Are there Legal Age Restrictions on Trick or Treating?
One of the most anticipated activities during the Halloween season is trick-or-treating. Although trick-or-treats have been a long-standing tradition, there are still debates as to who is allowed to go trick-or-treating.
This popular Halloween activity does not have a consensus when it comes to age limit, but certain communities, especially in North America, have set their own standards on this. For instance, in Bathurst, New Brunswick, only children 14 years old and below are allowed to trick-or-treat. In other towns like Belville, Illinois, Meridian, Mississippi and Bishopville South Carolina, however, the age limit is 12 years old. The same rule is followed in Boonsboro, Maryland.
In many countries around the world, there is no age limit when it comes to trick-or-treating because people believe that children should be allowed to enjoy this activity for as long as they want to.
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"I say let them have fun as long as they can. And really, what would people prefer teenagers do on Halloween? Trick-or-treating seems like a really great option when you consider what else some kids get up to," said mother Wendy Copley in a recent interview with Today.
However, other parents disagree. In a separate interview, a 34-year-old mother told the Tampa Bay Times, "Your childhood has to end at some point. You don't believe in Santa or the tooth fairy forever."
Recently, a Twitter poll tried to learn the public's opinion when it comes to age restrictions on trick-or-treating. The majority, 35%, of those who voted said that children should stop engaging in the activity by age 12. The survey was published on Monday and drew 400 votes from Twitter users.
Meanwhile, a separate survey conducted by Today found that three-quarters of Americans think that people should stop trick-or-treating at age 12 or 13. The majority also said that by age 17, people can already be considered too old to take part in Halloween costume parties.
