How do you feel about teenagers who come trick-or-treating? I was talking to my husband about the kids this morning and he reminded me that a large number of the trick-or-treaters in our neighborhood are teenagers, and they come in groups. I don't mind buying the candy, but it kind of takes the fun out of it when these big groups of 16-year-olds show up with no costume and they just hold out a bag. 
I remember going trick-or-treating in high school but we put a lot of effort into group costumes!
You might also enjoy...
-
I have two bowls of candy. The "good" candy goes to the kids (teens too) in costumes. People without costumes get one peppermint.
-
I'm anti-teenage trick-or-treaters. I think that at a certain age, you're too old to trick-or-treat. I stopped trick-or-treating once I turned 13! So seeing 16-year-olds who can drive themselves around and have jobs and buy their OWN candy annoys me!
-
I never went trick or treating as a teenager even though it's my favorite holiray because I thought adults would find it weird. So i would dress up and go to the school party, my aunt's party, and hand out candy Halloween night. I'm glad I have the kids now so when I dress up and go door to door (in the future), it'll be less awkward and more fun!
-
@BlueWolverine: Brilliant!
-
We always shut the light off when we noticed the kids getting a little too old for our liking. I think anything after 6th grade is just too old.
-
@BlueWolverine: Great idea!
-
@spaniellove: we went out trick or treating as teenagers, too but same, we put a LOT into our costumes. we'd do a group theme or even sing a song if we went as a band or something. but it was also a gated community where EVERYONE went out.
I think it's lame when kids don't dress up and demand candy. I think I'd do the 'one peppermint' rule as well!
-
@BlueWolverine: nicely done.
I hate it. I really want to tell them to go away and come back with a costume on but I also don't want to find egg on my house in the AM.
-
@rachiecakes: Yeah, we spent weeks scouring thrift stores and sewing costumes with a group theme!
-
My husband's police cruiser is parked out front, so the costume-less teenagers skipped our house last year.... I'm hoping for a repeat this year! It freaks me out to answer the door to a stranger who is bigger than me!
-
I don't give candy to teenagers. Candy is for kids 11 and under. I just wish teenagers a happy Halloween and send them on their way. Most teenagers don't actually try and go trick or treating around here.
When I reached 12 I started going to Halloween parties with friends where I'd dress up. Trick or treating is for little kids.
-
@pui: What do you do if a teenager shows up your house looking for candy??
-
If people are dressed up I'm happy to hand out candy. We've even had adults before! I don't feel like I could refuse teens with no costumes but it is a little annoying. At a certain point I just turn off the porch light.
-
@Adira: Like I said, wish them a happy Halloween and send them on their way lol. They can think I'm a stickler or whatever they want, they're too old to be asking for candy for free lol.
If a bunch of older kids came and sung a song and put a lot of effort in to it like @rachiecakes described, I'd probably give candy. At a certain age you're no longer cute enough to get candy just because you have a costume on.
-
Last year we got a kid who was maybe 16, alone, with no costume. He was ON HIS CELL PHONE when I answered the door. He says to the person on the phone "hang on" and then says to me "trick or treat". I was so shocked that I just gave him candy. The nerve of that kid! Although we're at the top of a big hill, so we don't get many trick or treaters (lazy American kids, won't walk up a hill for free candy, haha) so I had plenty to give him.
-
@pui: I'd be afraid they'd come back with eggs if they were denied candy, haha
-
@pui: haha, that's awesome! I'm always tempted to say something like "Don't you think you're a little too old to be begging for candy?" but I don't have the nerve to do it! Good for you not giving in and giving them any!!
-
@Shutterbug: So far it hasn't happened lol!
I should give some money to a charity every year and give out cards that say "I have donated $X to X on your behalf" to teenagers/people not in costume lol. They don't get candy and at least someone is benefiting from their audacity.
-
@BlueWolverine: That is brilliant. I can just imagine the look on their faces when you hand them a peppermint candy!!
-
Last year word got a round that we were handing out full size candy bars. Y'all...a grown man with his 12 year olds came to ring our door. Seriously. He had a witch hat on & his kids weren't in costumes either.
I like the idea of handing out a peppermint to people with no costumes! Hahaha!
-
Last year I answered the door and there were adorable little kids dressed up... I went to shut the door and the moms with them asked for candy. They were definitely young moms (teens) but they were not in costume so I was shocked when they held out their bags!
I think teenage trick or treaters are okay IF they are in costumes. I stop answering the door as it gets later in the evening.
-
@mediagirl: This is the dilema for me. I want to tell them to grow up and quit trick or treating. But I don't want to suffer the consequences.
-
I don't have a problem as long as they're in costume. No costume, no candy.
-
As long as they're in costume (btw, just a mask with regular clothes is NOT a costume, young'uns!), I'm willing to give them candy. Sometimes we have teenagers come with their younger siblings-- and sometimes they're carrying candy bags, sometimes not. It's interesting to see which teenagers think they're young/well-costumed/whatever enough to still be collecting free candy and which ones are just over it!
@EMG86: @PSW27: I would be FLABBERGASTED if a parent (costume or no) asked me for candy! Have these people not heard of the "switch witch"? Or, you know...BUYING candy?
-
Trust me @sosaysmegan I was super confused and then it was really awkward... I just gave them the candy and avoided confrontation!
-
Mixed feelings--polite teens dressed up, I'm happy to see. Snotty teens without a costume--not so happy.
@Bluewolverine: love this idea. Funny!
-
I really don't care. In our neighborhood, everyone sits in their drivewY with a firepit and passes out candy. Lots of houses also pass out drinks to the parents. It's annoying that they put no effort into their costume, but we still pass out candy to everyone.
-
@psw27: OMG asked for candy?! @psw27: @sosaysmegan: I only remember one parent coming with (non-baby) kids whom I might have given candy...he was dressed as a lobster in a pot and chaperoning a group of girls so I figured what the heck.
-
I don't really care. It's better if they're dressed up but I don't really feel strongly either way
-
@BlueWolverine: good idea!
-
I'm torn because I was a big/mature looking 11 year old. I got lots of "aren't you too old to be trick or treating" while I was in elementary school. So I try to be understanding. However, if I'm threatened by you in the least (including threat of egging or TPing) you are too old to be trick or treating. It just ruins it for everyone. Nobody comes to our apartment though so I don't know what I would do.
-
The last time I went as a teenager I was 14, and my group of friends and I had a themed group costume. Some teens still get into it and think it's fun. Teens not in costume are pushing it though.
-
@psw27: i usually spend halloween at my parents and they live in a very nice, well lit, neighborhood with sidewalks on both sides so people drive there in groups to go trick or treating, they get hundreds. the past few years some group homes have been bringing vans of their residents to trick or treat there (which doesn't bother me, i would want to rick or teat in a nice safe place too) but almost all of the parents from those groups ask for candy for themselves and they'll ask for more candy for their non mobile infants. they confuse me as well!
i love halloween and trick or treaters, as long as you have a costume, we're cool, if you don't, i won't like it, but you'll still get some candy. plain clothed parents asking for candy will also receive an eye roll.
-
@BlueWolverine: perfect!
-
No problem if they're in costume, and polite.
-
If they're in costume and polite, I don't mind at all!
If they're candywhoring, NO DICE.
Reply
Subscribe to our newsletter
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
36 comments