Dd asked her age while trick or treating last night

[ronandannette]

....if it's weird for an 18-y-o to go out dressed, to go ToT'ing, I'm guessing that I'M weird too, to be 58 and still love to go on R'n'RC, ToT, and other WDW rides.....

Do you think those things are similar?

 

[disney world dreamer]

i would never ask a trick or treater their age.
i also don't mind handing out candy to whoever comes even if i suspect they are "too old".
speaking of i don't have a "rule" but i would have no problem with anyone under 21 going around trick or treating.

not sure what "better" things a teen has to do on halloween.
if they're not trick or treating what else are they doing? sitting home? vandalizing property? illegally drinking at a party?

i'd rather them trick or treat than potentially get in trouble.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm so glad that we go out and don't participate. There's too much drama.

A lot of the teens around here seem to go to the haunted houses or Six Flags on Halloween. It isn't just parties.

 

[disney world dreamer]

Do you think those things are similar?

well many would argue that WDW thrill rides are only for "kids" so in that respect i totally get what PP was saying.

 

[ronandannette]

i would never ask a trick or treater their age.
i also don't mind handing out candy to whoever comes even if i suspect they are "too old".
speaking of i don't have a "rule" but i would have no problem with anyone under 21 going around trick or treating.

not sure what "better" things a teen has to do on halloween.
if they're not trick or treating what else are they doing? sitting home? vandalizing property? illegally drinking at a party?

i'd rather them trick or treat than potentially get in trouble.

If you're asking me (I made the original comment), my DS would consider practically anything better...he just wouldn't even consider dressing up and going door to door for candy. (If he felt the need, he could buy his own candy, or eat some of our treats, which he will since there is lots left over.)

He and his "group" last trick-or-treated when they were 13. Since then he's done a variety of things; going to a scary movie with friends, volunteering at our church's carnival, going to house parties and even just staying home and manning the door to hand out candy. Last night he and a friend got together to play a on-line game and he was home by 10:00.

well many would argue that WDW thrill rides are only for "kids" so in that respect i totally get what PP was saying.

Many? I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that; certainly not here on the DIS.

 

[aristocatz]

Personally, I would never ask somebody their age who is trick or treating. I would think to myself it is a bit tacky for somebody old enough to vote to be trick or treating, but I would not refuse them candy. It is just not a big deal to me. If they want to go to all the effort, why not?

I do however know people who would get all upset about it and make a big scene.

I would never ask either. What does that accomplish, aside from making the people feel embarrassed or bad. Personally, I think those ages are too old to be trick or treating, but to each their own. What is the point of making a scene??

 

[DisneyOma]

We have lots of events for the older kids - the high school has a dance, some of the churches have parties, a few businesses have events too. Our neighborhood had a block party for all. I'm just having a hard time thinking about two kids making out after they trick-or-treat...

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

To people who are not Disney fans, adults going to a Disney theme park over and over again is not "normal" either. I don't know how many threads I have seen on here about a poster's coworker, in-law, friend, etc stating they are wasting their money on a childish vacation. If you want to do something and you are not hurting someone I wouldn't worry about it being "normal" to anyone else.

 

[tigercat]

We only had 10 kids last night and 6 of them were older kids. For the little one's I gave them several candy bars. For the older one's I ask them to do a trick. A song, dance, poem or really yelling Trick or treat. I also told them that the amount of candy they got depended on their "performance". They all really got into it. 5 did a dance routine and one yelled trick or treat. They all were allowed to get a handful of candies. They all went away laughing. I do this every year. It makes them think. Both groups (there was a 2 group and then a 3 group) would huddle (they were all boys) and discuss what they were going to do and then did it.
tigercat

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I never ask ages. I give to parents who dress up with their children, and have a small amount of M&M's for babies. (I ask before giving). I have a few gifts for children who I know on the block have allergies or aversions. I do draw the line with after hours. In our neighborhood, I bought a 120 piece bag of candy. I was down about 10-20 pieces left after our hours. I did give 2 or 3 to very polite or cute children. We turned our lights off at 8pm and to be honest, there were 3 van loads of children dropped off every few houses knocking on doors. I would not have had enough for them, so I left the light out.

I will have to figure out what I will do next year if that happens. They were all older too. I think since we are a street between towns, they were just trying to hit one more neighborhood.

 

[Disneyland1084]

I had over 100 trick or treaters last night. Most were young kids, and some were teenagers. I know two boys that came were juniors in high school, but it didn't bother me in the least.

 

[Dawnlight]

An 18 year old a grown-bleep man and it's weird for him to be walking up to houses asking for candy.

Is 18 too old to receive Christmas gifts? Is 18 too old to receive Hanukkah gifts? What's the difference, really? It's a holiday that people of all ages enjoy, and the nature of the Halloween holiday is going door-to-door for treats.

My newly turned 18 year old son stayed home and watched movies with friends; my 16 year old went to another friend's house to do the same, but I really wouldn't have much of an issue if they had decided to dress up and go out with their younger siblings or with their like-aged friends. Yeah, and that "grown-bleep man" of mine is a senior in high school; he may be an adult for legal purposes, but he's still very much a boy in many respects (One of the movies they chose to watch was Mall Cop).

If you are such a grump about restricting age on Halloween trick-or-treaters, then maybe you should campaign a program like the Teal Pumpkin Project, but instead of one that is including others, it will be restricting others too old for your candy. Yeah, a no-teen campaign would really be in the spirit of the fun of the day.

