Is 12 years old too old to be trick or treating?

[Carl62]

So what do ya think? Still o.k. at 12 or too old?

[Anddenex]

Yes, still ok. It is Ok when you are an adult too. Not sure why we put an age limit on it.

[Maureen]

Yes, 12 is still good.

M.

[MorningStar]

Should be fine. But I get annoyed at older kids who don't wear costumes. My friend said a teen put his cigarette out before coming to his door and he said, "If you can buy cigarettes, you can buy your own candy."

[Guest]

I have a 21 year old nephew who still puts on a costume and trick-or-treat with us.

[Backroads]

12 is good. I think each neighborhood and individual can judge for themselves. I myself went trick-or-treating for quite awhile.

[james12]

This question brings to mind one of my favorites, the classic Seinfeld routine:

Remember those last few Halloweens, getting a little

too old for it. Just kind of going through the motions.

"Bing Bong", "come on lady, let's go. Halloween,

doorbells, candy, let's pick up the pace in there".

They come at the door, they always ask you those same

stupid questions:

"What are you supposed to be ?"

"I'm supposed to be done by now, you wanna move it

along, the Three Musketeers... ? I got 18 houses on

this block alone. You just hit the bag, we hit the

road, that's the routine, let's just pick it up".

[pam]

When I was younger my parents put a restriction on it. Once we went into jr high we couldn't trick or treat. Well at least for me they did. I think the loosened up a bit as my siblings came along.

[Chrissy3818]

Yes!!!! I still want candy to and I hate it when they say "You're too old" Why do they make costumes for older people then?

[pam]

Yes!!!! I still want candy to and I hate it when they say "You're too old" Why do they make costumes for older people then?

Ummm because there are Halloween parties?

[Guest]

A lady in my ward makes the older kids sing her a song for candy. We don't get many ToT=ers on our street so I just give them candy.

[classylady]

Yes!!!! I still want candy to and I hate it when they say "You're too old" Why do they make costumes for older people then?

This is when you volunteer to take a younger child around trick or treating. If you stand there with the child, looking hopeful, they'll often give you something too!

[Janadele]

The whole practice is nonsense. It is my firm belief that the modern day celebrations of Halloween is evil and of Satan.

[Guest]

I hope my kids share some of their satanic chocolate with me.

[skippy740]

I call it the "parent tax".

"We brought you in this world, and therefore we are entitled to a portion of the bounty you've collected."

[dahlia]

We had our trunk or treat tonight at church. There were a few 12-13 year old kids. And more than a few parents taking their 'parent tax.' Out in the world, as long as the kids are in the spirit of Halloween, having fun and not menacing the little ones, then fine. Good grief. All of that stuff will be over with soon enough. If a 12 year old still has fun dressing up one night of the year, then let the kid go trick or treating.

[Guest]

The whole practice is nonsense. It is my firm belief that the modern day celebrations of Halloween is evil and of Satan.

How so? They don't give out candy in Australia?

[SpiritDragon]

I gave up trick or treating by choice when I was twelve years old because I thought I was too old. I ended up regretting giving it up so young, I think there is no good reason to stop trick or treating until you need to pull your weight on the other side handing candy out.

[pam]

Let's keep this thread on topic. Carl asked if 12 years old was too old. This isn't a thread to debate whether Halloween is evil and satanic.

[Vort]

It's evil and Satanic for a 12-year-old to go trick-or-treating.

[pam]

It's evil and Satanic for a 12-year-old to go trick-or-treating.

You are just itching to get banned aren't you Vort?

[viannqueen3]

My parents made me stop trick or treating at age 11 or so and even now two decades later I wish I would have had a few more years of trick or treating. So no, I don't believe age 12 is too old. Once they hit 16 or so I think it's another story (though I still dish out candy for the older kids that come if I'm still rolling in candy). I was just talking to someone today that hands out packets of tobasco sauce or ketchup to the 16+ year old kids that come to her house.

[pam]

was just talking to someone today that hands out packets of tobasco sauce or ketchup to the 16+ year old kids that come to her house.

Now that's just plain rude.

[viannqueen3]

That's what I thought too but then again I don't get a whole lot of the older ones anyway, maybe two or three doorbell rings tops. Basically if someone with a pulse shows up at my doorstep they get something.

[BadWolf]

My grandfather used to lament ALL the time that "Kids have no SPUNK today!"

This went along with various diatribes. One of which was about people who didn't hand out candy to kids or older kids (he included 'kids' to mean graduating from COLLEGE or getting married. Whichever came first).

"In my day, if some persimmon mouthed stick in the mud wasn't handing out treats, they got tricked, just as promised. Let me tell you, no one likes falling in ghe hole where the outhouse used to be. Just move the sucker back about 6 feet."

"Ralph! You stop giving those kids ideas. You're going to get them in trouble."

"A man has to be willing to get in trouble defending his rights. One of the rights of childhood is candy, and another is being honest. Trick or treat. That simple. I'm teaching the children to have integrity. Either they get their candy, or don't lie and say 'trick or treat'. Gladys, I know for a fact you soaked mattresses in you day when someone was being stingy. Just you ask her, kids."

((I heard this conversation at least 4 times a year my entire life.))

As a frame of reference, my grandparents were kids turn o' the last century. Grew up to be a thoracic surgeon & surgical nurse. 2 of the kindest people I've ever known in my life, although I didn't realize how special that was.

Integrity & Gumption were their 2 biggest laments about "kids these days", and would not stand for any of their kids or Grandkids to be cowed by anyone or anything. "Get your chin up, turn your brain on, and do the right thing. Doesn't matter how many people say its wrong when its right, you stand up for it. Chutzpah. Without it, we'd be nowhere. So find yours."

So I trick o treated until I got married, and then I've taken my son every year since then. I was a LOT older than 12 when I got married

Never moved an outhouse, though.

Edited October 26, 2012 by BadWolf
Trying to remove a red thumb, must have bumped the icon select. Come to find, one cannot unselect an icon. Whoops.