Anyone who shows up.....it's fine....it's all in fun!

I don't mind the teens as much as I do the babes in arms. Seriously, they eat candy?

I think kids decide when they are "too old." Years ago, I had an adult male with a pillow case claim he was trick or treating for his eight kids.....who were all sick at home. This was after I had turned the front light off and blown out the candle in the pumpkin. He gave me the creeps and I no longer answer the door after lights out.

Costume = Candy. Teens, babies...whatevs. I took my one year old last year, we had a family costume, he walked to the doors himself, and his older cousins had a BLAST taking him around and showing him off. We got great photos. Did he eat the candy? No- we only managed about 10 houses before he was done anyway, but it wasn’t about the candy, it was about a cute costume and the experience/ start of a tradition.

Who cares—if someone wants a piece of candy, fine.

Teenagers at age 17 or 18 are too old to be trick-or-treating. Babies, I think it's cute, I give indiv. bags of animal crackers. And I give the dogs a small Milk Bones dog biscuit.

I sometimes balk when a child has two bags and says he's collecting for a sick sibling at home. I give them the benefit of the doubt though, and give the treat.

I agree. I get a kick out of the quick makeshift costumes that some of the older teens throw together. I have them explain exactly what/who they are.

If they are polite it's fine. The tiny kids are the cutest so I never think twice about if they can eat the candy. It's the parents getting into the spirit of things if you have a neighborhood filled with kids.

We get about 100 kids. They come in groups, so maybe we open the door ten times or so.

I used to make goodie bags because I didn't want kids grabbing or rooting through my cauldron. Now, though I just say "only take two please. "

My own kids went around in high school. Not sure when it stopped. In our HS the seniors dress up, perform skits for each other in the outside courtyard, then if any in the group went to kindergarten in our town, they went back to the teacher and performed the skit for her class.

My only upsetting incident was that someone stole one of my small light up ghosts. I no longer put ornaments out that can easily be pocketed.

This is something I have never given any thought to. In the overall scheme of things, does it really matter how old or young a trick or treater is?

I also don't give any thought to age. Long as its all in fun its all good to me. I also think a lot of first time moms can't wait to dress that 3 month old up and show off its cuteness. I doubt the baby is eating any of the goodies. Mom and dad are eating it and that's fine with me.

In a town in New Brunswik, Canada, they just passed a bylaw forbidding kids older than 16 to trick or treat. I guess they have to bring ID now - yeesh. As far as I'm concerned, does the desire for candy decrease with age? I think not. I like it when an older teen makes the effort to participate. It's only once a year so I say "have fun"

Unbelievable! Doesn't that town have more important things to do?

I am 5" 1" tall. My 5 year old grand daughter is just below my shoulder in height already. So I dread the time when she is told she is too old for trick or treating by some grinch just because she will taller than some teens by the age of 9 or 10.

I think that the couple with the baby would be cute. It was probably their first and the child's first Halloween. I don't care how old they are if they dress up. However, when we get the ones with beards and no costume??????????? I also turn the light off about 8PM.

Watchmelol, My grandkids are also very tall for their age. I should hope that none would be so crass as to say something to a child.

I dress up every year and until the last year or so walked the kids around. I didn't carry a bag, but I had people insist I get candy because I was dressed up. I don't have a problem with the older kids getting candy as long as they are dressed up. There are a lot worse things they could be out doing. I prefer they have fun and be a kid.

The first year or two handing out candy at my house I would say to older teens that I was saving the candy for the little kids never had any issues with that, now generally I just hand out the candy If I run out then that is it. So far so good. I agree the babies are cute but yeah parents are pocketing the candy that should go to a kid. I like the idea mentioned above giving the baby toddlers animal crackers something the for the kid not the parent! Kids come in large groups which I have never loved. I never get a good look at the costumes, your trying to get then the candy in the bag quick they always crowd and jam as many of them as they can on my step, then to try and open the screen door gets tricky. My own last year was when I entered High school there was a costume dance to go to instead. I said then if you are old enough to buy your own candy you should no longer trick or treat and I still fell this way. I decorate a lot outside on the day of Halloween so I need to keep an eagle eye on stuff, small things that can be pocketed by a child who doesn't know better or adults who are just jerks. Last year everything got tied down with fishing line and then put away after all the Tricker treaters were done. Lots of work but its also lots of fun for me too.

My biggest issue with couples that bring their newborn around (yes I see it) is that no one is then at their home handing out candy!! I totally get taking a one year old out..to the neighbors mostly because of course we all want to see the little guys costume...but an infant and a toddler...far from home, who shouldn't be eating candy..well I wouldn't shut my door on them but seriously, I am not impressed. I have never seen high schoolers attempt to TorT. It is usually those kids at that awkward age...12-14 and in the end it is Halloween after all and giving/getting candy is they point after all!!!!

