A very exciting part of Halloween is trick-or-treating. But is there a certain age that you should stop this age-old tradition? Teachers all throughout GBHS have different opinions and perspectives on this topic.  

When asked the question: “In your opinion how old is too old to trick-or-treat?”, teachers gave different answers, but one stood out. Mr. Ford, an AP government teacher, had a different answer than the rest of the teachers. He said fourteen, but his reasoning was, “In Russia you can enter the draft at fourteen.” Some other teachers, like Mrs. Cochran, have a more plausible explanation. She said, “Eighteen. Trick-or-treating is a better alternative than going out and doing other things.” But some teachers, like art teacher Mrs. Day, had a younger answer. She said, “Twelve is a good age to stop unless you are taking a younger sibling with you.”  

In my opinion, there is never an age to stop. But it is very subjective, and context is important. Some people, like me, enjoy going out, dressing up, and getting candy with friends. On the other hand, some people would rather stay inside and watch a scary movie to go along with the Halloween spirit. But, if you are thirty-five and going out to be weird, then that’s crossing that line. I’ve always gone out on Halloween and never plan on stopping. 

Some teachers, like Ms. Morgan, agree with my opinion. Morgan said, “There is never an age limit to stop. If you’re thirty-five coming to my door, I’ll give you candy.” Ms. Hamstra, a world history teacher, also agrees with my opinion. She said, “I don’t think that there’s ever an age to stop as long as you’re doing it in a good way.” Mrs. Vanosdall, a science teacher, said, “There is never an age limit. However, if you are between the ages of twenty-eight and sixty-five, you should take a break.” 

Some teachers at GBHS disagree with my opinion. They say that you should stop in your teen years. Dean Smith is one of these teachers. Smith said, “You should honestly stop at twelve. You should be giving out candy instead of taking it.” Colonel Nelson, one of the JROTC instructors, said that you should stop at twelve. Mrs. Duffy, a geometry teacher, said “I don’t want any high schoolers trick-or-treating at my house.” 

At the end of the day, trick-or-treating is just a fun activity that everyone should be able to enjoy at any age. So don’t let anyone discourage your inner child!