Older trick-or-treaters?

[Eastern]

All kids get treats at my house. I would never turn them away. That's just mean.

Absolutely!

I'm fine with polite teens trick or treating. Let them be kids as long as possible, the real world comes soon enough.

Yes.

 

[Eastern]

The younger kids around here usually ToT when it's light out. After dark, maybe 6pm or so, the teens come around. Everyone's done by about 8pm but those last few teens get handfuls and handfuls of candy because I don't want it leftover.

Don't be mean to teens! Give them candy!

 

[aprilgail]

I do not mind older kids. The ones around here don't seem to be out to do anything more than get a nice candy haul.

As far as driving to other neighborhoods, no one would come to mine because the houses are too far apart. But the first year I lived in VA as a kid, only about 5 houses had been built in our subdivision, so of course we drove over to the nearest complete subdivision to ToT. The neighborhood we went to was not as "rich" as ours so it wasn't like we were trolling for better candy from Daddy Warbucks or something. We just wanted more than a handful of homes to go to.

We get kids all the time from a neighboring town, my town is far from a "wealthy neighborhood" but one town over is a very very bad area so they come here. I don't care, they have fun trick or treating here and stay safe- who cares where they came from.

 

[Missy1961]

We don't get a lot of trick or treaters anymore, so anyone who comes to the door gets candy. I don't care how old they are, if they are polite or not, if they are wearing costumes or not. But the majority of the older ones who trick or treat are usually in some kind of costume and are very polite. And as someone else noted, their costumes are usually well done - often the group of them will be in related costumes. So I don't care, if they come to the door, they get candy.

 

[wishuponastarforever]

Not a problem at all with teen trick-or-treaters. I was one of them years ago and so were my children It's hard to give up if you really enjoy Halloween. In fact, at our ripe age, my husband and I still participate with neighbors. Only now it's "Schnapps or Shenanigans!!!"

 

[Odelay]

I run a meritocracy. The better the costume, the more candy you get.

 

[Art 1]

I would hand candy out to any one, doesn't matter. Besides, an older child could have a hidden disability.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

Are you supposed the check ID?

I didn't make up the law.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

Do what I do. Give the other kids Bouillon cubes. The older kids don't realize that they aren't candy until they have gotten home and try them so there is less of a chance of them doing something to your house while they are out. Brilliant!


In all seriousness, I don't really care too much, but haven't really had just older kids come to my door before. In the past, when teenagers have shown up, they were usually bringing their younger siblings around. I think that's pretty great of them so I'm not going to deny them candy.

All this time I thought you were supposed to give rocks.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I don't mind older kids ToT, my daughter is 14, we'll have to see if she wants to go this year, she didn't last year. If teens come to my door, and they aren't in costume, I'll joke with them that they at least have to give me a really good "Trick or Treat", with bad acting or in song. They laugh, I laugh, we all have a good time!

This year I've found a recipe for caramel apple sangria, so I might just be really happy!

I just may dress up and trick or treat at your house

 

[usd2bmd]

We don't get many kids, so I hand out candy to everyone that comes to my door. I trick or treated in high school with my girl friends and so did my daughter. I don't see a problem with it.

 

[Colleen27]

Ah, the annual debate. Personally I love seeing the older kids out trick or treating. A lot of them get very creative with their costumes, and I personally think it is great when teens can put aside being "too cool" and enjoy something "childish". They have too much time and pressure to worry over self-image and pretend to be mini-adults as it is! It seems to me that excluding teens from trick or treating just pushes them towards the very things they shouldn't be doing - after all, parents are likely to be pre-occupied with younger children so you've got a lot of teens left to their own devices on a day already known for a certain sort of mischief.

My 14yo will be trick or treating this year for sure. Last I heard, she and my 7yo were planning on Miss Hannigan and Little Orphan Annie this year, though they've also been talking about Alice and the Queen of Hearts (mostly, I think, because they want to dress their pet bunny as the White Rabbit). I'm not sure if DS17 will join us this year or not. Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn't, and with Halloween falling on Saturday this year he might have a bonfire/party to go to instead. If it was a Tues. I'm sure he'd be trick or treating with his little sisters! My favorite Halloween so far was two years ago; DS was 15 and dressed as Doctor Who, while then-12yo DD was a Weeping Angel and then-5yo DD was a dalek.

