Every year, Halloween arrives, celebrated by both children and adults. They wear costumes, go to parties, and most important of all they go trick or treating. However, as these kids grow up a question is asked. How old is too old to trick or treat? Is there even an age for that? My answer is that there is no one specific age for someone to stop trick or treating, though it’s not often you see a 30 year old come up to your door asking for candy. I think people just grow out of it at some point, relatively around highschool.
When getting input from others on their opinion on the topic I was met with the question of “well, would you find it weird if a 40 year old man came up to your house trick or treating?” and at first I said yes. However, as I thought about it more, it honestly became less and less of a weird thing to do. As long as they’re being respectful and kind I really don’t see a problem with it. I personally wouldn’t deny candy from anyone who came up to my door as long as they were wearing a costume. Halloween is meant to be enjoyed by all age groups and if that means trick or treating until you’re middle aged, then I say go do it. It’s a lot more strange to police someone’s fun than to be the one who might be a little “too old to trick or treat”.
Thinking rationally though, it’s very unlikely a grown adult man comes up to your house trick or treating. The question of when to stop trick or treating is centered mostly around high schoolers. Teens are at a critical crossroads—caught between wanting to hold onto the fun of childhood and navigating the expectations of adulthood. They can feel expected to not trick or treat, even if they really want to. The idea of there being an age to stop trick or treating just reinforces those limits they put on themselves.
Ultimately, whether you’re young or young at heart, Halloween should be about enjoyment. So keep the candy flowing and the costumes coming, regardless of age. After all, the spirit of Halloween is all about having fun and embracing a little whimsy —something that should be available to everyone. We shouldn’t put pressure on people to conform to arbitrary age limits when it comes to celebrating this festive tradition. Instead, let’s celebrate creativity and joy in all forms. Every knock on the door —whether from little kids or adults — should be met with support and love. So if you see someone of any age embracing the holiday with a costume and a smile, let’s cheer them on instead of raising eyebrows.
