houses are decorated and the atmosphere is more fun. Nothing to do with better treats.

This is so area dependent, where my Mum lives, it is rare to see anyone trick or treating due to the age of the average resident on the road. One year we tried but only 3 houses had a pumpkin and the rest had signs on their doors saying to not knock. It was a complete wash out but my Mum did put on a lovely party for my DC and they were only little so it was great fun in the house luckily! I can see if you live in an area like that you may think it is an imposition but it is the complete opposite in some areas.

12 or 13 at a push if with younger kids.

I don't really care what the reason are for driving to other areas to trick or treat.
It's a very cheeky thing to do.

I hate Halloween, but I have kids and feel I need to do it. The one thing I get out of it is seeing the kids I know have fun and laugh later with their parents at the crummy jokes. You don't get that with kids you don't know.

I know some families who drive into more affluent areas for trick or treating

Whether it's for the nicer decorations or more abundant sweets on offer, getting into a car and driving out of your community to another one completely defeat the purpose of trick or treating imo.

@Lilacsunflowers

I disagree. We have kids who travel to our area as their own area experiences quite a lot of anti social behaviour on Halloween night. I am not going to begrudge a child a sweet on that basis and I have the awareness to know that not all areas are the same. It’s not something I could get worked up over.

@Dinoteeth

Gosh how mean of you. I don’t mind what child knocks my door to be honest.

@Dalaidramailama good for you if you enjoy it.
I do it because I feel I have too. As soon as my youngest out grows it I won't be doing it.

Oh god. Why so miserable? It’s a bit of fun, kids dressing up that’s all.

Gosh how mean of you. I don’t mind what child knocks my door to be honest.

Is it really that mean to not want to hand out lots of sweets to car loads of children whom you don't even know?

I know sweets aren't that expensive but I know lots families struggling financially now.

It's understandable to want to support your community, but to go out and buy lots of treats for children being driven to the area just for the purpose of trick or treating (and getting free treats) is another matter imo.

If they are old enough to go alone that's too old. In our last house I got fed up with answering the door to secondary age children who only wanted money.

Wow I'm glad I'm Scottish and we like to keep some of our traditions. I'd say mid secondary so that's what 13/14 after that it was all about parties anyway. I've just moved onto a new street and I don't think any kids live on it so it will be interesting to see if we get anyone knocking. We do live in quite a through road so I imagine some will appear. And yes I will be asking for their "turn" if they're old enough. My wee sister and I used to spend ages practicing our jokes or nursery rhymes.