"Too Old"? Never

By Brandon Cortes

Should Teenagers Trick-or-Treat? Experts Say No

By Jeffrey Hernandez

Halloween is around the corner, and many are getting ready to dress up and trick or treat. This tradition has been commonly accepted in the United States since the 1920s but originated around 2000 years ago. People buy or make costumes and go from house to house asking for candy. Many people believe that trick or treating is an activity limited to children but does the idea of the appropriate age to trick or treat come down to a judgment call? High Schoolers are not adults, so it would be wrong to shame them for innocently wanting to trick or treat. By the time someone starts high school, they are around the ages of 13-14 and they end around the ages of 17-18. Although high schoolers are maturing into young adults they still have the mindset of a child and haven’t experienced the real world, so they should be able to have fun and enjoy their remaining years.

A current Neuwirth scholar, who would like to stay anonymous to avoid hate comments, said, “ Yes, I am currently a 12th grader in high school. I do actually plan on trick or treating this year because my friends want to and I feel like it's good fun for the last year of high school.” High schoolers like any other kid are just trying to have fun and enjoy time with their friends so discouraging them from doing fun activities like trick or treating could force them to grow up too fast. High schoolers should be allowed to enjoy their remaining years before they have greater adult responsibilities. Even adults sometimes want to relive their childhood by watching Tom and Jerry, playing Mario games, or even eating childhood snacks like fruit roll-ups. Recalling pleasant moments from their childhood, which has no age limit, brings joy and comfort to their life.

Let's all take a second and be honest that growing up (although everyone does it) is a bit scary, so why rush it? Everyone has a childlike side to them, so impeding on a teenager's attempt to enjoy a night out and have some youthful fun under the pretense that they are “too old” would be the equivalent of banning adults from ever watching a cartoon again because they would also be considered “too old.”

Read the questionnaire below and evaluate yourself based on your responses.

• Have you ever trick-or-treated while in highschool?

• How much candy did you get from it? (Including other group members if any)

• Did you feel cool, stealing candy that could’ve been for kids?

• Were you aware that you are in highschool and are at a point of your life where you’re maturing? So then, why did you continue to do activities meant for children?

• Could you and your band of thieves have found something else to do that day that wouldn’t have taken joy away from children?

• If it’s for the candy, couldn’t you have gotten candy some other way that wouldn’t have intruded on children trying to get candy?

If you answered yes to any of thoese questions, you are a horrible person. I can not believe that people like you exist. Why would you continue to trick-or-treat when you know in your heart that it is for the kids? In Psalm 127:3 it states “Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.” God himself says that children are a gift, and for you to potentially ruin a day for them, is the act of the devil. When people call Halloween the devil’s holiday, they are talking about YOU.

Since the 1920’s, trick or treating has been around, it’s a fun activity that allows for children to go get copious amounts of candy for free going door to door as well as a time for kids to dress up and have fun. For a high schooler - who is basically a grown adult - to go out and steal candy for themselves and their friends, would be the equivalent to them sapping away the happiness from younger, REAL, kids. They are like the Krampus of Halloween.Taking away what’s meant for the kids.

After reading this, you ought to have some self reflection. Take a good look in the mirror and see the monster that you are. This Halloween, don’t go trick-or-treating. Don’t go ruining a child’s fun. The bowl with candy outside, it isn’t for you, don’t put your grubby little hands on it. You need to grow up and find a job instead of stealing candy from children.