At some point, kids have to give up their favorite Halloween tradition of trick-or-treating. But what is the right time to make that transition?
Trick-or-treating was brought over to the United States by Irish and Scottish immigrants. It started with a tradition called “souling”, where poor people would perform at the wealthy’s homes in exchange for food. It eventually evolved into focusing on children in costumes receiving candy. (irishmyths.com)
What is worse than a toddler on a sugar high? Teenagers with attitude problems are on a sugar high. By the time a kid reaches 16 years old, it is time to hang up the goodie bag and find a new tradition.
It sounds appealing to throw on a costume and earn free candy, but people will judge the older kids for it. With all the younger kids running around, anyone over 16 years old looks ridiculous. It is like kids of this age believing in Santa.
It also raises safety concerns. With everyone moving so quickly due to the excitement, it is easy for little feet to get stepped on. Either a younger or older kid not paying attention could easily result in injuries and a ruined night.
There is only so much candy to go around on the night of Halloween. Once a kid is old enough to drive to the store and buy their own, they should give up walking around and asking for it.
