Should trick or treating have an age limit?
Valeria Velazquez, Contributor
When we think of trick-or-treating we think of kids dressing up in their favorite costumes and going from door to door asking for candy. But why do we only imagine kids doing this? Why not candie-starved adults? Most of us get to a certain age when we think we’re too old for it. Maybe we think the act of trick-or-treating will take away our credibility as cooler and wiser adults, or maybe we were reminded of the social norms which tell us we’re “too old.” Well, I beg to differ.
When I first went trick-or-treating with my friends in Mexico I felt something (I don’t really want to say it, but I will) — “magical.” The freedom of putting on a costume and getting to be whomever or whatever you want is something incredible, even if for one night out of the year. The thrill of waiting at someone’s door not knowing if they’ll open up and give you candy or yell at you is undeniable.
It’s time to live a little, folks. Disappointment and social stigma doesn’t mean you can’t have fun and create lasting memories. Even though I’m in my twenties, my personal policy is if I feel like doing it, I will. No shame. No fucks given. I’ll put on a costume (a human-sized taco being the last one), take a friend, and go door to door collecting candy. Reminiscing on your past as a young one should precede any concerns about judgment.
Of course the dressing up part is something many of us still do, even at an older age. It might be to go to an amazing party or just a small get together with our friends, but the point here is to acknowledge the problem that a lot of us stop doing what we used to do as kids even though we still have a part of us that needs to connect with our childhood self. Whether you’re seven, twenty-seven, hell, even fifty-seven years old, I say all the power to you, do it. I would love to see a 70 year old dressed as a witch or a vampire going from door to door asking for candy with their grandkids. Wouldn’t you?
As we get older we start to realize that other people’s views don’t need to have such an impact on what we do, especially if it’s something we enjoy. As far as trick-or-treating goes I think no one, not even yourself, should place a limit on having fun. Social mores try and police us on what we should do, when we should do it, and how to act in certain situations. And that right there, my friends, is when we should question these expectations and (excuse the cliché) follow whatever our hearts tell us.
The truth is, there is no clear line of right and wrong when it comes to Halloween (unless we’re talking about Michael Myers going on a trick-or-treat killing spree), and we’re only denying ourselves joy if we place too much importance on social stigmas. Just know, you’re never too old for a sweet treat.
