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Is It OK to Tell a Teenager They Are Too Old to Trick-Or-Treat?

When it comes to trick-or-treating, I’m already of the opinion that the more, the merrier. It’s a day for free candy, and anyone who shows up at my door, says “trick-or-treat” and holds out a bucket or a bag is someone who’s not out getting into some kind of trouble.

I honestly don’t care who gets my candy. Take it. Have a great night.

Some people are of the opposite opinion, reserving the holiday in their minds and hearts for the littlest, most adorable children on the block.

If you tell a teenager that they’re "too old to trick or treat" you’re an asshole from unpopularopinion

In this Unpopular Opinion post, the person is more of my mind, and these 16 others are agreeing…or not.

16. Candy for everyone!

I personally have never met anyone who wouldn’t give teens candy.

Hell I give candy to the kids, the parents, the awkward older brother who was sent to take his sister out.

15. Way to ruin a kid’s night.

When i was 8 and trick or treating with kids very slightly younger than me an old lady was incredibly rude to me and told me i was too old for trick or treating.

Then she was so sweet to the other kids, giving them compliments and extra candy.

14. Some kids are tall.

In my neighborhood I had a guy say I was too old and when I told him I was 11 he snorted and loudly said “my ass!” in front of a bunch of kids, some quite young.

I really was 11, wearing an elaborate costume, and right next to me was my 3 year older sister getting candy without comment – but she was like 5 feet tall and I was 5’7″ already

13. This honestly just broke my heart.

When I was about 9, I went trick-or-treating with my mom and my brother who was 13 at the time.

We came across this old lady’s house and at the door, she gave me candy but when my brother said “trick-or-treat”, she told him he was too old to be going around. He dressed up and was so excited to be going around with me. I saw his face drop at that and we just left the house. I gave him some of my candy but after that year, he stopped going with me. And once I was 11, I stopped going too because it traumatized me. Made me think some old lady would say the same thing to me. I haven’t gone in 7 years even though I want to every year.

Point being, don’t tell kids they’re too old. They’re in the spirit and that’s all that matters. The reason teens stop dressing up, get excited, and go out is because of old ladies like the one in my story.

12. Because dressing up is fun.

I went til I was like 18 then again at 20. And I was only asked once by a lady when I was 16. I was like IM THIRTEEN and she apologized so fast.

I was with my friend who was that age and said I would fit in with that age group no problem aha

But I always dress up. It’s my favourite part

11. Some people get it right.

The same thing happened with me when I was 11. The kicker for it was — I had just moved to Canada that year and it was my first real Halloween.

The country I was born in didn’t really celebrate Halloween. So I was extremely excited, and when an old lady asked if we were too old to be trick-or-treating, I was confused.. and extremely upset after. Luckily, I moved after that.

When I got to high school, my group of friends didn’t care about people thinking they were too old for stuff. So we trick-or-treated well into high school.

We went around a neighborhood that one of my closest friends grew up in and they loved that we still got excited and dressed up during Halloween.

10. What is the matter with people?

I remember I used to go to this middle class, predominately white neighborhood for trick or treating, because I lived in a neighborhood where it was multi story apartment buildings that made it hard to trick or treat.

When I was as young as 13, I was getting nasty looks from the older people that lived there, and one lady even told me I was too old to be trick or treating and I should “focus on school more, since I’d need it.”

It really, really sticks out to me even now, because it sowed so much doubt into what I was doing with myself at 13 god*amn years old. I became extremely self conscious of what I did, what I wore, and who I talked to. I didn’t want to be one of “those” kids, if you know what I mean.

9. Words matter.

When I was 10, and older man, probably in his 50’s, rudely denied me candy, stating “oh hell no, what are you 17?”.

I was very tall for my age (female), but looked every bit of ten years old in the face. He told me to get off of his porch and go home.

I was so upset, tears were shed. It ruined my night, and 30 years later, I still think about it. Because of that a$shole, every year I give out candy to anyone who comes to my door. I don’t care if they are 19 and not wearing a costume.

8. People never forget it.

I went (dressed up) with some friends at 16 and I was told 3 times that I, and friends, were too old to trick or treat.

Didn’t go after that and still bothers me.

7. Exactly!

The not wearing a costume is key here – a lot of kids can’t afford a costume or you can tell they tried to throw something together.

They’re trying to hold onto some part of their youth and innocence- free candy!

“Tried to throw something together,” is wearing a costume. Saying, “I’m a homicidal maniac.

We look just like everybody else,” is a costume.

Any effort is sufficient effort as far as I’m concerned.

6. I have rage.

I have.

My little brother and his friend was 13, and they got denied.

The homeowners critiqued them, “you’re too old for this! Darrell come look!”

And refused to believe he was 13.

5. Why kill fun?

Same thing happened to me and I stopped going after that.

I loved costumes and getting dressed up was a highlight of my year.

It kind of soured the holiday for me.

4. Because candy.

Best part of Halloween is the joy on a face as they get free candy, regardless of age. One year I had a total of 5 trick-or-treaters, three of which were high schoolers from across the street.

They came around 9:30pm and they were the first ones I got and I didn’t see any others on the street so they hit the motherlode when I proceeded to open up a box of full size candy bars in each bag.

Little did I know I would get two more kids later that night so those kids each got 5 bucks.

3. It’s not a bad thing.

Why should teenager’s not Trick or Treat? I’ve never understood this?? My oldest is 14 and I had to beg him to go with us this year, we all painted our faces and the babies dressed up.

It wouldn’t have been as much fun if he didn’t go. I don’t get why people think this is such a bad thing. Better than kids tp’ing and egging, which is also harmless fun lol.

2. Bless them.

Last year, our town unexpectedly announced that trick-or-treating was only for ages 13 and under.

So many moms flipped the f*ck out on social media and started a chain to list addresses where teens were welcome to stop by for candy.

This year they announced trick-or-treating was “for everyone.”

1. Lots of people do get it right.

Maybe i’m just an overprotective mama bear but my son is 7, so this hits home..i would’ve asked my kid “show mommy where the bi*ch lives” and egged her house and covered her lawn in wet tp and more egg yolk because you don’t get to be mean to kids trying to have fun and then blatantly show favoritism… if it ever comes to this, i’ll throw a few extra eggs and a roll for you pm-me-goat-pics!

thankfully though, we have this neighborhood on the outskirts of town that goes ALL OUT every halloween (and christmas too, they set everything up and there’s a fully packed christmas walk that occurs every year where some of the houses even pass out cocoa) they have the families sitting out in their driveways with friends and family with little fire pits and doing their own thing while passing out candy to everyone, kids are of ALL ages and one year and house was even giving the parents jell-o shots lmao…it’s an upper middle class neighborhood that goes the double extra mile for each holiday and i’m super grateful to have it in our town

Where do you come down on this topic?

We might as well keep the discussion going in the comments!