Halloween entails various renowned seasonal activities,
like scary stories, pumpkin carving, and costume parties. However,
the most memorable is trick-or-treating. As we get older, we start to
ask ourselves: how many of us still do it?
When kids go into high school, many realize that they
don’t have as much fun doing childhood activities like trick-or-treat-
ing. Although, when they get closer to adulthood, some want to relive
those experiences, so they can hold on to those last moments of youth.
A poll regarding the age limit for trick-or-treating was sent out to WFS high school
students, of whom 90 responded. The two most popular answers were “ages 13-15,” with 24.4% votes,
and “no limit,” with 32.2%.
The majority of juniors and seniors voted for the “no limit” option, whereas the majority
of freshmen voted for “ages 16-17”, and the majority of sophomores voted for “ages 13-15”. When
asked about these statistics, Ryan Hill, a member of the senior class, said, “We may be 17 or 18 years
old, but we still have fun!”
As kids grow up, many trickle out of the trick-or-treating tradition. They start to discover
new festive activities they like to do instead. When asked about her views on the subject, Ellie Ro-
mano ‘28 said, “I find it more fun just hanging out with my
friends and passing out candy instead of actually trick-or-
treating.”
Some also begin feeling childish. Lucy White ‘27, who
believes that kids should stop trick-or-treating around ages
13-14, said, “I feel like I got too old.” Although she went
trick-or-treating last year, this year she plans to just spend
time with friends.
Nevertheless, there are always those who will be avid
trick-or-treaters for as long as they can. When asked about
her favorite part of Halloween, Layli Katirai ‘26 said, “Get-
ting candy! I always trick-or-treat for at least an hour.” She
strives to collect as much candy as possible so that it lasts for
months on end.
Additionally, many people view trick-or-treating as a per-
fect opportunity to bond with friends. Kellen Ryan ‘26 said,
“I’ve always gone to my cousin’s neighborhood for trick-or-
treating, and it’s really nice to spend time with him.”
People enjoy Halloween in different ways. Based on the results, however, younger high
school students show more embarrassment and disinterest towards trick-or-treating, and older ones
are more enthusiastic about holding onto those childhood traditions. Strictly speaking, while some
communities may have age limits for trick-or-treating, the state of Delaware does not. So it’s up to
you!