We don't get trick or treaters here and I wish we did! When we lived somewhere that kids could get to, I loved the teens, too. Usually boys, just wanting to have fun (and some candy).

I saw a funny thing somewhere (pinterest?) where they suggested chocolate coated brussels sprouts as a "trick" on the too old pranksters. Nowadays, you'd probably get your tires slashed over that.

Any age. Kids are forced to grow up so fast in so many ways that I think it's sweet if they want to hold onto these traditions a little longer. I think the oldest we have gotten were around 14/15. I don't mind babies either. Maybe it depends where you live but it's never come across as a candy grab to me but rather a young family celebrating. They usually only go to the immediate neighbors anyway.

Funny story - We give out king sized candy bars and it's fun to hear the gasps when the kids get to choose. For the most part, the kids are very polite. Some of the really little ones will try to grab multiple but the parents generally step in. I had a young teen group come up and one asked if she could have 2, and before I could respond, her friend piped in and said, "No! Don't be rude!"

If they're willing to dress up and go door to door, they're getting a bag of candy from me. Sometimes, I'll throw in an extra bag for parents of small kids. Halloween is a fun time for young and old.

My daughter once was told she was too old for Halloween. She went out with her friends. She was the youngest of the group. But she was the tallest so people assumed she was much older. Don't assume. Some kids just grow too fast.

arcy_gw you're assuming people of new babies don't have room mates? My son and his wife took our grandson out. My other son lives with them so he handed out candy. And last year, my son's mother in law went to their house so they could take out my grandson together, and she handed out their candy.

People assume too much. You know what happens when you ASSuMe, right?

If they're wearing a costume and say "trick or treat" they get a treat.

So far I have handled out candy to everyone who has come to the door. The teens not wearing costumes get an eye roll with their candy. I have never had an adult come without any kids. I would be hesitant to open the door to a lone adult. My neighbors set up a fire pit and meet the trick or treaters on the driveway. I don't answer the door after the fire is out.

Why would anyone care? The drill is come to the door to get candy. Parents can take some too.

Anyone who comes to the door gets candy, we don't get many kids here, with acre plus lots they'd rather go to a neighborhood with closer houses. When my youngest was 12 he said "Mom, I think I'm too old"....this was in the 80's. I guess I didn't want it to end!

I don't have a problem with both parents taking the kids trick or treating with no one at home to hand out candy. Kids are only small for a few short years. There are plenty of years to hand out candy when you don't have younger children you can hand out candy. I started handing out candy when I lived in my first apartment in college. I was maybe 22. I have handed out candy more years than I have had children. Even in the years when we both dh and I trick or treated with the kids, we've come back and handed out candy afterwards. I've left a bowl out a couple of times. That rarely works well.

I was going to do small toys this year...crayons, noisemakers bubbles....Now, reading this, I'm thinking the older ones wouldn't want that...

When I still participated, I turned off the porch light at 8PM. Both my children took their babies trick or treating, in adorable costumes, when they were babies. Usually, just one took the baby, the other stayed home to pass out candy. Often, my DD was out of town on business for Halloween, so her husband just left a big bowl of candy on the front porch with a sign that said "One per person - honor system". Whether it was obeyed or not, who knows.

I love to see the little ones, but when they are about 6' tall and pants about to fall off their butts, and their pillow case about full of candy already and no acknowledgement, my attitude changes!

I still say Trick or Treat is for kids.

We have only had ONE person trick or treat the last 4 years. I would love it if some funny costumed teens or college kids showed up. My daughter is 22 and had a party 2 years ago, all her friends had the funniest costumes! It’s just as fun for them as the little kids imo, and it’s clean fun which makes me happy.

I don't mind teens/20's at all. Why can't they have fun? I stay 'open' till around 11pm.

I stopped leaving the light on the year that I open the door with my big bowl of candy and for giant teenage boys rushed in and grabbed everything out of the bowl and left. These guys were *in* my house.

In my old neighborhood we had LOADS of ToTers ... we were a rare neighborhood in the middle of a farming community. Kids'd come in by the truckload.

We used to do up "nice" things for the kids in our own neighborhood ... kids we knew ... and because it was a "starter" neighborhood, these were all young kids. We'd fix them those tiny pumpkins full of candy or something similar. Then when the onslaught started -- and it included older kids -- we'd have cheap candy for the hungry hoards.

We've been in our current house for 17 years (?) and we've never had a single ToTer. I think it's because we're so close to A BUNCH of churches, and they all host BIG fall festivals. Kids can be fed dinner, play games, and go home with a monster-sized bucket of candy, and they don't have to go door to door -- parents like that, you know.

