“Too Old for Candy?”: When Trick-or-Treating Loses Its Spook

Halloween is just around the corner. For many, the tradition of putting on your scariest or funniest costume and trick-or-treating for some free candy is the best part of the holiday. However, this starts a timeless debate: How old is too old for trick-or-treating? Sinclair students shared their thoughts and opinions on the stopping appropriate age.

Kyla Brown

Brown, a pre-nursing junior, thinks that anyone old enough to legally drink should not be allowed to trick or treat.

“Twenty-one is too old, there is something about that number and trick-or-treating that doesn’t seem right.”

She dropped out of the candy rounds in high school, partly because she had no one to go with other than her siblings, and her parents would end up throwing candy away the next day. But even with that cutoff, she is no candy gatekeeper.

“If a 25-year-old showed up by themselves, I don’t care enough to send them away without candy,” Brown said. Still, she draws that line when it comes to how costumes are chosen.

“Preserve this holiday for the younger people … some older people don’t have the common sense to pick a costume that’s cute but appropriate for mixed company,”

Austin Criswell

On the opposite end, Austin Criswell an applied psychology major, takes a more flexible route.

“You’re never too old long as you’re with a kid or young siblings,” Criswell said.

He stopped trick-or-treating a few years ago, but if someone over 20 showed up in costume alone or not, he would still dish out candy.

“If that person was alone and did not get candy, if I had some, I would give them a few pieces,” Criswell said.

For Austin, adults are welcomed in the Halloween fun, especially when they are part of a family unit.

Akosua Agyeiwaa Agyekum (AJ)

Agyekum is a nursing major who takes a middle ground. She sees 18 as a reasonable turning point.

“Past high school, Halloween becomes parties, events and volunteer roles,” Agyekum said.

She stopped trick-or-treating at around 15, citing changing peer habits and fewer companions. But Agyekum is not shy about sharing the candy love.

“If they’re dressed up and having fun, I’d give them candy. Halloween is about joy, creativity.”

She believes adults can join in, just preferably with younger trick-or-treaters or in a helping role.

Their answers reflect the wide spectrum of Halloween attitudes and align pretty closely to the general consensus. A recent poll by Fairleigh Dickinson University found that across demographics, the average suggested cutoff age is around 13 years old. Meanwhile, some surveys show that 16% of adults believe trick-or-treating should end at 17–18, while 19% say 15–16 is ideal.

Maliya Ayambire, staff writer

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