October is filled with spooky skeletons and cackling witches, and candy fills the shelves of stores. Everything becomes about Halloween. At this time of year, the same question begins to plague thousands of people: Am I too old to go trick-or-treating?

“Halloween is a fun event where people get to dress up and kind of be silly and just have some joy infused in their stressful lives,” Ashley McCoy, AHS physical education teacher and organizer of Trunk or Treat said.

Halloween is one of the most fun and most celebrated holidays in our culture, giving students something to look forward to as the months turn cold.

“I’ve always loved dressing up and having a day where you get to be someone else,” Mollie Jo Blahunka, AHS English teacher and drama director, said.

Halloween offers a time for everyone, from children to adults, to dress up and have fun. You can be anyone and do anything, no matter your age.

With millions of people celebrating every year, there are events and traditions for everyone. Nearly a quarter of households take children out trick-or-treating, with even more houses passing out candy, reports Statista in a 2024 study. But that’s not the only way to celebrate.

“People celebrate Halloween in different ways, from bonfires to Halloween-themed parties,” McCoy said.

Some other examples include Trunk or Treats, haunted houses, spooky holiday movies, and more. All of these offer frightful fun for the youth of our community.

“There’s also just like hanging out with your friends and watching a movie, or just getting candy for each other,” junior Emma Roberts said.

As with every holiday, Halloween is not just for the youth. Reportedly, many older students and even adults love to celebrate.

“My drama students definitely dress up for Halloween,” Blahunka said. “My English students, not as much.”

Haunted houses and parties are fun, popular celebrations, but there is one celebration that tops all. One tradition that so many of us look forward to all year.

“My favorite part about Halloween is dressing up and going trick or treating,” Elle Merill, a seventh grader at Parkview Middle School, said.

Millions of children go out each year with friends and family, moving down the dark streets in search of thrills and sugary treats. With jokes at the ready, these costumed kids confront homeowners at their doors.

“I dress up every year. I usually go as a theme with my family or my neighbors,” Merill said.

So when is the right age to stop trick-or-treating? When is it time to hang up the costume and start giving out the candy we once worked so hard to get?

“If they’re going to be appropriate and have great outfits that are appropriate for kids,” McCoy said. “I think you can trick or treat at any age.”

Some adults feel there is no age to end the fun of trick-or-treating. To them, trick-or-treating is not about limiting age to the youngest of us. It offers a fun and safe distraction, but high schoolers may have a different opinion.

“If I got to be over 18. I guess that’s probably too old,” Roberts said.

Among high school students, it seems to be a consensus that trick or treating ends by adulthood, but they still relish a night to hide their identities and go out for a night of fun.

“I’ll probably still dress up, but like, more of a low-key costume, and probably just hand out candy,” said Merill.

The time of trick or treating ends for some earlier than others, but the truth is, there is no age that is too old. It all depends on how you want to spend your holiday. Some would rather pass out the goods, while others wish to savor every night of trick or treating they can.

“Anyone that genuinely wants to be [trick-or-treating], I say, go for it,” Blahunka said.

The results are in, and it is clear: the older you get, the more acceptable trick-or-treating becomes. Sure, the younger trick-or-treaters will look ahead and think they will hang up the costumes in a few years, and for many, this is true. But as some of us age, that time to give it up gets pushed further and further back.

Trick-or-treating is a timeless activity that can be fun for all, as long as you are safe, responsible, and respectful. Maturity determines when one should end their trick-or-treating days, not age. So this year, when the lights come on and the candy comes out, put that costume on and have some fun. Even if you feel too old, you are not.