High schoolers here do not ToT. They go to haunted houses or haunted trails. That's what we did when I was a kid too.

I'm always surprised that teens still ToT. I remember when my brother and I were high school seniors (maybe juniors?), our parents made us take the little kids ToTing. We were mortified to be seen ToTing, so we hid in the bushes /shadows where we could watch the younger kids without being seen.

Teens and older seem too old to me.

I give to everyone who comes to the door. I don't judge ages because when I was young and because I was taller and bigger than all my friends I was perceived to be older. My friends were older than me but they were little bitty girls. I used to have to pay full fare on the bus and not the youth fare like my friends had to pay.

Well I GIVE to whomever holds their pillow case or plastic pumpkin out, I certainly wouldn't say "No, you don't get any you're too old". I just don't agree with it.

If someone of any age dresses in costume and comes to my door trick or treating, they get candy. I find the evening quite entertaining and meeting neighbors is fun!

I don't believe in an age limit. If you want to make even the least amount of effort and show up at my door and say "Trick or treat" you get some candy. And I usually keep my light on until I run out. My bigger problem is the parents bringing out the younglings basically right after school and I am not ready yet! :)

Dances.

As long as they're in a serious costume and they're moving themselves around (not being chauffered), fine and I say more power to you. And if you add "money or eats" you get the bad stuff and only one. Fistful of the good stuff for ones who put out an effort and are polite. Sad part is I hear "thank you" much less as the years go on. Need to figure how to deal with that...

An age limit? No. I think a trick or treat walk in a senior citizens apartment complex would be great. I don't think that growing up should mean that you don't get to do fun stuff any more.

I stopped giving out candy five years ago for safety reasons. As i got older, it got to where it didn't make sense because that was the only night I would open my door to strangers. A lot of the kids weren't neighborhood kids, and would be driven in cars. The last straw was when a mother came to the door with five kids and had a container for herself, too. Now I just shut off the lights and pull down the shades. Who knew Halloween could be so peaceful? Last year, I peeked out and there was no one on the street. I don't think my neighbors were giving out candy, either.

I am happy to see people in the festive spirit and have never been put off by anyone who came trick-or-treating.

Now that I've answered a broad, sure anyone!, I see we're talking about the more general sense of what is going on.

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The reality of this year is, I won't be handing anything out. Where I lived before I bought here? Three houses ago, it was fun and our baby was little. Two houses ago, almost no one came to our end of the block, but still fine fun! One house ago, it was our neighborhood block party. Everyone was out and everyone was kind and fun! New house: in 2015, we were at Contest of Champions and left a bowl with a note. In 2016, we were home and the trick or treaters were so rude, we closed up shop and went inside. It was the bused in crowd, not the nice neighbors I have. This year, I have a fence which will remain closed off with a bowl and a note to please take one. I'll be inside and not risk encountering the bused in group again. Oy were they rude as all get out. They were reaching in and grabbing stuff out of the bowl. Or just stood and glared at you. Not all of them, but some of them.

I have a client who lives in a very wealthy neighborhood. Halloween the police closed down several streets to traffic so kids can trick or treat in safety. This woman complains that kids from other neighborhoods come to her door. I told her how do you blame a parent for wanting a safe night for their child. If giving away some cheap candy bothers you don't answer your door.

I just can't subscribe to any form of "bah humbug".

If someone brought their dog in costume I'd find some kind of treat to give, maybe a bit of cheese.

When I was young, some folks referred to the celebration as "Tricks for Treats", and the kids were expected to tell a story, or a joke, or sing a song, in order to avoid the claim of trying to get something for nothing.

I've had no T or Ters in the 12 years that I've lived on the farm.

I like the idea of holding a T or(for?) T project in the old folks' home - that should be fun!

ole joyfuelled ... who may well enjoy some (largely chocolate) extra "fuelling" on the big day

It's easy for me to say "all ages welcome" because I've been fortunate to live with well-behaved kids, teens, and parents. Hours are super-predictable, too. Littlest ones with parent(s) start at 6:00, tween-aged groups from about 6:30 to 7:30, and older kids/clean-up teenagers around 7:45. We've never had anyone after 8:00. A two-hour window of fun, excited (mostly) kids is great.

If parents come dressed along with the kids, why not treat them too! I think the age of maybe 150 might be a little too old, anyone up to that age would be welcome. However, I do not have trick or treaters here, even the grandkids do not come. They get their things early and head out to other friends and family.

Sue

I used to go trick or treating with my older cousins, some of whom were teenagers. The older ones were there to watch the younger ones.