 

[jrmasm]

Growing up, I lived in a college town. We always had college students trick or treating. Older kids don't phase me in the least.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Is 18 too old to receive Christmas gifts? Is 18 too old to receive Hanukkah gifts? What's the difference, really? It's a holiday that people of all ages enjoy, and the nature of the Halloween holiday is going door-to-door for treats.

My newly turned 18 year old son stayed home and watched movies with friends; my 16 year old went to another friend's house to do the same, but I really wouldn't have much of an issue if they had decided to dress up and go out with their younger siblings or with their like-aged friends. Yeah, and that "grown-bleep man" of mine is a senior in high school; he may be an adult for legal purposes, but he's still very much a boy in many respects (One of the movies they chose to watch was Mall Cop).

If you are such a grump about restricting age on Halloween trick-or-treaters, then maybe you should campaign a program like the Teal Pumpkin Project, but instead of one that is including others, it will be restricting others too old for your candy. Yeah, a no-teen campaign would really be in the spirit of the fun of the day.

Comparing holiday gifts with trick or treating is a major stretch.
Comparing it to going to on a Disney vacation (as others have done) is also a major stretch.

I love how posters here switch from 18 year olds beng fully responsible adults to still children. They even do it with older teens (like 16 year olds). Read a thread about 18 year old doing something wrong and it's all about them being an adult but in this thread 18 is still a teen who should trick or treat if s/he wants.

 

[aprilchem]

We only had two older TOTers last night; in my town trick-or-treating ends at age 12, but these kids were probably 16 or 17. They came in the last 10 minutes of trick or treating, I gave them one piece of candy (we gave out full size bars) just like I gave everyone else, and then they asked me to give them the rest of the bowl, since "nobody else is coming out anyway." I thought that was extremely rude and told them absolutely not. My own students are getting the rest of our Halloween candy this morning!

 

[Dawnlight]

Comparing holiday gifts with trick or treating is a major stretch.
Comparing it to going to on a Disney vacation (as others have done) is also a major stretch.

I love how posters here switch from 18 year olds beng fully responsible adults to still children. They even do it with older teens (like 16 year olds). Read a thread about 18 year old doing something wrong and it's all about them being an adult but in this thread 18 is still a teen who should trick or treat if s/he wants.

No, not really. I don't see one holiday as being that much different than another. They are observed differently, but most people love holidays and want to continue to celebrate. I'd rather see a teenage kid get dressed up creatively, get candy, and have fun with friends than babies in strollers getting candy that they won't even be eating (I had single-serve applesauce in my candy bowl for the toddler set).

I saw it in a headline today- a "teenage boy" then later "the man" (who is 19) is charged with groping and other things. So, which is he? A boy or a man?

http://www.necn.com/news/national-i...Sacred-Heart-University-Police-339168602.html

Yeah, 18 is a legal adult- one gets to vote, enlist, marry, be charged as an adult for crimes committed, etc- but I also think people this age are very much still maturing and need guidance in many areas. My 18 year old "adult", as long as he's in HS, has a requirement that a parent call in for sick or late days to school.

 

[kamik86]

Honestly I think 18 is really pushing it for getting candy... Honestly the one time I went as a teenager (I had a big group of friends I would meet up with every wed night. Halloween fell on wed that year and they all wanted to go so I went along) I honestly felt stupid doing it. Felt like if I was old enough to have a job I should buy my own candy. (edited to add I still would have only been either 16 or 17 for this can't remember if it was junior or senior year)

Halloween is a tradition for children to trick or treat. Christmas is a tradition to give presents to family. My 65 year old parents still get presents too. So that isn't the same at all.

Now I do give candy to anyone that comes. Sometimes even to adults if they stopped by for another reason (The UPS delivery woman that stopped on halloween a few years ago got candy), but to go out just to get candy... I do think that is taking advantage of people's generosity.

 

[mom2rtk]

Halloween appears to now be an opportunity for people to show their judgmental natures.

We had over 300 trick or treaters (as we do every year) so spend a lot of money on candy. It's one of our favorite nights of the year. You come to our door in costume, you get candy and a "Happy Halloween".

People really just need to lighten up.

 

[kamik86]

No, not really. I don't see one holiday as being that much different than another. They are observed differently, but most people love holidays and want to continue to celebrate. I'd rather see a teenage kid get dressed up creatively, get candy, and have fun with friends than babies in strollers getting candy that they won't even be eating (I had single-serve applesauce in my candy bowl for the toddler set).

I saw it in a headline today- a "teenage boy" then later "the man" (who is 19) is charged with groping and other things. So, which is he? A boy or a man?

http://www.necn.com/news/national-i...Sacred-Heart-University-Police-339168602.html

Yeah, 18 is a legal adult- one gets to vote, enlist, marry, be charged as an adult for crimes committed, etc- but I also think people this age are very much still maturing and need guidance in many areas. My 18 year old "adult", as long as he's in HS, has a requirement that a parent call in for sick or late days to school.

Does he? I know I have been out of high school for 10 years but where I lived once you hit 18 you could all yourself out, sign your own permission slips (they only handed them out for those of us that were still 17) sign themselves out of school and leave at any time that they wanted to, etc.

 

[kamik86]

oops quoted instead of editing to add details to previous post