How old is TOO old to go trick-or-treating?

[stubbornhubby]

that's it really, how old is too old?

I am American and we grew up with 12 as the cut-off, too. American kids age 13+ wouldn't be caught dead T-or-Ting. It's a little kids' event.

That said, I've noticed that around here it's a big thing for early teens . As long as they only attend houses with decorations I don't think it's a problem for anyone.

i am American too and my last time out was around 15! we were ironic though. (and hungry)

If proper guising is begging or demanding with menace then so is carol singing, and anyone who really thinks that about carol singing is a humbug.

Anti social behaviour is just plain wrong and nothing to with Halloween.

I always buy sweets but its years since anyone called-I think they are too old after 11/12 unless accompanying younger sibs.

12 okay, 13 getting too old. I'm Canadian and once you were in your teeens it just wasn't cool anymore. At 12/13 you should be able to judge which houses to go to and which ones to avoid.

We don't put out a pumpkin, no-one calls. Job done.

I'd be up for a halloween party though - if something is organised, then it is a village event, but a few slightly dishevelled looking teens in bin bags doesn't do it for me.

I have never, ever, put a pumpkin out and we get calls all night long!

You see the trick is to scare them back, ie dress up in an outfit, and act weird, it does not take long until word gets around, then you should have a peaceful night, alternatively, turn all your lights off and take your ipad into the loft!
Tracey
www.tracey-confessionsofamother.blogspot.com

The best bit is dressing up yourself and answering the door. My dad used to don a really nifty vampire outfit and big fangs.
The kids would screech so...

A few years ago we lived on a small housing estate. We would turn all the lights out and just have candles lit in pumpkins. Dh used to race home from work to change into his costume-usually a butlers outfit with talc in his hair and he'd put on a lisping voice and cackle a lot. I had to prepare bowls of spaghetti and peeled grapes. He would then offer the kids a treat from a bowl of cold worms or eyeballs.
We've now moved into the town centre and don't get anyone round. I miss it

I can understand why people are not keen on it if they expreinced vandalism masquerading as trick or treating.

Maybe the fact that I have never seen or experienced anything like that is becasue in Scotland, we have a long tradition of doing this.

In terms of age, I suspect that ds wil think that he is too old when he goes to secondary, ie when he is 12 (he's 10 now, in P6). But you never know: he surprises me with his continued innocence and joy in life (still has his gang of teddies, apparently believes in the tooth fairy and Father Christmas): long may it continue! He's wanting to go out on his own on Sunday: we may let him go to a couple of the friednly neighbours houses on his own but insist on at least following him if he goes further afield.

I dress up and take the kids trick or treating.
It's well known where we live that unless someone displays a pumpkin, do not knock on the door.
My 15 year old dresses up but merely for the amusement of sitting in the garden and scaring people walking in the gate, he wouldmn't dream of knocking on doors in his words "i'm not knocking on people's doors looking a twat"

I don't understand the anti-American thing either. Since moving down south I have noticed a lot of english people have a strong hate for the Americans.

I won't be doing anything on Halloween as I hate it. I just don't answer the door.

Giddy pickles-you are frrightened by anyone taller than you.Jeez.And frightened by gory costumes??Don't send your kids to the door then at 10 or 11 oclock, or just don't answer it

We turn on the porch light when we are happy to have TnTers, once we have run out of sweets we turn it off and we are never bothered.

This year we have bought DS (2.10) a little costume and he is going to greet them at the door :)

I don't mind teenagers coming to the door as long as they have made an effort to dress up properly, and not as someone mentioned in jeans and scream masks!

There are a lot of miserable people on here!

My dad is 77, and loves it. He and my mum decorate the porch (round here, people only knock at houses with decorations) and buy loads of goodies to hand out.

My dc's sit by the front door at our house waiting for the doorbell to ring, and absolutely love handing out sweets. they get dressed up, and we really go to town on the front of the house. Last year we were having the driveway re-done, so had a huge mound of earth. We added a polystyrene headstone, loads of pumpkins, and a fake hand sticking up from the ground. Kids loved it!

I don't get the anti-american thing either. Can someone explain what is so wrong with the USA?

Dad scared the bejeezuz out of me when he took a funny turn. He had a mask on and everything.

Ha Ha stewiegriffinsmom!! Love what you wrote!! We have spooky music on the computer as I type with lots of decorations on the porch...

And we are looking forward to Sunday:-)

DS (17) is of the opinion that when you're taller than the people you're hitting up for sweets, it's time to hang up the pillowcase and buy your own stash.

I am more than a bit [hhmm] at the people who think teenagers are the next best thing to axe murderers. You'll like them better when you have some of your own.

"Great big, hulking' ??? They knock furiously because they're in a hurry. All they want is sweets. You don't need to lock up your daughters...

Hallowe'en isn't even a purely US thing either. It was always a big thing in Ireland and in most countries with a generally Catholic or agrarian culture as it is a mixture of death remembrances from both Christian and pagan points of view. Growing up in Ireland we had costumes, masks, traipsing around for apples and nuts (times have changed obv) and a big neighbourhood bonfire at the end of the night consisting of all sorts of scrap wood and brush from people's gardens that the children spent a few weeks collecting, piling up and then guarding from the kids from other neighbourhoods.

As for vandalism and mischief, that was always a part of the whole Hallowe'en tradition, even in simpler times. Mischief Night - Devil's Night - Samhain and this is from Wikipedia, [hblush] -- a little dry.

I have a 12 (nearly 13 year old).
to be honest when he was very little no-one seemed to do t and T.
He loves it, has been planning his costume for weeks and is very excited.
H goes out from aroun 6-7pm and happily dispenses sweets to the little kids before then.
Some of you will realise when your ickle bitty babies are older than 13+ does not neccessarily = The Devil Incarnate.

I think 11/12 is still OK but older than that - no! And to be honest I still find it quite surprising when 'high schoolers' arrive at my door for some penny sweets - unless they are in a mixed age group with younger children.