And anyone who comes to our door will get candy. Usually my mom comes out to see the kids' costumes and pass out candy here since she doesn't get many trick or treaters at her house.

 

[tcufrog]

Colleen27...

Your daughters are very creative. I'd love to see what they come up with.

 

[cijay]

I haven't had trick or treaters for ages. I lived in apartments for 20 years, then moved to Turkey where they don't do that. Now that I'm back here, I don't get home 'til 8:30pm so aside from handing out candy at our store (to all ages) I don't get to do that. But I guess I'd best be prepared this year because it's a Saturday night! I'll be home!

First off - I'm old school Hallowe'en. Candy. No toothbrushes, stickers, pencils or "sugar free gluten free vegan never before touched by human hands lollipops". Candy.

I would say 'you have to be in costume' but I don't think I'd kick someone off of my porch if they weren't.

I prefer the older ones to wait 'til the wee ones are gone home. 8pm or so.

I laugh at the grouches who talk about teaching kids to beg for candy. Look at all of us who trick or treated through out our childhood...did we end up believing that any other night of the year you can go to someone's house and expect them to give us something? No. It didn't 'teach us to beg'.

I think the only thing that I hate (but grin and bear it because of the fact that I'm working in a store) is when someone comes with a 6 month old baby and asks for candy for her. Sure. It's for the baby.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I never went trick or treating until as an adult I went to mnsshp I had fun so brought some sweats and started handing them out on Halloween. Last year I had four pumpkins and £20 worth of sweats I like giving the kids sweats no matter how old.

 

[plutotek]

I never went trick or treating until as an adult I went to mnsshp I had fun so brought some sweats and started handing them out on Halloween. Last year I had four pumpkins and £20 worth of sweats I like giving the kids sweats no matter how old.

Do you mean 'sweets'??

 

[PaulaSB12]

Do you mean 'sweets'??

Yes that will teach me to post when I am sleepy

 

[scrapquitler]

How do you feel about older trick or treaters?

I saw some rant today on how older kids trick or treating amounts to begging for candy and they should get a job and buy their own candy. The gist was pretty much that this person shut the door in the face of anybody over the age of 11-12.

I personally have no problem with anybody under college age showing up at my door for candy. The teenagers kind of get left out of Halloween. They can't party like adults or college kids and are often chastised for being too old to go door to door.

In my experiences the 13-17ish age group are the ones who spend Halloween out causing trouble and vandalizing (egging, TPing, etc.) I'd much rather they be childish and innocent even if not in costume than out causing trouble.

I usually even get a few nicer/bigger candy options for the older kids who come by and I must say the older kids are always very polite and appreciative. They always say please and thank you and never just grab handfuls.

'
I am not the candy police. If someone shows up at my door in costume, they get candy. Everyone gets just as much as everyone else. I don't discriminate.

 

[LukenDC]

If someone trick-or-treats in my neighborhood, they get candy regardless of their age. Three years ago, a frail elderly woman came to my door trick-or-treating. She appeared to be in her upper 70s. I gave her some candy and wished her a happy Halloween.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

I don't mind the older kids. Just ask for the candy, and you get some. Otherwise I just stand there and look at them.
I don't like the babies/adults thing---they only get Dum Dums and Smarties. We usually do 4 or 5 pieces per ToT'er. I get mixes of things, and I also have non-candy things for those who ask for them (stickers, spider rings, Cheez-its and popcorn in single serve bags, etc). I must spend $100 each year, lol.

I always get a couple dozen or so regular size candy bars, and I hand those to the kids who I think have awesome costumes. There was a Doctor Who (10th) last year with a Weeping Angel mom (painted herself entirely gray-----she'd go up with him to the door and stand perfectly still when you answered, and if you looked away from her and back up, she would move closer then stop again!)....they each got a regular candy!

I have a stand by the front door, and have 4 baskets of candy right out of sight. One for babies/toddlers (Dum Dums/Smarties), one for the other kids (Kit Kats, Warheads, etc), one with the non candy items, and one with the regular candy bars.