<p>my 18 year old sister just got back from trick or treating… i know i went freshman year of college, but never again after that. i do however get dressed up for halloween parties and i think its a lot of fun.</p>
<p>Around middle school my kids switched from normal trick or treating to trick or treating for cans to donate to the food bank. They still got to dress up and have that bit of fun but were also performing some good charitable work at the same time. Even though they only asked for cans, many people insisted on giving them some candy too since they were impressed at the t&t for cans.</p>
<p>Just answered the door for high schoolers. I think it’s cute, but I wouldn’t have been caught dead trick or treating after age 16.</p>
<p>Trick or treating in one’s mid to late teens appear to be a comparatively new trend, (very uncommon 3 to 4 decades back) and it probably to some extent derives from kids seaching for their lost childhoods - this in a society constantly pushing kids into adult activities</p>
<p>If anything, I hold my 16-year-old daughter back from adult activities and she still likes to go out with a group of girls and trick or treat. I don’t think it’s about searching for a lost childhood, more like searching for Snickers bars and dressing up in a costume.</p>
<p>I just got home from picking up my 16 year old who went out with about 7 friends.
She said that only one house asked how old they were- and most said they were their 1st trick or treaters- ( they started at 6:30)
Her bag of candy must weigh 10 lbs- I think people must have been relieved to get someone at the door!</p>
<p>I say 8th grade is generally the limit. Once you’re too lazy/cool to put together a costume it’s time to stop (mostly middle school boys). I guess high schoolers are ok if they’ve made the effort to make put a costume together, are polite and have a fun attitude.</p>
<p>I heard of a great costume this year for groups of girls, teens or older, probably best for a party rather than trick-or-treating. Buy matching short dresses, cover briefcases with foil and put a black number on the outside, and go as the “Deal or No Deal” models!</p>
<p>My 14 year old spent hours glueing his hair into a sideways mohawk so he could look like a Centauri (Babylon 5). He had a purple jacket with cold trip, a red brocade vest and the appropriate medals. I think he deserved to be seen.</p>
<p>mathmom, I think most 14 year old boys are still kids at heart, even if they are taller than their moms. There is so much pressure on kids to grow up – I think it’s great that your son got into the spirit of Halloween.</p>
<p>
I DO TOO!!! 
How cool that your son put so much into his Halloween costume! And like sjmom, I think 14-year-old boys are still very much “kids at heart.”</p>
<p>My 13-year-old son deserved his night out trick-or-treating too. He dressed as a Duke Cameron Crazie and went out in 30-something degree weather with just shorts and blue and white paint!! (He did have a Duke towel wrapped around his shoulders). He also wore a big blue wig. It was HILARIOUS! </p>
<p>I’m glad that both of our sons got to enjoy Halloween for another year! ~b.</p>
<p>My daughter was surprised at how many kids dressed up for Halloween at her high school- she only brought a costume for her APUSH class, because the teacher was giving extra credit
My older daughter was dressed up too as were her friends as characters from Battlestar Galatica- they didn’t go out though but just had a small party.
I think dressing up is great- how many opportunities do we get unless we are in a play- but really the most important concern that I have today is
** I can’t find where my daughter hid her Halloween candy! **</p>
<p>^ That is soooo funny…</p>
<p>I love even those deep-voiced 6-footers who come to my door on Halloween. As long as they have a costume, and as long as they’re cheerful and polite, they’re welcome chez moi.</p>
<p>I went trick or treating through my second year of college. :)</p>
<p>I live down a long, dark driveway so anyone who makes the trek is rewarded with multiple and full sized candy bars. I now have a bit of a rep as a house to definitely hit. (Thank you Costco!)</p>
<p>The few highschoolers that I get tend to come through just as I am turning out the porch light but this year I had a bunch at 6:00 who were trying a new approach. They had been shut out by people turning out their lights or running out of candy in the past and hoped that the pickings would be better going out at the same time as the little guys. At that point in the in the evening they thought that going out early had served them well thus far.</p>
<p>
I LOVE this teacher.</p>