Halloween is known as one of the ultimate childhood traditions and it is celebrated in a variety of ways. As long as I can remember going door to door and trading candy was what I looked forward to most. I had no care in the world while I was out trick or treating and surely the thought of what others thought of me had never crossed my mind. As I got older, I reflected on the changed mindset of the tradition that most kids inherit when they hit high school.
From a middle school and elementary perspective the tradition of Halloween is not just only accepted but celebrated. The majority of students dress up and the schools do a good job of creating a festive environment to get their students excited. When you get to high school there becomes a shift in the whole “tradition” of Halloween. Now high schoolers are creating new traditions, swapping trick or treating with going to Halloween parties with friends.
At the age of 15 is where I started to view the whole trick-or-treating tradition as “childish” and “ embarrassing.” I refused to dress up for school because others around me weren’t. I can’t remember a valid reason for this opinion change all I know is it has something to do with the people around me.
Let’s be honest… no one can tell you if you are too old for trick or treating and the issue at hand is not that, it’s the social standard that evolves once you get older. As much as I hate to admit it as I got older I started to care about what other people were doing and what they thought. As the annual trick-or-treating came around I was always considering others’ options. I can not speak for everyone, but I can say that the people around you greatly influence your life whether you would like to admit it or not.
Instead of receiving the candy I now find myself handing out the candy to ensure that these kids have a fun Halloween, so in a way, I am still participating in the tradition; I just find myself doing it differently. I have learned with time that as we get older we tend to adapt to the environment around us. I don’t think there is an age limit on trick or treating, I think that society puts the age limit on traditions and we think we must conform to them.
